London Startup Sells Permanent Stick-On Tattoos
· audio
A London Startup Is Selling Permanent Stick-On Tattoos—and It Wants to Do Mail Order
CipherX, a London-based startup, has introduced a product that allows users to purchase permanent stick-on tattoos using their “MicroDot Technology” platform. The process involves applying the tattoo at home with a 15-minute procedure, which may sound like science fiction but is actually an iteration of microneedle technology being pushed into mainstream markets.
The designs available are limited and lackluster, consisting mainly of simple geometric shapes and crude Wingdings characters. Currently, users can only get these tattoos at the company’s London store or at one of its events – mail-ordering is not yet an option.
CipherX’s approach has raised eyebrows among traditional tattoo artists, who feel that the technology strips away the nuance and expertise required to create meaningful tattoos. Founder Ferdinand Kohle has publicly stated that anyone can become a tattoo artist with this technology, despite the clear need for skill and artistry in the field. This trend is part of a larger phenomenon in tech, where established arts or crafts are rebranded as simplistic, mass-market products.
The company’s attempt to restrict access to those over 18, requiring ID verification, feels like a futile effort to prevent underage individuals from getting tattoos without proper guidance. Once this technology becomes more widely available, it will be easy for minors or reckless adults to get themselves inked improperly.
CipherX plans to sell DIY kits that allow users to apply the tattoo at home, raising questions about liability in case of botched or infected tattoos. This development follows a predictable pattern: technologies like this often start as high-end products before being replicated and watered down by cheaper imitators. It’s not hard to imagine CipherX’s technology being mass-produced in budget-friendly forms, leading to poorly made tattoos that resemble stick-and-pokes rather than actual art.
While some may see this as an exciting new frontier for tattoo enthusiasts, others should be cautious about the potential impact on artists and craftspeople who make a living from their work. With CipherX’s plans to democratize tattooing, it’s time to ask what exactly they are creating – and at what cost?
Reader Views
- CBCam B. · audio engineer
The real problem here isn't just that CipherX is reducing tattoo art to a slapdash DIY process, but also that they're selling a product that's essentially a ticking time bomb for infection and scarring. As an audio engineer, I know how important quality control is in any creative process – but it seems like this startup is more concerned with making a quick buck than ensuring their customers don't end up with permanent, irreparable damage to their skin.
- RSRiya S. · podcast host
This permanent stick-on tattoo trend raises more red flags than just concerns about minors getting inked improperly. Who's responsible when someone botches their own DIY application and ends up with a permanent scab or infection? The liability issues here are huge, and I'm surprised the article doesn't delve deeper into this aspect. If CipherX is going to sell these kits at home, they need to take some real responsibility for the consequences of misuse – not just slap on a disclaimer saying "buyer beware."
- TSThe Studio Desk · editorial
This permanent stick-on tattoo trend raises more red flags than just the obvious concerns about skill and artistry. The real issue is that these DIY kits are just a Trojan horse for mass-market tatification of our bodies. Once you make tattoos as accessible as temporary trinkets, the line between self-expression and reckless abandon gets blurred. And what's to stop these companies from flooding the market with cheap, low-quality designs that undermine traditional tattoo artists' work? The real question is not who can get a tattoo, but whether we're willing to sacrifice artistry for the sake of convenience.