Do Tattoos Cause Cancer?

There was a time when tattoos were so taboo that having one made you an outsider. Now it’s difficult to find anyone who doesn’t have a tattoo—whether it be a tiny hidden away memento or a garish back mural of a ripped wizard fighting a dragon.

Unfortunately, some new research suggests that tattoos could lead to an increased risk of certain types of cancers, like skin cancer and lymphoma.

A study from the University of Southard Denmark compared the health outcomes of tattooed versus non-tattooed people, and they did it by finding sets of twins who fell into each category, which sounds like it was a huge pain in the ass.

There’s A Chance That Maybe, Possibly, Tattoos Could Give You Cancer

The researchers found that people with tattoos were more likely to develop cancer, especially in areas with a high concentration of tattoo ink particles like lymph nodes and, of course, skin. The researchers also found some particularly bad news for people with the aforementioned giant murals covering their bodies: people with tattoos larger than the size of a palm had a two to threefold increased risk of these cancers.

To be clear, none of this suggests a clear-cut link that tattoos equal cancer. But, what it does do is provide a new avenue of research that other research teams around the world can look into to further explore the possibilities.

It could be that there is a 100 percent link between cancers and tattoos, or it could be nothing, maybe just an anomaly. The researchers also suggest that if there is a link between tattoos and cancer, it could be indirect, meaning that maybe a person who is more inclined to get a tattoo might also be inclined to do things that cause cancer. Maybe they smoke cigarettes or they like to be out in the sun without sunblock.

Again, there’s a lot more to study. Until we find out more, keep very still because your tattoo artist is having a hard time sculpting the abs on the ripped wizard you asked for.