Posted on 05/18/2025 5:27:26 PM PDT by george76
People who ink may be in for more than just body art..
“I got tattooed during a time in my life when I wasn’t fully informed about what was going into my body or what I was allowing onto my skin. Back then, it was about art, self-expression, and creative identity.”
“Today, I see it differently. Tattoos are not harmless,” Ellie Grey a book author, ..
Like Grey, many people choose to get tattoos as self-expression, acts of remembrance, or transformation. But even when the meaning runs deep, tattoos can have consequences—some only now coming to light.
The Link Between Tattoos and Cancer..
Many tattoo inks contain chemicals that have been classified as carcinogenic—or cancer-causing—by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
A 2024 study by Swedish researchers found that 21 percent of participants with malignant lymphoma had tattoos compared with 17 percent of controls. The risk was highest—an 81 percent increase—among those who got their first tattoo within two years of diagnosis.
“We know that tattoo ink often contains toxic chemicals and that a significant portion of the injected ink is transported away from the skin by the immune system, which perceives it as a foreign substance,” Christel Nielsen, associate professor and lead author of the study, ..
Once ink enters the dermis, the layer of skin beneath the outer layer, the immune system attempts to clear it, sending pigment particles to nearby lymph nodes and, potentially, other organs. This may disrupt immune function and trigger systemic inflammation. Over time, the persistent presence of ink in lymphatic tissue could contribute to abnormal immune activity and increase the risk of cancers such as lymphoma and skin cancer.
Are some tattoos more harmful than others?
Does Size Matter..
Nielsen’s study found no clear link between the size of a tattoo and lymphoma risk.
“We did not observe an increased risk with larger tattoos, which was unexpected,” Nielsen said. “That does not mean such a link doesn’t exist—only that our study design may not have been able to detect it.”
However, Nielsen noted that a January study published in BMC Public Health on the same topic found a different pattern, suggesting that larger tattoos may indeed be associated with a higher cancer risk. The study proposed that larger tattoos might have a stronger effect due to greater overall ink exposure or prolonged exposure from tattoos acquired over time.
Tattoo risks also include infections and allergic reactions that may be difficult to treat, Dr. Bruce Brod, clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, told the Epoch Times. Such risks may be amplified by the amount of ink used or how deeply it’s deposited—factors more likely in larger or multiple tattoos.
Does Color Matter..
Another factor to consider is the color of the tattoo. In a matched analysis comparing individuals with similar characteristics, those with black or grey tattoos had a 23 percent higher risk of lymphoma. Those with both black and colored tattoos had a 21 percent higher risk compared to people without tattoos.
In a broader, less-controlled analysis, the risk was even higher for black and grey tattoos, showing a 32 percent increase, and lower for tattoos with both black and colored ink, with an 11 percent increase. Of note, this broader analysis may have been influenced by other factors, such as lifestyle or health differences between groups.
Black ink often contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to be carcinogenic and can increase the risk of cancer. Colored inks, on the other hand, may contain primary aromatic amines. Both may contain metals like arsenic, lead, and chromium.
Warning Signs..
“Current regulations on tattoo ink ingredients are not sufficient,” Dr. Trisha Khanna, dermatologist and medical advisory board member at Codex Labs, told The Epoch Times. “This is a growing concern among dermatologists.”
Some warning signs people with tattoos should look out for when monitoring their skin health include persistent redness, itching, bumps, new pigmented lesions, color change, ulceration, and bleeding, Khanna said.
Tattoos can also complicate the early detection of skin cancer, Brod said. Since changes in the skin may be obscured by the tattoo pigment, detecting potential issues becomes more challenging.
If people notice a new or changing spot within a tattoo—or anywhere on the skin—it’s crucial to seek evaluation from a dermatologist, he said.
Laser Removal..
After learning about the risks, some people’s first instinct might be to remove their tattoo. However, laser removal could further increase the lymphoma risk. Among tattooed participants who underwent laser treatment, the risk of lymphoma was found to be three times higher.
These findings align with experimental studies showing that laser treatment breaks down azo compounds—chemicals used to color tattoos—into potentially toxic, cancer-causing substances. This breakdown may release more harmful chemicals into the body, further raising the risk.
What to Do if You Have a Tattoo..
If you’re already tattooed and concerned about the risks, the best approach is to focus on your overall health.
“The best thing we can do for our health, tattoos or not, is to maintain a healthy lifestyle—regular exercise and a nutritious diet,” Nielsen said.
Make sure to take an active role in improving your diet to help reduce cancer risk.
“Eating more plant-based foods isn’t just a trend—it’s a proven strategy,” Amy Bragagnini, a clinical oncology dietitian, told The Epoch Times. “A diet rich in colorful fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and whole grains has been linked to lower cancer rates.”
For people considering getting a tattoo, it’s important to weigh all the information before making a decision. Ultimately, the choice is personal.
“As researchers, our role is to provide knowledge so people can make informed decisions,” Nielsen said.
“If someone is concerned about potential health effects, then it may be best to refrain from tattooing to avoid future worries.”
My dad was in the Navy during WWII. How he managed that without getting tattooed, I do not know. My older daughter got a very small tattoo of an orange and green mushroom, on the skin at the base of her back, when she was very young. Even though it doesn’t show, she has regretted it ever since. When I was a child, I noticed a tattoo on the arm of my uncle, who was a Christian missionary. I had never seen one before, and asked him what it was. He replied, “I got that when I was a sinner, before I gave my life to the Lord. It’s a reminder of the life He saved me from.”
“I’d rather adorn myself with a beautiful piece of jewelry than some ink splatter scar.”
Being a jewelry lover myself, I absolutely agree with you.
Both of my parents died in 2020. I prayed with each as they took their last breath. One in April, one in November. My siblings did very little to help me. Once the estate was settled, and they got their money, they never looked back.
I was angry at the world. Rather than get a tattoo, I got a mullet haircut. Looked awful. I didn't care: Hey world, I'm angry. Now, 4 years later, I'm not angry and I am wearing the cutest medium length bob with bangs.
No tattoo regret.
Are Tattoos Toxic? | UConn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4grpD4DdBBo
Professor David Grant teaches one of his most popular
lectures on the toxic heavy metals in tattoo ink.
Why do young girls/women wear metal rings in their noses?
Don’t they see how dumb they look?
(I have officially become my Dad)
+1, loved Lewis. We saw him in person soon after we married around 40 years ago, at the GA Tech student center. Funny stuff.
I’ll quote another Atlanta favorite, old school radio talkmaster Neal Boortz:
“No woman was ever made more beautiful by the addition of a tattoo.”
It seemed appropriate for the thread.
I think some men manage their facial hair disgustingly; and their pot bellies are disgusting, too.
But all that really matters is the man inside, and that can cover a multitude of ‘sins’.
Sounds like Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill will be in good shape.
Ironically Frank Beard will have some ‘splainin’ to do.
"...laser treatment increased the risk of lymphoma by three times...laser treatment breaks down azo compounds—chemicals used to color tattoos—into potentially toxic, cancer-causing substances. This breakdown may release more harmful chemicals into the body, further raising the risk."
My younger daughter is a liberal and she’s covered in tattooes. My older daughter is a conservative, but she also got a tattoo to memorialize her brother. Our political persuasions weren’t affected by getting a tattoo and we didn’t suddenly become blithering idiots afterwards. It’s just one way we chose to remember our loved one.
That sounds like my mother and father in-law. They both got tattoos that were very meaningful to them when they turned 50. Hers was a flower whose petals stood for her five children. He had always taken great pleasure in gardening and Nature, and had a tattoo done of a tree species that had meant a lot to him.
The funny thing is, historically they put rings in noses of women who were slaves, subordinates. Now they voluntarily do it to themselves but think its empowering.
I know how not to get them to do it. Have guys demand they do it because its the subservient marking of a person who’s a slave. It will stop in days.
As the years go by no matter how decorative they were to start with, they start looking like bruises and sores.
And the way they stay in place - you shed skin over time so I looked up how the tattoos don’t disappear if they are on the skin - actually a complicated issue with the immune system holding the ink in place under the skin.
When I was a young kid, I was at a carnival and there was a show with a tattooed fat lady presented for the viewing pleasure of the crowd. Her whole body was “tattooed”...it probably was temporary ink drawings on her skin.
Don’t know why the “moderns” don’t use temporary tattoos...that way if your favorite team goes bankrupt or moves to a different city you aren’t shackled with a permanent reminder of the viccisitudes of life.
Does that give you a clue about the total disconnectness of the youth today? They have no concept of the fact that following a style is transient, or that things one does today may not be recovered from in the future. The pain they feel from the procedures they undergo is only a harbinger of the physical pain they will get in the future. They have no concept of future trials. Let them enjoy their insouciant youth, because tomorrow, the pains persist.
Unless the aliens take you..
AFAIK no one in my entire family has a tattoo - and that includes my sister’s kids and husbands.
I’ve always thought they’re ugly and I have enough freckles anyway.
I see some very colorful tattoos unlike the past ones.
I wonder how many metals they have?
Make a ‘fashion statement’ with hair, clothing, jewelry etc…. Items easily changed or removed without complications vs the skin graffiti.
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