Blacklight tattoos

Something in the shadows

People want to be at the cutting edge… so whether its at all-night parties or raves, the glow in the dark phenomenon is something which keeps on growing! Once a black light tattoo has healed, it can hardly be seen in natural daylight, so its a cool one to go for if you’ve always wanted a tattoo, but your partner or boss has said no!

The difference between a blacklight tattoo and a glow in the dark tattoo

The pigment used for a glow in the dark tattoo enables it to glow under black light or once a light source has been removed. This is because the pigment absorbs and retains light, which is why it ‘glows’ after a light has been removed. UV reactive pigment (or black light pigment) absorbs and reflects light as long as the UV light source is present, but returns to normal after the light has been removed. It doesn’t glow in the dark otherwise. Black light tattoos can be done in lots of different colours, which will all glow brightly if they’re inked right, but white is the only colour which will disappear completely when the tattoo is not under black light.

Black Light Tattoo Ink

In the past, pigments used for glow in the dark and black light tattoos have contained phosphorous, which is a controversial agent that has been linked to side effects including contact dermatitis, prolonged itching, discomfort and cancer. As a consequence, many reputable artists will not do glow in the dark or black light tattoos, because of their uncertainty to do with how safe the inks are in the long-term.
New pigments which don’t contain phosphorous have found their way onto the market however, and with extensive testing and FDA approval, are supposed to be some of the safest inks around. The important thing is to be informed - check out that your artist knows which brand of ink they’re using.