Can getting a tattoo make you sick?

The simple answer is yes, ink does enter the blood stream and has nothing to do with a tattoo artist not knowing what they are doing. In most cases, macrophages carry the ink particles to the lymph nodes closest to the site of the tattoo. Because the cells cannot break down the particles, they become lodged there.

Tattoo inks are not classified as pharmaceutical or cosmetic. The body is directly exposed to the toxic substances contained in the ink due to the injection of tattoo ink into the skin. Pigments may accumulate in the lymph nodes or other organs as they are in direct contact with the skin tissue and lymphatic system.