This New Tattoo Ink Vanishes After 365 Days, Supposedly

Have you ever looked down at your arm to find your ex-girlfriend’s name glaring back up at you, in annoyingly permanent Scriptina font, and wished to God that you had the cash to get it removed?

Well, next time you dedicate a patch of skin to a girl you're dating, you don't have to make it permanent. Ephemeral Tattoo Ink has an expiration date: 365 days after it’s needled into your flesh. So after only a year of shame and regret, tattoos inscribed in the ink disappear. It can be used with traditional tattoo machines and needles, so it’s possible to contact your local artist about switching ink-bottles for your next ill-conceived back piece.

The main difference between Ephemeral Ink and permanent ink is in the size of the dye molecules. Traditional ink molecules are too big for the body’s immune system to dissolve naturally. To keep tattoos temporary, Ephemeral uses smaller dye molecules, which are encased inside a larger spherical structure, with the dye eventually disappearing when the structure degrades, according to CoolThings.com.

“You are always changing,” the company's motto goes. “Your tattoos should too.” If you're one to switch significant others often, vanishing ink might be a safer (and cheaper, and less embarrassing) way to go on all your future tats.