For years, we have been talking about it: Can a tattoo affect the reading of biometric data on the Apple Watch? It’s something that’s been debated for years, with reports dating back to the Apple Watch’s debut nearly a decade ago. However, it’s never been known just how harmful it is to get a wrist tattoo.
The Apple Watch relies on the feedback it receives from light pulses to collect all the data about the user’s heart activity. And this thinking can be seriously impaired. The solution is not simple and involves significant expense and some difficulty, as you can imagine. Tell this TikTok user.
What if you have a tattoo on the wrist where you wear the Apple Watch?
@hwclinicbrugge Did you know that an Apple watch and a tattoo don’t mix ⌚️😳⚡️ #apple #applewatch #tattooremoval #tattoos #asmr #fyp #picoplus #satisfying #picolaser #brugge #hwclinicbrugge
♬ I am original – Maclarao
As reflected in his own post on TikTok, the user underwent a laser tattoo removal procedure because his Apple Watch was not measuring biometric data correctly. On May 24, aesthetic nurse Maryam Khatibi documented this video which already has more than 4 million views and which, according to her own statements, undergoes The four sessions needed to remove the tattoo cost 380 dollars.
Keep in mind that any Apple Watch, not just the latest Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 models, reads your heart rate and blood oxygen levels through a process called photoplethysmographyIn other words, the photodiodes project infrared and green lights onto the skin, mapping superficial inflammation (changes in the skin) and the rebound information collected by the Apple Watch is used to detect pressure, tension and blood flow.
It is a very ingenious measure: when the heart pumps blood, there is a jolt that can be traced. Blood reflects red light and absorbs green lightso the Apple Watch detects the amount of oxygen in the blood, but also the speed of this pulse (heart rate) thanks to the green light. In this regard, Apple’s statements regarding tattoos are clear:
Permanent or temporary changes to the skin, such as certain tattoos, can also affect how it functions. The ink, pattern, or saturation of some tattoos may block the light from the sensor, making it difficult to read the Blood Oxygen app.
The color of the ink can distort the angle of light and even obscure much of the skin’s permeability. In this case, you will need to resort to professional heart rate monitors if you do sports.
Cover image | Ryan Grice for Unsplash
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