A new study has suggested that people who have tattoos could have a higher risk of getting skin cancer.
According to the research, people with tattoos are 29% more likely to be diagnosed with the life-threatening disease than those who don’t have any tattoos.
The study, which was published in Dermatology Times, details how the ‘incidence of cutaneous melanoma has risen markedly over the past three decades’.
In Sweden, around 20% of the population has tattoos, with the ‘prevalence exceeding 30% among individuals younger than 40 years’.
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The study explains: “Tattoo inks contain a variety of chemical compounds, including polyaromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic amines, and heavy metals - some of which are recognized or suspected carcinogens.
“These concerns, combined with growing tattoo prevalence, have prompted investigation into possible long-term health risks associated with tattoo exposure.”
So, why do people with tattoos have a higher risk of skin cancer? According to this research, it is down to the fact that tattoo pigments have the potential to migrate to regional lymph nodes and potentially influence immune responses.
The study continues: “Several biological mechanisms could plausibly explain the association. Tattoo pigments may contain carcinogenic chemicals capable of initiating or promoting tumor development. Chronic inflammation induced by repeated skin puncture or pigment deposition may also contribute to carcinogenesis.”
It adds: “Additional analyses examined tattoo characteristics and exposure duration. No clear dose-response relationship was observed for tattoo size, as larger tattoos were not associated with higher melanoma risk. Tattoo color appeared to have some influence; individuals with tattoos containing both black/grey and colored pigments showed a higher risk compared with nontattooed individuals.”
The study also suggests that the immunotoxic effects of tattoo ink could be a factor in the development of melanoma.
Many people have taken to social media to share their own reactions to the news, with one user writing on Reddit: “I wonder if it has to do with black/dark ink attracting heat. My tattoos that are predominantly black get painfully hot quickly when exposed, but my lighter colored tattoos do not.”
Another said: “Welp, I’m doomed, then. I swear I just saw a study stating the opposite earlier this year. It’s probably more like tattoos hide developing melanoma. What do they mean by lifestyle factors?”
A third person commented: “That's a risk I'm willing to take.”
And a fourth added: “That big ball in the sky that gives us life also gives us cancer. None of us are getting out alive.”