Ultraviolet (UV), black light, or glow-in-the-dark tattoos are tattoos that only appear under UV light. UV tattoos use ink containing a fluorescent dye that responds to UV light. This means the tattoo is invisible to the human eye in regular lighting and is only visible under UV, or black light.
UV tattoos generally last 5 to 8 years, since the ink used is thinner and of a different quality than a regular tattoo. This can actually be a good thing since you won't have to wait too long to get rid of a UV tattoo, just long enough for it to dissipate into your body.
Unlike regular tattoos, which use ink made from metals, glow in the dark tattoos use phosphorus ink to achieve that nighttime glow and turn your skin into an artistic glow stick.
A light-emitting diode tattoo is a type of body modification similar to a tattoo, but specifically involves implantation of technologically based materials versus traditional ink injection into the layers of the skin.
Safety concerns
No tattoo inks have ever been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration because the FDA "has not traditionally regulated tattoo inks or the pigments used in them". Claims made that UV tattoo ink is "FDA Approved" when used for tattooing humans appear to be fraudulent.
Application of UV and Glow-in-the-Dark Tattoos
Expensive Inks- UV and phosphorescent inks cost around fifty percent more than normal ink colors. Longer sessions- Artists need to constantly stop and check the progress of the tattoo with a blacklight or work under low-light conditions.
In certain people exposure to UV inks may result in skin sensitization – an allergic reaction that can manifest itself at any time in some people. For a sensitized person, further contact with the material concerned, even at very low doses, may cause a severe reaction.
Is glow in the dark tattoo ink safe? The UV tattoo ink used today is as risky as that of any tattoo — maybe slightly more so. Older UV tattoos used phosphorus in the ink, which can be carcinogenic in high doses. And even without phosphorus, the ink runs the risk of adverse effects.
As long as you are getting your tattoo done at a reputable tattoo parlor that only uses FDA approved inks, then your UV or black light tattoo is made from a reasonably safe ink. Of course, everyone's bodies react differently to various ingredients.
First of all, electronic tattoos are not strictly tattoos – there's no ink involved and nothing pierces the skin. Instead, they are more akin to the transfer tattoos that you can buy. An electronic tattoo is made from an incredibly thin rubber patch containing a circuit of flexible electronic components.
Glow-in-the-dark tattoos will last just as long as regular tattoos if you are careful and intentional about choosing artists who use UV-reactive pigments. As with any tattoo, these ones will fade slowly over time but never fully disappear.
Longer lifetimes - UV LED lights last for 25,000 hours or more, and do not "burn out" like a fluorescent lamp - their UV light output gradually diminishes over time. Fluorescent blacklights typically last only 5000 hours and fail catastrophically.
Ultraviolet Tattoos – Explained
UV tattoos are done with ink that's invisible under regular light. The tattoos only become visible under black light. And they appear to glow in the dark, making them stand out even more.
So, in conclusion, SOME, BUT NOT ALL UV inks contain phosphor. Which brings us to the 1st PRO: It looks cool but; CON: it may give you an allergic reaction (depending on your skin type). PRO: You'll totally rock in a rave party but CON: consider how it would look like under normal light conditions.
A phosphor converts the energy in the UV radiation from a black light into visible light. For example, body fluids like blood and urine contain these fluorescent molecules and are made visible with the help of a black light.
Do white tattoos glow in the dark? It's a common misconception that all white ink tattoos glow in the dark or under the black light. White ink on its own will not show up under black light. In order for your tattoo to glow under UV light, UV ink needs to be added to the white ink.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not currently regulate any tattoo inks, including UV inks. According to Tattoo Health, the only approved use for UV ink is within the agriculture and fishing industries. There have also been more reports of adverse skin reactions to UV ink than regular tattoo ink.
Some people actually get a change in the skin cells that can be felt or seen as an actual scar, so the design may still be visible on your skin as a scar. There's also the risk that your skin may have an allergic reaction and that too can cause your skin to mark up from the shape of your tattoo.
A glow-in-the-dark tattoo might not be visible at all during the day. It could also seem like a regular tattoo, but with one important difference.
Dangers & Downsides of Blackout Tattoos
This makes it difficult to diagnose skin conditions like melanoma or skin anomalies. If you're worried about the health of your skin, or if there's a history of skin issues in your family, it may be best to stay away from blackout tattoos for that reason.
Black remains safest. Blue and green inks with copper phthalocyanine pigments are safe too.
Dr. Kunin reports that black might be the safest permanent tattoo ink; it is often derived from a substance called carbon black and rarely causes any kind of sensitivity issues.
This ink can only be seen when illuminated by a UV or Blacklight emitting in the 350nm - 385nm light range. The ink is permanent and can be applied to paper, some plastics, skin, wood and almost any substance. The ink does not wash off, but will eventually wear off if applied to skin.
The after care and healing process for UV tattoos is the same as a regular tattoo. Like normal ink, UV ink fades with time. This can affect the glowiness of your tattoo. If you're getting an invisible UV tattoo, it will be visible for a while it's healing.
However, evidence does show that some tattoo inks contain carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) – chemicals that have been classified as known or possible carcinogens by the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer.