THE WHAT? Researchers from the Division of Microbiology, National Center for Toxicological Research, part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in Jefferson, Ark., have detected anaerobic and aerobic bacteria in commercial tattoo and permanent makeup inks.

THE DETAILS  The findings, published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology, mark the first investigation of anaerobic bacteria in tattoo inks. The study revealed that unopened and sealed tattoo inks could harbor both anaerobic and aerobic bacteria. Researchers conducted the study using 75 tattoo inks from 14 different manufacturers, discovering that around 35% of the products were contaminated with bacteria, regardless of sterility claims on the labels.

THE WHY?  The study underscores the need to develop more efficient microbial detection methods and conduct deeper research into microbial contamination in tattoo inks to safeguard consumer health.