New microneedle technology promises a permanent tattoo in 15 minutes—with no buzzing tattoo gun, little discomfort and virtually no blood

For generations, getting a permanent tattoo has required accepting three things: needles, pain and the unmistakable sound of a tiny electric jackhammer attacking your skin.

A London technology company now says it can eliminate nearly all three.

Biotechnology startup CipherX has developed a disposable patch containing hundreds of microscopic, dissolving needles capable of depositing permanent tattoo ink beneath the skin. The company calls its invention the MicroDot Tattoo, and it reportedly produces little more than a warm or tingling sensation.

The process takes about 15 minutes and requires no traditional tattoo machine.

Instead of repeatedly stabbing the skin with a metal needle, each CipherX patch contains a predetermined design made from tiny spikes composed of carbon-based tattoo pigment and a dissolvable biopolymer. The patch is pressed against the skin using a special applicator and left in place while those microscopic needles dissolve.

Once the patch is removed, the pigment remains. The design darkens over approximately 48 hours and, according to the company, is permanent.

In other words, it works somewhat like a temporary tattoo—except for the inconvenient detail that it isn’t temporary.

Small Tattoos—For Now

Anyone hoping to acquire an enormous fire-breathing dragon across his back will still need to visit a traditional tattoo artist.

CipherX’s current technology is limited to small, relatively simple designs measuring no more than approximately 1.5 centimeters square. Available choices include hearts, stars, lines, sparkles and a remarkably tiny reproduction of the chair from Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting.

Prices begin at £50, or approximately $67.

Customers can purchase a design online, but they cannot yet have a patch mailed to their homes. CipherX currently applies the tattoos only at supervised pop-up events, where customers must be at least 18, sober and capable of providing written consent.

That safeguard may be important. After all, removing most of the pain and inconvenience from tattooing could also remove the portion of the experience during which a person normally asks, “Do I really want my ex-wife’s name permanently written across my neck?”

CipherX is scheduled to hold the official launch of its technology in London on July 23. Additional pop-up events are planned in London through August. CipherX’s official website

The Company’s Chief Guinea Pig

CipherX co-founder and chief technology officer Karl-Anton Harms, a surgeon and researcher who works in burns and plastic surgery, has reportedly tested the technology extensively on himself.

His arms now bear roughly 100 tiny heart tattoos from various experiments.

Harms described the sensation as similar to having a piece of Velcro pressed against the skin. Customers do not feel the individual needles, he said, although they may experience some warmth while the patch is working.

The company claims its method causes virtually no bleeding and significantly less tissue damage than conventional tattooing. Because the needles dissolve after use, there is also no contaminated metal needle requiring disposal.

However, “painless” remains partly subjective, and CipherX’s commercial product is still new. Its safety, permanence and long-term appearance have not yet been demonstrated through years of widespread consumer use. Anyone interested should also remember that even minimally invasive skin procedures can potentially cause irritation, infection or an allergic reaction.

The Science Isn’t Just Skin Deep

Although the product sounds futuristic, microneedle tattoos have genuine scientific research behind them.

In 2022, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology published a peer-reviewed study describing single-use patches capable of creating tattoos quickly and without the pain and bleeding associated with traditional tattoo needles.

Each microneedle functioned like a single pixel. By arranging those needles into patterns, researchers produced letters, numbers, symbols and even QR codes. The experimental tattoos included conventional black pigment, colored ink and ink visible only under ultraviolet light. Some remained visible for at least one year during testing. The study was published in iScience.

The researchers envisioned more than decorative tattoos. Potential medical uses included marking radiation-treatment locations, recording vaccination status, identifying serious medical conditions and providing discreet medical information.

CipherX has similarly indicated that body art is only the beginning.

The company hopes the same dissolving-microneedle platform could eventually deliver vaccines, contraceptives, hormones and other medications through the skin. In that sense, selling tiny permanent hearts may help finance and refine technology with much broader medical possibilities.

Traditional Tattoo Artists Can Probably Relax

The patch is unlikely to replace accomplished tattoo artists anytime soon.

A conventional tattoo can contain intricate shading, multiple colors, flowing lines and detailed artwork covering large portions of the body. Current microneedle patches produce small, pixel-like images that have been designed before the patch is manufactured.

This is closer to selecting a permanent symbol from a menu than commissioning an artist to create a one-of-a-kind sleeve.

But for someone who wants a tiny heart, discreet medical symbol or small memorial without spending an hour listening to an electric needle buzz, the technology could represent an entirely new option.

The tattoo of the future may not come from a tattoo gun at all.

It may arrive looking like a Band-Aid—and refusing to come off.