# Tattoos... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 14, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042 "2004-04-14T21:46:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![outside\_artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@outside\_artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outside_artist)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/1 "2004-04-14T21:46:48Z")
Does anyone know what the potential health risks of getting a tattoo are? Someone told me that if you get one, it makes it dangerous to get an MRI or Cat-Scan later on, or other such thing. Is this true? Is there anything else about it that is unhealthy? Thanx ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/2 "2004-04-14T21:52:21Z")
The only risk I’ve ever heard of is contracting a blood-borne disease such as hepatitis. The tattoo artist should use sterile needles and inks, etc. ---
**Author:** ![owlofcreamcheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@owlofcreamcheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlofcreamcheese)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/3 "2004-04-14T22:11:18Z")
the fear with MRIs is metal. the magnet is big enough that peices of metal will rip right out of your skin towards the MRI magnet. why a tattoo would put metal in your skin… I’m not sure, is there metalized ink? or fear the needle breaking off and being left there? ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/4 "2004-04-14T22:19:31Z")
From: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo) > [@](#): > > Interference with magnetic resonance imaging has in the past been a concern with tattooing. The magnetic fields involved in a routine MRI scan (used to detect conditions such as multiple sclerosis and breast cancer) would sometimes interact with the metal particles formerly used in tattoo dyes. This causes the site of the tattoo to heat, ranging from slight warming to severe pain-causing heat.[2] The metal particles could also interfer with the scan, producing distortions in the resulting image, though this aspect is not well documented.[3] For the most part, reports of pain during MRIs by tattoo bearers are rare, with no lasting effects, and a cold compress during the procedure will alleviate any discomfort.[4] > > Today the majority of professional tattoos do not contain metal particles and therefore there is no concern with MRIs. Tattoos of the “permanent make-up” variety (eyeliner, etc.) are more likely to contain metal particles, and these individuals should consult with their doctor or technician before the process begins. There are alternatives to MRIs—individuals with pacemakers also need to use other diagnostic tools—so when it doubt, ask your doctor. ---
**Author:** ![OhFace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecccb3/32.png) [@OhFace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OhFace)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/5 "2004-04-14T22:19:50Z")
At one time there used to be inks that contained lead in them, therefore it could interfere with an MRI. Nowadays if you go to a reputable shop all inks will be non-toxic. ---
**Author:** ![outside\_artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@outside\_artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outside_artist)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/6 "2004-04-14T22:37:11Z")
I was inquiring about it because I was looking into permanent eyeliner. I wil make sure that the dyes she uses are Okay. She seemed like she knew what she was talking about, Thank you… ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/7 "2004-04-15T00:22:36Z")
Actually, according to [this article](http://risks.bmezine.com/?mri) on [bmezine.com](http://bmezine.com), a body modification website, the permanent cosmetic tattoos may be the riskiest. > [@](#): > > These days professional tattoo inks contain little to no iron oxide particles, however cosmetic tattoo ink (permanent eyeliner, lip liner, etc) often contains measurable amounts which have been shown to cause reactions to MRI scans. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/8 "2004-04-15T03:20:36Z")
There are anesthesiologists at my hospital who will not put an epidural catheter through a large, darkly inked tattoo. They say they fear introducing colored skin cells into the spinal fluid. With the popularity of placing tattoos on women’s backs where the epidural might need to go to provide pain management during childbirth, a young woman might consider this. Cyn, OB/GYN RN. ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/9 "2004-04-15T04:18:54Z")
> [@Cyn](#): > > They say they fear introducing colored skin cells into the spinal fluid. Is this actually a risk, though? (apart from the risk that the doctor will BELIEVE it’s dangerous and not do it for that reason) [bmezine.com](http://bmezine.com) [says it isn’t](http://risks.bmezine.com/?epidural), and they’ve always seemed to be pretty honest about risks to me, though I’m willing to believe they may be wrong on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/10 "2004-04-17T19:59:12Z")
> [@elfbabe](#): > > Is this actually a risk, though? (apart from the risk that the doctor will BELIEVE it’s dangerous and not do it for that reason) [bmezine.com](http://bmezine.com) [says it isn’t](http://risks.bmezine.com/?epidural), and they’ve always seemed to be pretty honest about risks to me, though I’m willing to believe they may be wrong on this one. Well, evidence-based medicine remains silent on this topic. Few studies involve injecting cells containing a wide variety of different dyes directly into the central nervous system (and that’s what the CSF is part of) just to see what happens. And in our society, if it turns out to be a risk it’ll be the anesthesiologists who get sued, not the body mod people. ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/11 "2004-04-17T23:50:41Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Few studies involve injecting cells containing a wide variety of different dyes directly into the central nervous system (and that’s what the CSF is part of) just to see what happens. I was thinking of something more along the lines of something showing that people who get epidurals through tattoos experience/don’t experience some problem more often than people whose epidurals do not go through tattoos. But it’s good to know that nobody’s going around injecting dyes into cerebrospinal fluid! Restores my faith in the world, it does. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/12 "2004-04-18T01:19:41Z")
> [@elfbabe](#): > > I was thinking of something more along the lines of something showing that people who get epidurals through tattoos experience/don’t experience some problem more often than people whose epidurals do not go through tattoos. But it’s good to know that nobody’s going around injecting dyes into cerebrospinal fluid! Restores my faith in the world, it does. Ah, but absence of evidence is not evidence of absence! And actually, a number of contrast materials are injected into CSF, for testing purposes. But unlike tattoo dyes, these were tested on animals and in human trials and approved by the FDA (not always a certainty of safety, I know). To paraphrase the way: “There’s a lot that goes on that we don’t know about”. -Mrs. Cosmopolite. ---
**Author:** ![oriegirl44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f14d63/32.png) [@oriegirl44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oriegirl44)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/13 "2004-04-18T20:53:41Z")
They also say now that if you have a tattoo on your lower back, they can’t give you an epideral when/if you have a baby b/c the ink COULD POSSIBLY get pushed into your spine when they are giving you the shot…guess I should have thought about that sooner… ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoos/240042/14 "2004-04-19T00:16:08Z")
It’s been about 10 years or so, but I remember making some tattoo inks for permanent eyeliner, and we did indeed use iron oxide pigments. They’re less likely to cause allergic reactions than organic pigments (and iron is less toxic than the metals used in the laked pigments). MRI wasn’t discussed as a complication (kind of an exotic technology, back then).