Zayn Malik’s New Tattoo Glows in the Dark
Zayn Malik, tattoo artist Jon Boy, Luka Sabbat, and Anwar Hadid show off their ink. (Photo: Instagram/jonboytattoo)
Oh yeah, the force is with him.
Singer Zayn Malik (you know, from One Direction) showed off his new out-of-this-world tattoo — on Instagram, of course — forever expressing his love for all things Star Wars. Not only has the middle finger on his right hand been inked with a lightsaber, the drawing of his Jedi weapon actually glows in the dark.
New York City tattoo artist Jon Boy displayed the former One Direction singer’s creation on Instagram, then posted a selfie with his famous client and his friends, Luka Sabbat and Anwar Hadid (aka Gigi’s younger brother).
While the 23-year-old superstar might be setting a trend for those who get inked, ultraviolet (UV) black-light tattoos have been around for a few years. Created by using UV-reactive ink, the tattoo is barely visible in typical daylight yet becomes a glow-in-the-dark work of art once exposed to UV lights (think nightclubs).
(Photo: Instagram/jonboytattoo)
Supercool, absolutely, but is it safe? For starters, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not regulated tattoo inks or the pigments used in them and, therefore, “has not approved any tattoo pigments for injection into the skin.” This applies to “all tattoo pigments, including those used for ultraviolet (UV) and glow-in-the-dark tattoos.”
As a side note, the FDA also states that many pigments used in tattoo inks are “industrial-grade colors suitable for printers’ ink or automobile paint.” And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists possible risks associated with blood-borne pathogen exposures in the body art industry.
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While the jury is still out about the ink’s safety, a report from ABCNews.com stated that black-light tattoos cost more because they take longer to design than “typical” tattoos, so it does require more time and money.
If you’re considering getting a tattoo, you’re certainly not alone. Nearly 45 million American adults have at least one tattoo, and Americans spend approximately $1.6 billion a year on their body art, according to statistics. And about half of the people with tattoos are mostly concerned about the reputation of the tattoo artist, compared to the price or the meaning of their design.
Keep in mind that while tattoo shops in the U.S. are required to be licensed, the laws vary from state to state when it comes to the tattoo artists. According to the site InkdAcademy.com, there is no standard requirement to “prove oneself as a talented artist or stellar business owner in order to obtain a license. Instead, certification is mostly focused on compliance with standard safety measures to protect potential customers.”
In other words, research reputable tattoo shops before walking into some random parlor.
And we’re sure Malik — and Yoda — would agree: “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
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