This tattoo is permanent, pain-free, and might soon come in the mail

<figure> <img alt="A photograph of a healed Microdot tattoo on someones arm, in a sparkle design." data-caption="I already see that dang AI sparkle icon everywhere, and now it’s on my flesh forever (hopefully). | Image: Jess Weatherbed / The Verge" data-portal-copyright="Image: Jess Weatherbed / The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/CipherX-Microdot-tattoo-hed.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> I already see that dang AI sparkle icon everywhere, and now it’s on my flesh forever (hopefully). | Image: Jess Weatherbed / The Verge </figcaption> </figure> <p class="has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph">The refurbished railway station in London I entered last week had none of the usual signs of being a tattoo studio. The walls were devoid of any art, and there were no reclining chairs or massage tables in the room. The only tattoo gun on the premises sat in a display case instead of buzzing in someone's gloved hand. I felt like I was getting inked in a half-assembled biolab with some interesting benefits.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">I'm not trying to put on a show of bravado when I say my latest tattoo didn't hurt. Getting the small sparkle lineart permanently marked on my skin was a genuinely painless experience. It was over in seconds, and didn't involve any grisly …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/972466/cipherx-permanent-pain-free-tattoo-microdot-patches">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>