frameborder="0″ allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen>Each of the four individual FDA surveys showed that ink contamination, even for inks labeled as sterile, is a genuine concern. They pooled the previous surveys for the total sample of 259 unopened tattoo and permanent makeup inks, spanning a range of brands, colors, and sterility claims. The study identified bacteria known to cause disease, but did not measure whether the contaminated products actually made anyone sick. Sterility claims didn't reliably predict it; neither did the type or color of the ink, nor its country of origin. There is no obvious consumer- or even practitioner-facing metric that lets you look at a bottle of tattoo ink and gauge whether it's safe.