Unfortunately, they may come with a caveat now: Twin studies have linked getting inked with getting cancer. Wait, what gives?
The Departments of Public Health and Clinical Research at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) teamed up with the University of Helsinki for studies that examined 5,900 sets of twins, one of whom in each pair had cancer and the other who did not. Their findings demonstrated tattooed individuals getting skin cancers and lymphomas at higher rates than people without tattoos.
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Why Do These Researchers Believe Tattoos Might Increase Cancer Risk?
"We can see that ink particles accumulate in the lymph nodes, and we suspect that the body perceives them as foreign substances," Dr. Henrik Frederiksen, Ph.D., consultant in hematology at Odense University Hospital and clinical professor at University of Southern Denmark, explained. "This may mean that the immune system is constantly trying to respond to the ink, and we do not yet know whether this persistent strain could weaken the function of the lymph nodes or have other health consequences."
Related: Can Tattoos Boost Your Immune System?
"This suggests that the bigger the tattoo and the longer it has been there, the more ink accumulates in the lymph nodes," Dr. Signe Bedsted Clemmensen, Ph.D., assistant professor of biostatistics at University of Southern Denmark, noted. "The extent of the impact on the immune system should be further investigated so that we can better understand the mechanisms at play."
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Should You Be Worried About Tattoos Causing Cancer?
Citing previous studies, Dr. Shmerling notes that there may be confounding factors for many patients aside from tattoos and that it's nearly impossible to pinpoint tattoos as a trigger for disease in these cases. Most importantly, he points out that even as tattoos grow in popularity, lymphoma rates haven't actually risen—so you can rest easy if and when you want to go under the needle and make your body into your canvas.
Related: Do You Know Someone Who Just Received a Cancer Diagnosis? Here's What Not to Say—and What to Say Instead
Sources
"Do Tattoos Cause Lymphoma?" Harvard Health."Tattoo ink exposure is associated with lymphoma and skin cancers – a Danish study of twins." BMC Public Health. Read More Details
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