CipherX applies painless permanent tattoos with dissolving microneedle patches
CipherX has developed a consumer-grade microneedle patch system that allows for painless, permanent tattooing. The device uses biodegradable needles to deposit pigment into the skin, aiming to make body art more accessible to those with needle phobias.
Why it matters
This technology represents a significant innovation in medical-grade delivery systems being repurposed for the consumer beauty and body art industry.
CipherX compresses the tattoo process into a small disposable patch filled with hundreds of pigment-carrying microneedles. Applied with a handheld tool , the patch stays on the skin for around 10 to 15 minutes while its microscopic points dissolve and deposit ink in a fixed digital pattern, removing the vibration, visible blood, and repeated puncturing associated with a conventional tattoo machine.
The system gives permanent body art a different point of entry, especially for people who find the standard process physically or psychologically inaccessible. Materials scientist and designer Ferdinand Kohle develops the original concept around his own needle and blood phobia, asking whether biomedical microneedle technology could deliver a permanent image with minimal discomfort.
CipherX replaces the conventional tattoo machine with a single-use microneedle patch | images (c) CipherX
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