The difference between phosphorus and blacklight tattoos is that, unlike the latter that is invisible in complete darkness, the former may not show up on UV lights, but will glow and shine in complete darkness.

While black ink tattoos are generally considered safe to apply, it’s not regulated or approved by FDA. There is no evidence that black ink tattoos are connected to certain skin conditions or issues, but tattoo enthusiasts are still encouraged to think deeply about the tattoo they want to get and decide for themselves.

The comforting bit is that FDA doesn’t regulate the regular tattoo ink, so blacklight ink not being listed should not be a major cause of concern.

Editor’s note: Keep in mind that you need to conduct your research when searching for the tattoo studio that applies black ink tattoos. Always make sure that the studios are regulated and that they use reactive ink. Although rare, it was seen that some artists mix their own ink, with a small but noticeable presence with phosphorus. Always be careful!

How Are Black Light Tattoos Applied?

While the glow-in-the-dark tattoos are applied to your body in the same way as your regular day-to-day tattoo, it’s worth noting that there are a few differences. For example, your tattoo artist should be skilled and have experience with this type of tattoo, but the process also generally lasts longer.

There are several reasons as to why tattoos with reactive ink take longer to apply. One of the reasons is that tattoo artist constantly has to check whether he or she did a good job by looking at the tattoo with black light, which can be quite time-consuming and may extend the process of getting tattooed.

Another thing that extends the time of applying tattoos is that the ink that is reflective of black light is thinner than ink you’d use for regular tattoos. Not only is it more challenging and time-consuming to work with, blending and applying colors also gets more difficult.