Americans have moved into a realization that when it comes to grief, memorialization, and remembrance that not one size fits all.  That’s apparent by the growing number of options chosen for human disposition and remembrance.

This article and news video story from the Central Oregon Daily News brings up the relatively new memorialization process of “Cremation Tattoos”.  “Cremation Tattoos” are a memorialization option that many have chosen which is carried out by applying tattoos to survivors in which the ink applied has had cremation ash of the deceased mixed into the solution.

However, according to the linked article and according to the Oregon Health Authority “tattoo inks, dyes, or pigments must be purchased from a commercial supplier or manufacturer and must include an expiration date. The use of expired products or those banned or restricted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is prohibited”.  In addition, the article states, “Any alteration of the inks, including adding substances not intended by the manufacturer (such as cremated remains), would likely be prohibited”.

While many tattoo professionals will mix ashes with ink in order to satisfy clients not all tattoo artists are comfortable with the process.  One artist named in the article, Edward Kehoe, made these comments, “Nowadays, tattooing is more professional, so we tend to have higher standards as far as what we’re applying. . . . I understand people’s idea of wanting to get the memorial with the ashes and it’s a very sweet idea. But I just don’t think that it’s sanitary per se”.

Another side of the issue is apparent when reading what Joshua Lohnes, a father of an deceased unborn child who has had a cremation tattoo in remembrance of that daughter applied to his arm.  Lohnes states his reasoning this way, “. . .we lost the child, and it was a really heavy grieving process for me, and I didn’t really know how to get out of it.. . . . I just wanted something.  I wanted her to be with me. I wanted to have something physical that was beautiful, that I could look at and carry with me.” 

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  While the basis for this article is taken from an article based in Oregon and deals exclusively with the State of Oregon’s regulations, it is imperative to know that the school of regulations for the art of cremation tattoos is still in the processing stages.  There are 50 different states and it is likely that those differing states have differing regulations.

Funeral directors who may be asked by clientele thinking about this option just need to let those who are asking know that their state may or may not be regulated and they need to proceed at that level.  If you know the regulations in your state it might be smart to have those regulations copied off and given to the client for their perusal.  And, until we know more about the process and health of the process, it is probably unwise for funeral directors to endorse this process.

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