Getting a tattoo can now be painless — and without needles

Those with phobias of needles can now get tattoos without having to worry.

Scientists have developed a way to get a permanent tattoo without going under the needle and suffering through hours of pain.

The new technology is in the form of a skin patch that has microneedles smaller than grains of sand. While it still has “needle” in the name, these microscopic needles are of no comparison to the ordinary needles one would have to endure and the impact is painless and bloodless.

“While some people are willing to accept the pain and time required for a tattoo, we thought others might prefer a tattoo that is simply pressed onto the skin and does not hurt,” said the principal investigator, professor Mark Prausnitz.

The microneedles can be arranged into different designs, words, symbols — anything at all — to create the ideal custom tattoo. They can even be made to respond to environmental factors including light or temperature changes.

Using skin patches is a quicker process, too. The patch is pressed onto the body — similar to how one would apply a temporary tattoo paper — and then the microneedles dissolve. A few minutes later, the ink sinks into the skin. They can even be self-administered — no tattoo shop required.

“Because the microneedles are made of tattoo ink, they deposit the ink in the skin very efficiently,” said Dr. Song Li, a senior research scientist at Micron Biomedical and co-author of the study published in iScience.

Dr. Prausnitz added: “We’ve miniaturized the needle so that it’s painless, but still effectively deposits tattoo ink in the skin.”

Other than the benefit of not having to sit under a needle, these tattoo patches are less intrusive, which means there’s a lower risk of infection.

While the study found that the tattoos are likely to be permanent, they can also be made with temporary tattoo ink for those who don’t want to make that decision.

While some will be excited that the new technology will help them finally be able to get tattoos pain-free, the skin patches can also help with medical and veterinary tattooing.

Tattoos are often used to guide repeated cancer radiation treatments, cover up scars, and communicate serious medical conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes or allergies. The environmental reaction feature allows patients some privacy and can hide the tattoo unless it’s under ultraviolet lights or high temperatures.

The non-invasive tattoos can also be used to help pets. Instead of clipping their ears and applying ear tags, vets can go ahead and painlessly tattoo important information — such as if the animal has been spayed or neutered — directly onto the animal’s skin.

Though these skin patches can be revolutionary and extremely appealing, the researchers don’t want to discredit the hard work of tattoo artists.

“The goal isn’t to replace all tattoos, which are often works of beauty created by tattoo artists,” Dr. Prausnitz said. “Our goal is to create new opportunities for patients, pets, and people who want a painless tattoo that can be easily administered.”