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Planar and Three-Dimensional Printing of Conductive Inks

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Is Tattooing an Injection? Evaluating the Mechanics of Ink Placement.

Sasha Noble¹, Kelli Moseman², Selina Medina³

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, USA.

Acta Biomaterialia

|August 31, 2025

Summary

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now regulates tattoo inks, prompting a review of whether tattooing is an injection. This analysis concludes that tattooing mechanics differ significantly from injection, arguing against its classification as an injectable process.

Keywords:

Injection Pigment Tattoo

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Area of Science:

Dermatology
Biomedical Engineering
Regulatory Science

Background:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is newly regulating tattoo inks, a significant shift impacting the tattoo industry.
The classification of tattooing as an injection process is central to this regulatory change.
This classification has profound implications for the US and global tattoo industry, potentially framing inks as medical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

To analyze the scientific and mechanical definitions of "injection" and "tattooing."
To compare the processes of injection and tattooing based on current scientific understanding.
To determine the appropriate terminology for describing the tattoo process in light of regulatory changes.

Main Methods:

Literature review to define "injection" based on scientific and mechanical principles.
Comparative analysis of the tattoo ink deposition process against the definition of injection.
Examination of the FDA's regulatory framework for cosmetics and medical devices.

Main Results:

The core mechanics of tattooing do not align with the scientific definition of injection.
Tattooing involves a different method of pigment deposition compared to medical injections.
The analysis supports distinct classification for tattooing, separate from injection-based processes.

Conclusions:

Tattooing should not be scientifically or mechanically classified as an injection process.
Using precise terminology is crucial for accurate regulation and understanding of the tattoo industry.
Reclassifying tattooing away from "injectable" could prevent drastic, potentially unnecessary, alterations to the tattoo industry.