CipherX, a London tech startup, has launched the Microdot Tattoo, a device using dissolving microneedle patches to deliver ink into the skin without pain. The £50 stamp offers a cheaper alternative to traditional tattoo artists, though it currently only produces small, simple designs.
How the Microdot Tattoo works
The patch, which resembles a glucose monitor, contains microscopic spikes filled with tattoo ink. After being stamped with the CipherX device, the user waits 15 minutes while the microneedles dissolve into the skin. The process is genuinely pain-free, according to a firsthand account from a journalist who tested it.
The device was co-created by Ferdinand Kohle, a materials scientist with expertise in injectable medicines, and Karl-Anton Harms, a qualified doctor with experience in microneedle and reconstructive plastic surgery. Kohle, who has a lifelong phobia of needles, conceived the idea during Covid after asking a heavily tattooed friend why tattoos couldn't be done without pain.
Reaction from tattoo artists
Some tattoo artists have expressed skepticism, with one anonymous critic calling the device an "insult to professional tattoo artists around the world, who have spent years and lifetimes perfecting their craft — not to mention the centuries of culture and heritage behind tattooing."
However, Tal Booker, a fine line tattoo artist based in Notting Hill, welcomes the innovation: "I think it's cool to see new technology coming into the tattoo space. Nobody likes change, especially in an industry that hasn't changed very much in many years."
Future plans and health applications
The Microdot Tattoo is currently capable of delivering small tattoos measuring between three to 11mm. Kohle does not believe it will replace traditional tattoos in terms of scale and intricacy, and he does not want it to.
The CipherX team hopes to expand into the health market, using microneedle technology for drug and vaccine delivery, medical marking, and sensing or monitoring biomarkers through the skin. They are also exploring the beauty market for delivering cosmetic ingredients or skin-care actives, including in collaboration with the University of Oxford.
