Tattoo removal kits that burn users contain two banned acids

Posted: October 2, 2015

Posted in: Arm Injury Personal Injury 

A number of people have suffered serious burns after purchasing ‘do-it-yourself’ tattoo removal kits online. The kits are made up of a number of banned acids, which users are told to pour onto their skin to remove unwanted tattoos. The kits are being sold for no more than £15 on certain websites.

Following the number of severe personal injuries that have come as a result of these kits, the Trading Standards Institute has apologised for not doing enough to warn people of the dangers of using these kits. 23-year-old Jess Hardy, from Leominster, Herefordshire, bought a kit to remove her unwanted tattoo. She said that she felt like she had “poured something flammable” onto her arm and then “lit it”. She was rushed straight to hospital after using the chemicals, and has been left with a permanent hole in her arm, surrounded by skin that has lost all feeling.

Two banned chemicals

Following the number of casualties, the University of Birmingham decided to carry out a number of tests on the tattoo-removal kits. Results found that it contains two banned chemicals – hexachloroethane, used in the past to make smoke grenades, and trichloroacetic acid (TCA), which is used for wart removal.

Christine Heemskerk, vice chairman of the Trading Standards Institute, said:

“Now we know that there are issues out there — hopefully we can get the message out there to consumers that they should not be buying these products, especially over the internet.”

If you have suffered a burn injury, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us.

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