"Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD." Leviticus
19:28
Bloggers Note: Christians are not under the Law, but under Grace. A word to the wise, however, is sufficient. This blog is not anti-you, only inviting you to
“think before you ink”.
What was once reserved for people who had been in the military, gang members or others wishing to make a statement, is now taking hold of people from all socio-economic levels. Women think it is
sexy to add a heart or a butterfly to their chest, hip or ankle or in other dubious places. Men tattoo the name of their significant other or another symbol. Still more people today are using
their body as a canvas to display a large artistic creation or some other message to others admiring certain areas of their body. As of December, 2013 statistics show that 36% of 18-25 yr olds
and 40% of those 26-40 yrs had tattoos. Out of the more than 300 million people in the U.S. there are approximately 45 million Americans with tattoos. 31% of the people who have a tattoo state
that it makes them feel like somebody and even sexy to have them.
With shows like LA Ink, Miami Ink, Inked and most recently Bad Ink, the practice seems to be coming into vogue. But is anyone thinking about the safety? What is being injected into your body?
Will you have any health issues as a result of them?
Are you aware that the FDA does not regulate the ink used in tattoos? Not that it really matters for they usually approve medications (poisons) safe for human use, only to have their approved
medications lined up for lawsuits due to their deadly and abnormal affects. But that's another story- Nevertheless, they have not evaluated tattoo inks for any amount of safety. It is left to the
state and local regulators. But from the FDA website:
-While state and local authorities oversee the practice of tattooing, ink and ink colorings (pigments) used in tattoos are subject to FDA regulation as cosmetics and color additives. However,
because of other public health priorities and a previous lack of evidence of safety concerns, FDA has not traditionally regulated tattoo inks or the pigments used in them.-
Same can be said for other food and artificial colors, which have been concluded in tests both in animal an humans as toxic and bad for human consumption.
If that doesn’t give you warm fuzzies then you are on the right track. There are some serious concerns about the dyes being used and the health issues.
The FDA does not require that ink companies disclose the ingredients contained in their inks. They are considered proprietary (trade secrets). These chemicals contain chemicals that cause cancer,
are capable of causing mutations, birth defects or other immune reactions as do their counterparts used in the food industry. The FDA does not list cancer as its possible health risks. They only
cite infection, allergic reactions, keloids, granulomas, removal difficulties and potential issues with MRI complications.
According to Wikipedia the tattoo inks can contain the following ingredients:
Heavy metals used for colors include mercury (red); lead (yellow, green, white); cadmium (red, orange, yellow); nickel (black); zinc (yellow, white); chromium (green); cobalt (blue); aluminum
(green, violet); titanium (white); copper (blue, green); iron (brown, red, black); and barium (white). Metal oxides used include ferrocyanide and ferricyanide (yellow, red, green, blue). Organic
chemicals used include azo-chemicals (orange, brown, yellow, green, violet) and naptha-derived chemicals (red). Carbon (soot or ash) is also used for black. Other elements used as pigments
include antimony, arsenic, beryllium, calcium, lithium, selenium, and sulphur.
Tattoo ink manufacturers typically blend the heavy metal pigments and/or use lightening agents (such as lead or titanium) to reduce production costs.
This PubMed article: Metal Toxicity: Tattoos: Safe Symbols? addresses the issues of toxicity as
well as Tattoo Ink Chemistry.
There has been quite a lot written, over recent years, concerning serious health conditions related to heavy metal toxicity. Cancer, ALS, Fibromyalgia, MS, and autoimmune diseases to name just a
few. More recent studies are beginning to connect heavy metal poisoning with heightened sensitivity to EMF exposure and an increased risk of serious disease.
My thoughts always turn to God when I contemplate issues and trends such as these. In the same poll mentioned above 29% of the people stated that having a tattoo made them feel rebellious. Isn’t
it the old man's rebellious nature that gets us in trouble? In Leviticus God tells us not to print any marks on our bodies. It certainly is food for thought given the risks that accompany them.
Again in the New Testament we read in 1 Cor. 6:19 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye
have of God, and ye are not your own?" It may seem like it's a new fad for you, and cool in front of others, your own little personal way of communicating with mouth's shut; however,
it's not our body to do with as we please. It's an impure, unnatural thing to do to our bodies.
If you are determined to obtain a tattoo and have decided to throw caution to the wind there are a few things you should ask and think on:
1. Do I care anymore what God thinks about it?
2. Where I'm thinking about getting a tattoo from; are they regulated and do THEY care what God thinks about their practice?
3. Many tattoo parlors will dip the needle into an open container that was previously used for others unbeknownst to you for their tattoos
4. Is it worth it to have physical or emotional damages that you may not be able to tie into where you received your tattoo?
5. Think about others around you and how they feel about your decision to mark your body for life, and moreover what God thinks and says about you marking on something that belongs to Him. What
are the consequences?
6. And finally: Remember, once it's on you it won't wash off. There are steps you can take to remove and lighten them, but the expense and pain to have this done might be more than you
want.
While some inks may be organic / plant based there have been no long term studies to determine the safety. You will tattoo at your own risk.
It's sad....everything God said NOT to do, people do....WHY? WHY?