Overview
Temporary tattoos allow a fashion statement without a permanent commitment. Summer months, when the weather is moderate and clothing allows tattoo exposure, are the perfect time for temporary body art. When the art fades over the winter, you can have a new design applied in time for the following summer. Other forms of temporary tattoos include paint and stain for weekend art and designs that last only for several weeks or a month.
History
The idea of temporary tattoos was explored during an earlier heyday in the 1940s, but Roy Anderson actually developed the technology for the new inking process in the 1990s. Edith Mathiowitz, Brown University professor of medicine and engineering, contributed the plastic polymer capsule that holds tattoo ink.
Temporary Ink
Anderson, a Harvard University dermatology professor, opened Freedom-2 in 1999 to manufacture a tattoo ink that stored colored dye in microscopic capsules in the skin. The ink is released into the body for absorption when the capsules are exposed to a laser. Rather than a multi-appointment process that includes seven to 15 treatments, the encapsulated ink is removed by the laser in one office visit, according to the company.
Henna
Henna, also known as mehndi, is a dye made from plants that is typically used as a hair dye. Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not approve of any henna dye designed for skin application, any such dye used is considered “illegal” by the agency. Natural henna produces shades of brown on the skin. Other colors, specifically blue and black, require the addition of substances such as coal tar, also called p-phenylenediamine, or PPD. Henna, as well as the additives, produce allergic reactions in some people. Henna washes off when the top layer of skin is naturally sloughed off by the body.
Painted & Air Brush
Painted tattoos allow featuring body art for a night or over a weekend. An artist applies paint either by hand with a brush or uses an airbrush to give a more realistic tattoo. Since painted tattoos use cosmetics designed by the manufacturer for temporary use, the designs are also temporary. The Food and Drug Administration states that painted tattoos applied with a sponge normally fade after several days.
Advantages
Temporary tattoos allow a bit of bling for a person who may not be allowed to sport a tattoo full-time due to job restrictions or employment commitments that require clear skin. Airbrush tattoos are a perfect temporary alternative for these people.
Tattoo artists vary in quality, and expertise in one type of design does not guarantee that a new format will be a work of art. Temporary artwork is one way to test an artist, as well as a way to a design looks on a particular part of the body.
About this Author
David Ryan has been a professional writer and classical music conductor for many years. He has written four history books and many biographical essays for scholarly publications. He holds degrees from the University of Cincinnati, the Cleveland Institute of Music and Indiana University.
