New Delhi: In one of the recent studies, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that nearly half of permanent makeup ink samples and almost a quarter of tattoo ink samples were contaminated with bacteria, even in brands that claimed to be sterile. The findings of the study were published on Tuesday in the Applied and Environmental Microbiology journal.What FDA study finds A long time ago, the FDA warned about the risk of contamination in body inks. Last year, they advised tattoo ink manufacturers to take more precautions. Since 2003, there have been 18 recalls of contaminated inks.In their latest study, FDA scientists tested multiple tattoo and permanent makeup inks from 14 different manufacturers, including some from France and China. They found bacteria in more permanent makeup inks than tattoo inks. Out of 49 tattoo ink samples, 9 had bacterial growth. Out of 35 permanent makeup ink samples, 17 were contaminated.Its unclear that which brands were contaminated or if the FDA took action against them or not, as the official statement on this is still awaited. Of the 49 products labeled as sterile, 16 were found to be contaminated.What microbiologist say According to of the FDA microbiologists, there was no clear link between a product label claiming sterility and the actual absence of bacterial contamination. The study focused on bacteria that grow without oxygen and it is the first to look at both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in these inks.Bacteria in tattoo and makeup inks The most common anaerobic bacteria found was Cutibacterium acnes, which can cause acne and implant infections. Some inks also had bacteria like Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus, which are linked to urinary tract infections.The study authors noted that the sterilization process might not be effective, or the labels might not be accurate.
