Can writing on your skin give you lead poisoning?

Question

i write on my hands A LOT with ink pens and other people like to write on my hands and arms. there are "theories" that say you could get ink poisoning from doing that. is it true?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Howdy,

I do this all the time as a way to remember important things, so I was very eager to find you an answer.

According to WiseGeek, "occasionally writing on skin with water-based inks is considered non-hazardous."

The site goes on to explain that the main concern with writing on skin is the xylene found in permanent ink. "Some permanent inks now use an alcohol-based substance instead of xylene." This is less hazardous, but "it still may irritate the nose, throat, mouth and sensitive skin."

In general, writing on skin with ballpoint pen isn't considered dangerous, however "the occasional person might be irritated by the dyes in inks. Normally for such ink to be considered poisonous, one would have to ingest three or four penfuls of ink."

Mike

Source(s):

http://www.wisegeek.com/is-it-true-that-…

Answer 2

Whatever chemicals are in the ink will be absorbed by your body into your system just like if you ate them.

So if there is lead in the ink that is used... it's possible.

I highly doubt that disposable pen ink is made with lead given all of the legality and code around usning lead in paint and building materials.

Good luck

Answer 3

Yeah if you use enough of it. Everyone used to always warn me when I wrote on myself with pens. It's with every kind of ink, even tattoos you have a risk or ink poisoning.

Answer 4

If it's in the ink, then there's a high chance that you can get lead poisoning. If I might suggest, you should look around for some lead-free pens, if they exist, which I'm sure they do.

Now I'm only rambling.