The microneedle tattoos are applied without any pain.
Scientists have developed a method for creating tattoos without pain or blood, and they believe it may have both medical and aesthetic uses.
The Georgia Institute of Technology in the US has developed the technology that may soon lead to simple tattooing operations. The procedure involves applying ink to the skin using tattoo patches with microneedles.
Microneedles are used in this self-administered method to imprint a design into the skin without causing discomfort or bleeding.
“We've miniaturized the needle so that it's painless, but still effectively deposits tattoo ink in the skin. This could be a way not only to make medical tattoos more accessible, but also to create new opportunities for cosmetic tattoos because of the ease of administration,” said Mark Prausnitz, who was in charge of the project at Georgia Tech.
Although the innovation's first uses are probably in the medical field, its creators envision it also finding usage in tattoo studios as a more comfortable alternative.
Tattoos often involve a painful and time-consuming technique of puncturing the skin 50-3,000 times per minute with big needles to deposit ink underneath the surface.
The Georgia Tech researchers created microneedles using tattoo ink encapsulated in a matrix that dissolves.
Each microneedle functions as a pixel to generate a tattoo picture in any shape or pattern, and different colours can be employed. This is accomplished by positioning the microneedles in a certain pattern.
Sometimes, in a medical setting, tattoos are used to conceal scars, direct repeated radiation treatments for cancer.
For significant medical diseases like diabetes, epilepsy, or allergies, tattoos can also be used as a communication tool instead of bracelets.
According to the study, tattoos might last for at least a year and were likely to be permanent, making them a good cosmetic choice.
Alternately, temporary tattoo ink might be put onto microneedles.