US study finds over a third of tattoo and permanent makeup inks contaminated with live bacteria

A study by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found that 35.4% of tattoo and permanent makeup ink samples tested were contaminated with live bacteria capable of growing and multiplying. Researchers identified 34 types of bacteria that could potentially cause diseases in humans.

The results showed that labeling ink as “sterile” did not guarantee it was free from bacteria. Of 118 samples claiming to be sterile, 33.3% of tattoo inks and 33% of permanent makeup inks still contained bacteria.

Inks manufactured in the United States had a contamination rate of 33.5%, compared to 31.9% for imported inks.

Among the bacteria identified were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, and Cutibacterium acnes, which are known to be associated with infections and diseases in humans.

Researchers detected bacteria known to cause illness, but the study did not investigate whether contaminated products had actually led to cases of disease.

The study noted that the extent of contamination found may not reflect the full picture, as the number of bacterial types continued to rise with more samples tested, despite a slowdown in the appearance of new types. This suggests additional types might be discovered if more products are examined.

The analysis relied on bacterial culturing, a method that may not detect slow-growing or hard-to-culture bacteria using traditional techniques.

The study did not determine at which stage contamination occurred or how bacteria entered the ink. Researchers believe contamination is likely linked to manufacturing or distribution processes, highlighting the need to improve quality control and sterilization procedures during ink production.