Does Anyone Know What This Snake Symbol Is?

   

     I've seen this snake before, I just can't remember what from. Anyone know what it is?

Creepy Clown Mixed UV Tattoo

Are UV Tattoo Scars Truly Invisible?

   

     For many people, the allure of having a UV reactive tattoo is that it cant be seen unless it's under a blacklight. Perhaps they have a job that would frown upon an employee with tattoos. But, that does no good if the scarring is heavy and easily visible in normal light.  So, how visible is the scarring?  From what I've been able to learn, that depends on the artist and how well the tattoo is cared for during the healing process. As this video shows, after two weeks, the scarring is barely visible at all.




Source: Chelsea D.C.

Kraken UV Tattoo

UV DNA Strand Tattoo

 
      From the looks of this one, it's still in the process of healing.  I think the scarring would be much lighter after it's completely healed.

Buddy Christ UV Tattoo

Black Light Crystal Tattoo

 

Nightmare Before Christmas Zero UV Tattoo

     It took me a minute to realize this was Zero!  At first glance,  I thought it was a fish due to the angle of the pic.  I might have gotten it in a more prominent spot.  So awesome though.  I love Nightmare Before Christmas!








 

Blacklight Reactive Panther Tattoo

UV Circuit Tattoo on Side of Head

Are UV Tattoos Really Invisible Under Normal Light?

     Are UV tattoos really invisible under normal light?  It really appears to depend upon the chosen design and the heavy/light-headed style of the artist.  This particular design appears to have very little to no scarring. But, you can also see the fading of the design in the blacklight as it has healed as well.








   

UV Misfits Crimson Skull Tattoo

Lil Wayne Shows Off His UV Blacklight Tattoos (Stars and Kiss)

UV Mushroom Tattoo

     I think that mushrooms are a perfect fit for a UV tattoo. Mushrooms just remind me of all things psychedelia. I'm surprised me people aren't using this concept.

     Here are some other ideas I think could incorporated well. The more colorful the better! 

Assorted UV Tattoos

Safety of UV Tattoos

     While the popularity of UV tattoos is rising, not much is known about the safety of these tattoos. They have not been approved by the FDA for use in humans because the FDA “has not traditionally regulated tattoo inks or the pigments used in them".  No tattoo inks have ever been approved by the FDA for this reason. Some companies advertise their inks as FDA approved. This is partly true, but these products have only been approved by the FDA for fishing or agricultural use, such as marking animals, such as livestock or fish.  

    There has been speculation that several UV inks are suspected carcinogens and/or allergens, but at this time, no research has been conducted into the side effects of long term exposure to these inks. Some people have had skin reactions, such as itching or dermatitis, but these reactions could've just as easily been caused by any ink. Reactions could also be caused by not protecting the tatoo from UV rays within 3 months or from using creams or lotions containing perfume on the tattoo.
     Some useful information can be gleaned  from researching the molecular construction of these inks. One of the major differences between UV tattoo inks and regular tattoo inks is the polymer microsphere encasing each UV molecule. The proper name for the synthetic polymer encasing the ink is polymethylmethacrylate, or PMMA. PMMA has been used since the 1930's for medical purposes, such as dental prosthesis, bone repair, orthopedics and pacemakers. The PMMA creates an ink-filled shell that rests between skin cells. The shells themselves are about 5 times larger than human red blood cells and are usually well-accepted by the body. From this, it appears that UV ink may actually be safer than regular tattoo ink because the actual ink never comes into contact with the body. PMMA is also completely hypoallergenic. However, one disadvantage of UV tattoos is that some of them use magnetic ingredients. If the inked individual ever needs to have an MRI, the magnetic material can be displaced by the strong magnets of the MRI machine. If you have UV tattoos, you should notify your healthcare professional of this before receiving an MRI.

By Way of an Introduction

      Hi! My name is Chassidy. I have always been a tattoo enthusiast. This blog was inspired partly by my friend Raven's tattoo, which was the first UV tattoo I had ever seen. She had a large, gorgeous piece that took up her entire back. I thought it was awesome (as were almost all of her tattoos), but I had no idea she had UV work in the design until she happened to step under a backlight. I was amazed. I had seen the tattoo many times and I had never realized it was there, or even that such a thing was being done.
     This brought up the question of safety though. How can something that glows be safe to put in your body? Turns out, this question is not easily answered. There just doesn't seem to be a whole lot of information on the subject of UV tattoos out there. However, I'm hoping to dig up as much as I can and post it all here in one place. I hope to help not only other ink enthusiasts, but also hopefully artists by collecting information and resources on this subject.