The popularity of skin art is ever increasing, and a patient of mine recently asked about the health effects of tattoos. The short answer is that the tattoo ink industry is unregulated in Canada and the US, and also relatively small, and therefore pretty much a wild west scenario for consumers. In Europe, on the other hand, there is more regulatory oversight, and we in North America can piggy back on some of the health information that spills from that. 

For instance, there are some pigment ingredients that are banned in the EU. Thus it makes sense to take the time to research your ink options here to ensure that you are avoiding what you can. 

Another big risk with tattooing is infection, but any reputable tattoo studio will use the equipment sterilization standards as outlined by public health, so in my mind that is not usually a concern anymore. 

As with everything else, there are risks and benefits to choosing to get a tattoo. If it’s something that you really want, be sure to research your tattoo studio’s sanitization protocols, ask them what ink they use, and then take the time to research that ink. Reputable ink companies will be very transparent about their ingredient list and post an MSDS sheet which will allow you to make an informed decision about which colours to use and which to avoid.