# Permanent Marker on skin **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 15, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778 "2002-04-15T17:25:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheRob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@TheRob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheRob)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778/1 "2002-04-15T17:25:50Z")
Ummm I wrote on my arm with an industrial sharpie marker and I wanted to know if it would affect me in anyway. It says on the marker that the ink “withstands most chemical washes and steam up to 500 degrees farenhiet.” Anyone have any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778/2 "2002-04-15T17:59:31Z")
I’ve written on my skin with sharpies before and I’m not dead yet. Your skin dies and sloughs off naturally so it’s not like you have dyed yourself permanently (or will have to resort to 600-degree steam to wash it off). ---
**Author:** ![LolaBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778/3 "2002-04-15T18:01:27Z")
Are you still alive? If you’re reading this, I doubt it’s done anything of much consequence to you. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LiquidLobotomy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/898d66/32.png) [@LiquidLobotomy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiquidLobotomy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778/4 "2002-04-15T18:09:54Z")
It will stay on you forever. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![LolaBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778/5 "2002-04-15T18:37:06Z")
Are you still alive? If you’re reading this, I doubt it’s done anything of much consequence to you. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TheRob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@TheRob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheRob)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778/6 "2002-04-15T19:11:19Z")
LoL thanks guys I feel much better now, if I die I’ll let you know. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778/7 "2002-04-15T23:10:11Z")
Why don’t you call the Sharpie folks? Im pretty sure they are laugh impaired. They might even have a web site explaining what happens to your skin when the acid works its way through. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778/8 "2002-04-16T03:15:25Z")
Don’t worry, you will be fine. Far worse has happened. [TANGENT, but kind of relevant] My sister directed a play in college where one actor was tied bare-butted to a table for most of the play (_P.S., Your Cat is Dead_, FWIW.) To get around the college censors, they painted op art his butt using dayglo paint and changed the color scheme for each performance. Sis never mentioned any health problems and he is probably alive and well today, some twenty-five years later. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778/9 "2002-04-16T04:26:19Z")
As **racin** said, the skin that you wrote on is permanently died, but skin seems to recycle itself pretty darn quickly, especially if you use a loofah. I’ve had elaborate drawings on my arm in permanent marker come off in about 2 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778/10 "2002-04-16T04:27:39Z")
Ahem. died = dyed ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-marker-on-skin/103778/11 "2002-04-16T04:34:01Z")
First thing is that there is such a thing as an [Industrial Sharpie](http://www.sanfordcorp.com/sanford/consumer/jhtml/product/displayproduct.jhtml?id=prod650415), which is distinct from the normal one, so I don’t know if the anecdotal evidence is worth anything. Sorry Rob. In addition, I found the [MSDS](http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~jsmith/MSDS/SHARPIE%20FINE%20POINT.htm) for a normal sharpie, which has this fine nugget: > [@](#): > > Emergency/First Aid Proc: INGEST:CALL MD IMMEDIATELY (FP N). INHAL: REMOVE IMMEDIATELY FLUSH W/POTABLE WATER FOR A MINIMUM OF 15 MINUTES, SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM MD (FP N). **SKIN:FLUSH W/COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF WATER. CALL MD (FP N)**.