UV tattoos, popularized by the “raver” culture (a term most used in the United Kingdom for people who attend raves or rave parties), react to blacklight, or UV light, which has a wavelength shorter than visible light. The specialized UV tattoo ink glows or fluoresces in the presence of a blacklight source, but may be completely invisible under normal light (unless scarring is present from the tattooing process.)
*Disadvantages and Controversies*
Not surprisingly, UV tattoos are more expensive and few UV inks have been approved for use in the United States. Controversy exists over whether or not the inks contain carcinogens and allergens, as itching and dermatitis are common adverse reactions. Additionally, UV inks can brown or yellow when exposed to sunlight. No long-term data exists to link the UV ink to cancers, but many tattoo artists will not work with the ink due to the potential for complications and the difficulties of actually applying the medium.
