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Plaster for simple tattoos
Photo: Georgia Tech
Tattoos are sometimes real works of art that the tattoo artist has worked on for a long time.
Other customers, on the other hand, only want a small and simple tattoo - a number or a symbol.
A new development by four researchers could help them do this - it would also make the actually painful tattooing procedure more pleasant and uncomplicated.
A team led by Mark Prausnitz from the Georgia Institute of Technology has developed patches that every user should be able to use themselves.
These patches are coated with miniature needles that deliver the ink into the skin, the researchers write in the journal iScience.
So far, however, the approach has only been tested on rats and pigskin.
The researchers tattooed the animals, among other things, hearts and stars, but also numbers and short words.
In humans, the patches could be used to inexpensively tattoo small symbols that do not require the skill of a tattoo artist.
In addition, covering areas of skin that are perceived as unsightly is conceivable, according to the researchers.
The patches could also be used to mark animals.
In the study, it was also possible to use ink that is only visible under UV light.
As a result, certain information could be worn discreetly on the skin, the researchers write.
According to the researchers, the technology could also be used to mark medical information on the skin, for example blood type or diseases such as diabetes.
It is also possible to apply a QR code, which is read and leads to more information.
Band-aids also with temporary tattoo ink
"We've miniaturized the needle so that it's painless but still effectively delivers tattoo ink into the skin," Prausnitz said.
The mini-needles developed consist of tattoo ink surrounded by a dissolvable cover.
According to the scientists' research, the tattoos last at least a year, but they may even be permanent.
But it is also conceivable to provide the patches with temporary tattoo ink.
So far, mini-needles have been used in anti-wrinkle treatments, for example, but according to the scientists not yet in the tattoo industry.
Prausnitz has also been researching how such needles can be used to administer medicine or vaccinations for years.
In order to further advance the technology, the experts founded a company.
"The goal is not to replace all tattoos, which are often the work of beauty by tattoo artists," says Prausnitz.
"Our goal is to create new opportunities for patients, pets and people who want a painless tattoo that is easy to administer."
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