August 11, 2014 — White and Blue Lion, Inc. and 8Decades have recalled at-home tattoo kits because they may be contaminated with bacteria that can cause a life-threatening tattoo infection.
One infection has been reported.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Safety Alert after tests discovered a wide variety of bacteria in unopened bottles of tattoo ink and on needles included in kits.
Although the manufacturer issued a recall on July 11, they continue to sell products in similar packaging. Consumers should not use the recalled products or similar products.
The recipient of a tattoo using contaminated ink or needles can develop a serious infection at the site of the tattoo. This may cause redness, swelling, itching, or blemishes in the tattoo, or pain in the tattoo that does not go away. It can also lead to much more severe infections that must be treated with antibiotics, hospitalization, or surgery.
The FDA warns:
“Sepsis, a potentially life-threatening body-wide infection of the blood, may result. Once the infection has healed, the area may remain permanently scarred.”
The FDA is recalling ink products that are marked with a dragon on the bottle. The inks are sold in sets containing between 5 and 54 or more bottles of different-colored inks. The inks and needles are also sold individually. The inks and needles are widely distributed on websites like www.ebay.com and www.amazon.com.