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May 09, 2023

Medical student on a mission to make tattoo inks safe

By Patsy Douglas Click here for updates on this story BIRMINGHAM, Alabama

By Patsy Douglas

Click here for updates on this story

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WVTM) — A UAB medical student and other dermatologists are on a mission to make safe tattoo ink, specifically in the color red.

Matthew Kizla noticed that a lot of patients were coming to dermatologists with tattoo problems. Some of the patients’ skin felt very painful and even itchy.

Research from UAB shows that doctors are now more likely to see tattoo complications than ever before. Thirty percent of Americans have at least one tattoo, up from 21% in 2012, according to a 2019 poll.

A separate study in 2017 estimated the range of post-tattoo complications at anywhere from 2% to 30%, and 75% of allergic reactions were against the red color.

Kiszla says finding ways to make tattoo ink safe will be a long process.

"Really, the primary problem we see is an allergic reaction, so there may be even one area of that tattoo that may be raised, that may have disfiguring reactions. The reason we know that the tattoo is the problem is because a particular color is often impacted," Kiszla said.

There is not enough data to be sure that red ink is the problem of these reactions. Kiszla is currently writing a paper and working with researchers to find the answers.

Right now, Kiszla has grant support and access to specialized testing equipment to help him discover more about this project.

He's also encouraging people to go to their local dermatologist and get checked if they feel any type of irritation to help researchers find the safest tattoo out on the market.

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