GoKawiilResearchers develop light-activated tattoo ink that can be switched on and off
Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder, led by Carson Bruns, created a tattoo ink system called PhotoTat that uses photochromic dyes in protective nanoparticles to appear or vanish depending on light exposure. A UV LED activates the colors within seconds, and they fade under bright sunlight, while the pigment itself stays permanently embedded in the skin. The research was published October 9 in the journal Matter & Light.
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The technology could let people conceal or alter tattoos without undergoing painful removal procedures, since the underlying pigment never leaves the skin. Bruns suggests it may also enable medical tattoos that stay hidden until a doctor activates them with UV light, pointing toward practical health-related uses beyond cosmetics. Commercialization under the PhotoTat name indicates the team is pursuing real-world applications rather than keeping the work purely experimental.
- PhotoTat uses blue, magenta and yellow photochromic dyes encapsulated in medical-grade PMMA nanoparticles.
- A 365nm UV LED activates the ink in 2-3 seconds; sunlight erases the visible color within seconds.
- The pigment stays embedded in skin permanently, but its visibility can be toggled, unlike traditional tattoos.
Source: livescience.com — Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, 2026-10-11
Published there as: “Tattoos you can turn on and off”
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