New research could reduce the pain felt during tattoo sessions, which also deters some people from taking the plunge.
Mark Prausnitz, a professor at the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in the USAa, and Song Li, a former postdoctoral fellow at Georgia Tech, presented their findings in the journal iScience.
Their research reveals a painless and inexpensive technique to get tattooed using skin patches containing microscopic needles.
“We’ve miniaturized the needle so that it’s painless, yet efficiently deposits the ink into the skin. This could be a way to not only make medical tattoos more accessible, but also create new opportunities for aesthetic tattoos due to ease of administration,” said Mark Prausnitz.
In order to print a complicated pattern, the micro needles of patch tattoos must be able to be arranged in a specific pattern. Once arranged, each micro-needle acts as a pixel, allowing them to create any design.
The patch only needs to be pressed into the skin once and left there for a few minutes while the micro needles release the tattoo ink.
The Georgia Tech team’s research showed that the tattoos are likely to last at least a year.
“The goal is not to replace all tattoos, which are often real works created by professionals. Our goal is to create new possibilities for patients and people who want a tattoo that is painless and easy to perform”, concluded Mark Prausnitz.