New scientific research: Do tattoos cause cancer?

Tattooing is an art form that has been used for thousands of years for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes. Similar tattoos have been found on mummies in ancient Egypt. Today, tattooing is done by injecting organic or inorganic pigments mixed with carrier fluids into the dermis layer of the skin with a needle. This process makes the tattoo permanent because the ink in the dermis layer remains even though the epidermis renews.

During a tattoo, the ink settles in fibroblast cells and is digested by macrophages. The life cycle of macrophages can cause the ink to be transported to the lymph nodes, which can lead to changes in the immune system. This is one of the main reasons why the possible link between tattoos and cancer risk is being investigated.

IS TATTOO INK HARMFUL?

Some tattoo inks contain potential carcinogens . Carbon black, especially the one used in black inks, is classified as a "probable carcinogen" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), particularly benzo[a]pyrene, produced in the production of carbon black, are considered "probable carcinogens." Azo dyes in colored inks can produce carcinogenic aromatic amines during exposure to sunlight or laser tattoo removal. These chemicals are the focus of scientific studies investigating the possible link between tattoos and lymph and skin cancer.

IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN TATTOOS AND LYMPHOMA RISK?

A study by Nielsen and his team in 2024 suggested a possible link between tattoos and the risk of lymphoma. The study compared 1,389 lymphoma patients with 4,193 healthy individuals.

In the findings:

• The risk was 81% higher for those diagnosed with lymphoma within two years of their first tattoo.

• Overall, a 21% higher risk of lymphoma was observed in tattooed individuals, although this was not statistically significant.

• In 2025, Clemmensen and his team's study, based on the Danish Twin Registry, examined 2,397 tattooed individuals and 10,000 untattooed individuals.

Results:

• The risk of non-basal cell carcinoma skin cancer was 1.62 times higher in tattooed individuals, and the risk of skin cancer was 2.37 times higher in those with tattoos larger than the palm of their hand, and the risk of lymphoma was 2.73 times higher.

• However, no significant difference was found in the analysis performed on identical twins.

RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH

Both studies point to a possible link between tattoos and lymphoma and skin cancer, but they do not prove a causal relationship. Nielsen's study could not establish a strong association between the number, size or duration of tattoos and risk.

While Clemmensen's study suggests that tattoo size may increase risk, the effects of other factors, such as smoking, UV exposure or viral infections, have not been studied enough. These factors play a role, especially in cancers such as melanoma and lymphoma.

The study by Hermann M. Bolt and Jan G. Hengstler indicates that the observed increased risk may be coincidental. Therefore, it is not scientifically possible to say that tattoos cause cancer with the current data. More comprehensive, long-term and multivariate studies are required.