The United Stated Food and Drug Administration has warned that temporary tattoos may come with health risks.
FDA officials warned that temporary tattoos could cause allergic reactions, LiveScience reported.
"If you had a reaction to a temporary tattoo or any cosmetic product, the FDA wants to know," Katherine Hollinger, an epidemiologist with the FDA Office of Cosmetics and Colors told LiveScience.
Cosmetics do not require FDA approval to be marketed, but the color additives do. The FDA has not released the number of people who have had reactions to temporary tattoos.
Several types of temporary tattoos use "plant-based and synthetic dyes" LiveScience reported.
Henna, for example, uses paste made from the leaves of the lawsonia plant. Some of these dyes also use p-phenylenediamine (PPD), which is not approved for use in the skin by the FDA.
The dye jaguar is made from unripened Genipa Americana fruit; the body dye is a part of the culture of Indigenous people from the Amazon, but it has only recently made it to the United States.
These types of dye can cause rashes and blistering on the skin. Long term effects can include: "scarring, skin changes and increased sensitivity to sun," LiveScience reported.
Real tattoos can also cause problems such as infections from contaminated ink. Red ink seems to cause the most problems.
Bumps called granulomas can also form around the tattoo ink; keloids and scar tissue can also occur, Mayo Clinic reported.
Serious blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis B and C can be contracted while getting a tattoo if the equipment is not properly cleaned between customers.
In rare instances swelling and burning can occur in tattooed areas of the body if the person undergoes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams. The ink can also interfere with this type of imaging, making results harder to read.
