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Tattoos have gone through a lot of changes over the years. They’ve transitioned from a form of rebelling to a means of expression. And the actual process has changed, too. Methods are constantly improving, and the ink used is undergoing changes as well. The latest innovation in materials contains an unexpected ingredient: DNA.
The ink Everence lets you put a literal piece of someone into a new or existing tattoo. Starting at $540, you can send in a sample of a loved one’s DNA (whether that be from the inside of someone’s mouth, carbonized hair, or cremated ashes, etc.) and have it synthesized into a material that can then be added to any type of tattoo ink.
It doesn’t even have to be human DNA, either — if you have a family pet you want to remember, you can send their DNA in, too. If that sounds a little iffy, don’t worry; it’s reportedly as safe as regular tattoo ink.
According to the New York Times, inventor of Everence and founder of Endeavor Life Sciences, which creates the product, Patrick Duffy wanted to find new ways to connect people and honor the ones that may no longer be with us.
Mixed ash and other organic materials into tattoos is nothing new, but those ingredients would eventually be absorbed into the body. But for Everence, DNA material is milled, sterilized and protected by capsules of PMMA, AKA plexigass. If the idea of using plexiglass in your body freaks you out, just know that it’s often used medically for things like bone cement.
And because the DNA is protected by the PMMA capsules, it will stick around and stay a part of you. That way you can literally carry your loved one with you wherever you go.
Would you get a DNA tattoo? Tell us @BritandCo!
(Photos via Everence)
