Do tattoos increase the risk of cancer?

Professor Stephen Hopion Cann. In addition, epidemiologist at the School of Public Health and the populations of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, reviews the current scientific literature on the risks of cancer potentially associated with tattoos. Nevertheless,

In recent decades, tattoos have quickly gained popularity. Nevertheless, A Narrative Research survey carried out in 2024 shows that 31 % of the Canadian adult population has tattoos. In addition, women are much more inclined to get tattooed (this includes permanent makeup) than men (38 % against 28 %). Moreover, In Europe, Canada or the United States, a patient must be 18 years old to start having tattoos.

As tattoos gain popularity, patients are increasingly consulting general practitioners and dermatologists to know the potential health risks. In addition, If the undesirable effects such as infections. Nevertheless, allergic reactions do tattoos increase risk cancer? are well documented, the long -term implications of health tattoos, in particular the risk of cancer, have recently been beginning to be the subject of increased attention.

What are the main concerns about tattoos in terms of cancer risks and how clinicians should approach them?

A patient may wonder if the injection of all kinds of inks into the dermal layers of his skin. Nevertheless, has long -term risks. For example, We could suppose. In addition, wrongly, that tattoos have existed for a very long time and that the risks of cancer have therefore been studied exhaustively. Meanwhile, Although many cases have been reported showing the appearance of various types of cancer lesions in tattoos. Moreover, they do not allow to determine whether this link is causal or fortuit. Meanwhile, Epidemiological studies exploring this question are rare.

At first glance. Meanwhile, the question seems easy to study: just compare the do tattoos increase risk cancer? risk of cancer in tattooed people and those who are not. However. Meanwhile, there are hundreds of brands and thousands of ink colors on the market, and individual tattoos often contain several colors. Meanwhile, Then arises the question of the size of the tattoos. In addition. However, if people stopped at a single tattoo, it would greatly facilitate the task of epidemiologists; But people satisfied with their first tattoo can do many others in the following years, which complicates the calculation of the overall risk of an individual. Consequently, There are also many confusion factors, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, socio-economic status, etc. For example, which must be taken into account.

Do tattoos increase risk cancer?

Tattoos inks

Before approaching epidemiological studies, it is useful to know how tattoo inks are regulated. However, [En France. Moreover, la réglementation sur les encres de tatouage, issue du règlement européen REACH, a do tattoos increase risk cancer? introduit des restrictions importantes sur les couleurs et substances chimiques présentes dans les encres depuis janvier 2022.] In Canada, Health-Canada has drawn up a list of restricted or prohibited ingredients in tattoo inks. This list includes substances considered to be mutagenic, carcinogenic, toxic to reproduction, sensitizing for the skin and irritating. The regulatory organization also takes tattoo ink samples. tests them in order to verify the absence of microbial contamination and heavy metals, as well as the accuracy of the labeling. The European Union has adopted a similar approach, but the FDA does not approve of tattooing inks. Its regulation is mainly passive (for example, it investigates security problems when adverse effects are reported).

What do we find in these tattoo inks? Non -biological inks can contain a real assortment of metals. including barium, cadmium, chrome, cobalt, iron, nickel, lead, titanium and mercury, although the latter has been largely eliminated do tattoos increase risk cancer? due to its toxicity. Some non -biological inks contain acrylics or synthetic pigments. All of these substances contribute to long -term color retention. On the other hand. organic inks are often made from plant pigments or carbon -based, but they tend to fade more quickly because they do not contain the metallic or synthetic stabilizers present in non -organic inks. Although the FDA requires a precise labeling of these products. a recent American study revealed that 83 % of tattoo inks tested (45 out of 54) presented significant differences on the label, not to mention that customers who get tattooed generally do not read the label.

Many of the metals [retrouvés dans les encres de tatouage] are known carcinogenic substances.

Many of the metals used are known carcinogenic substances (for example. cadmium, chrome, lead, mercury and nickel) or potentially carcinogenic substances (for example, cobalt and titanium), depending on do tattoos increase risk cancer? their chemical nature. Certain pigments used, such as azo colors, can be broken down into carcinogenic aromatic amines. Inks also contain other harmful substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, including carcinogenicity in animals and humans has been proven.

Do tattoos increase risk cancer?

Risk of cancer

What about cancer risks? Most of the studies carried out to date have focused on lymphomas. because studies in animals and humans have shown that most of the tattoos pigments are transported to regional lymph nodes. It is there. for the most part, that they end their lives, where they can cause chronic inflammation and carcinogenic processes over time. Two CAS-TESTIMME studies have highlighted a significant increase in the risk of lymphoma in tattooed people compared to control. groups (see table below). A well-designed study conducted on twins highlighted a higher risk. especially for large tattoos (that is to say larger than the do tattoos increase risk cancer? palm of the hand, which may not seem so large today). If another Swedish study found a high risk of lymphoma and lymphoma subtypes, no results were significant. On the other hand. a Canadian study has shown no tendency for non -Hodgkinian lymphoma, although tattoos are infrequent (around 5 %) in the population studied.

Several studies have examined the risks of different types of skin cancer. A study on cosmetic tattoos has shown a slightly high risk of basal cell carcinoma. Clemmensen et al.. Which conducted a case-mounted study and a cohort study, showed a significantly high risk of skin cancer associated with large tattoos in the first study and the high risks of skin cancer and basal cell carcinoma in the second study. On the other hand, a recent study by Liljedahl et al. found no proof of risk of skin epidermoid carcinoma. In addition to lymphomas, some other do tattoos increase risk cancer? hematological cancers have been studied, but nothing significant has been found.

Search on tattoos. the risk of cancer (download the table in PDF format with hyperlinks)

In the end, many uncertainties remain regarding the risks of cancer, and it is therefore not surprising that certain cohort studies on a larger scale have been put in place to answer these questions. Let us quote for example Tattoo Ink. a cohort study relating to approximately 18,000 tattooed people and 160,000 people who are not tattooed within the German national cohort, and Cancer Risk Attributable to the Body Art of Tattooinga cohort study of around 13,000 tattooed people and 100,000 unknown people, integrated into the French cohort consultants of health examination centers (Constances). Although these cohorts are important, it may be necessary to wait one do tattoos increase risk cancer? or more decades before the results accumulate.

Do tattoos increase risk cancer?

Deletion of tattoos

A smoking or drinking patient can stop to reduce his risk of cancer. But what about a tattooed patient? The most common removal technique is laser therapy, which uses high intensity light pulses to decompose the tattoo ink particles. Does this process eliminate potentially dangerous particles? Not exactly, because these fragments end up being transported to draining lymph nodes. Sending a larger quantity of pigment in this region could increase the risk, but we are not certain. Dermabrasion. chemical peels or surgical removal can eliminate ink, but can also produce much larger scars and are therefore generally reserved for small tattoos.

Sun exposure

You have a patient who has just been tattooed. is eager to go to the beach to show it. What to tell her? First of all, it must be do tattoos increase risk cancer? warned that sun exposure accelerates discoloration. And these degraded pigments do not simply disappear, they release potentially harmful substances in the body. There is also an increased risk of skin cancer. so it is preferable not to expose your tattoos or to use protective clothes or sunscreen.

Conclusion

Beyond skin problems, tattoos can also increase the risk of lymphomas, but we are not sure. We do not know much about the risks linked to other types of cancer either. Finally, tank is not a miracle solution as for other risky habits. Thus. for patients who plan to be tattooed for the first time or get more tattooed, we could tell them that if they can wait another 10 to 20 years, we should be able to give them a more final response. Otherwise. given the current data, it would be premature to provide patients with the tattoos that do tattoos increase risk cancer? tattoos are completely without risk.