Ellie Grey writes:
I got tattooed during a time in my life when I wasn’t fully informed about what was going into my body or what I was allowing onto my skin. Back then, it was about art, self-expression and creative identity. Today, I see it differently.
Tattoos are not harmless.
Here’s what they don’t tell you when that needle touches your skin…
Red ink often contains mercury sulphide (cinnabar)—a toxic heavy metal linked to allergic reactions, skin inflammation and systemic toxicity.
Black ink, the most commonly used, contains carbon black, which may be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – classified as Group 2B carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Many tattoo pigments also include lead, arsenic, cadmium, and aluminium – heavy metals with known neurotoxic and carcinogenic effects.
Tattoo ink particles don’t stay in the skin. They travel through your bloodstream and often accumulate in the lymph nodes, where they can disrupt immune function and remain for life.
When exposed to UV light or laser removal, these inks can break down into even more dangerous substances, including formaldehyde, benzene, and hydrogen cyanide…all linked to cancer.
Recent studies have started exploring the link between tattoo inks and various cancers, especially skin cancers, lymphoma and other immune-related cancers as well as auto immune disorders. While research is ongoing, the emerging evidence is deeply concerning – especially when you consider how unregulated tattoo inks are in many countries.
I didn’t know this. I wish I had.
Now, as someone who lives as clean and naturally as possible…from what I eat to what I put on my skin, my tattoos feel like the one thing I can’t take back. They’re a permanent reminder of a version of myself who didn’t yet understand the consequences.
This isn’t about shame. It’s about awareness. About informed choices.
If you’re considering a tattoo, I urge you to research the ingredients, the risks, the long-term impacts. If you already have tattoos, know that detox is possible to a degree and awareness is the first step.
We deserve to know what we’re being sold as “art.”