Americans get approximately 11 million new tattoos each year. While the number of new tattoos can vary annually, the overall trend shows a significant increase in tattoo popularity, with roughly 30% of US adults estimated to have at least one tattoo. Tattoos have become more socially acceptable and are a form of artistic self-expression. According to Pew Research, women, black Americans, and younger adults are among the most likely to have tattoos.
What you may not know is that recent studies link tattoos to cancers such as skin cancers, lymphoma, and leukemia.
Rachel McCarty, PhD, an epidemiologist at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France, explained, “We don’t have enough evidence yet to say whether tattoos cause cancer. We’re not going to know the answer to that for years.” Still, Signe Bedsted Clemmensen, PhD, from the University of Southern Denmark, urges awareness because about one-third of Americans have tattoos — 38% of women and 27% of men.
Tattoo Ink May Contain Carcinogens
Humans have decorated their bodies with ink since at least 3000 B.C., as shown by the tattooed skin of “Ötzi the Iceman,” a frozen mummy. Historical figures like King Harold II of England, Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, and even Churchill’s mother sported tattoos.
Milena Foerster, PhD, also an epidemiologist at IARC, said old stick-and-poke tattoos “took a lot longer than tattoo machines, so the tattoo surface was a lot smaller.” She added, “Modern tattoo machines inject more ink into the skin.”
Traditional tattoo dyes consisted of soot, charcoal, or pounded leaves, but today’s inks differ significantly. McCarty described colored inks as “often composed of the same components as printer ink and car paint.”
These inks mix organic and inorganic compounds, including solvents, emulsifiers, binders, antifoam agents, and preservatives. Foerster pointed out, “We found polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in nearly half of European inks, and those are the main carcinogens in cigarette smoke.” Researchers also detected heavy metals like lead, chromium, and arsenic in 9% of European inks, along with azo pigments from car paint, some of which release cancer-causing aromatic amines.
Although European inks seem more harmful, that’s because researchers recently studied them more thoroughly, not because they are worse than U.S. inks. In fact, McCarty said, “There are currently no regulations on tattoo inks in the U.S.” Unlike the European Union, which regulates ink substances since 2022, the FDA has not approved any tattoos for skin injection. Tattoo practices remain regulated mostly by local authorities.
Given these compounds, epidemiologists worry about potential long-term health effects, including cancer.
A Doctor’s Hunch Led to a Cancer Correlation
The cancer question surfaced when Paul Shami, MD, a hematologist at the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, noticed more leukemia patients with tattoos. His observation prompted McCarty and colleagues to analyze data from 820 cancer cases and 8,200 matched controls. Their 2024 results suggested tattooed people may face higher risks of certain non-Hodgkin lymphomas. People with tattoos from before age 20 showed higher risks of rare blood cancers called myeloid neoplasms.
A subsequent Swedish study supported increased lymphoma risks for tattooed people, and a 2025 Danish study led by Clemmensen found that tattoos larger than a hand’s palm more than doubled lymphoma risk compared to non-tattooed people. These observational studies cannot prove cause but do reveal a link.
McCarty explained their theory: “Inks do not stay completely in the skin. The lymphatic system transports them, causing regional lymph nodes to accumulate these substances.” Research detects carcinogenic hydrocarbons from black inks in lymph nodes near tattoos, sometimes causing swelling. Clemmensen said, “The lymph nodes may try continuously to fight this foreign substance, causing chronic immune reactions that could trigger abnormal cell growth and eventually cancer.”
Melanoma Risk Is a Mixed Bag
Tattoos can complicate cancer diagnosis. A 2025 review of 43 melanoma cases found cancer prognosis worsened when tumors originated on tattooed skin, mostly due to diagnosis delays. Clemmensen explained, “Without tattoos, people notice skin changes more easily.” Doctors also face difficulty analyzing pigmented skin lesions on tattoos using dermatoscopes.
Tattoo ink also complicates lymph node biopsies. A study of early cervical cancer found 40% of women with tattoos had ink-colored lymph nodes, which Dr. Giovanni Di Favero, an oncologist at Asklepios Hospital, Hamburg, said might mask cancer cells and challenge accurate analysis.
Tattoo Removal Can Backfire
Do not rush to remove tattoos out of cancer fears. Research shows that lasers can break down pigments, especially red and orange ones, into carcinogenic substances. McCarty cautioned, “If tattoos might cause cancer, removal could be even more harmful due to pigment breakdown.” Foerster bluntly advised, “I would not remove it.”
To reduce cancer risks with tattoos, McCarty recommended protecting tattoos from sun exposure because UV light can produce harmful compounds in the skin. A 2025 study confirmed sunlight increases toxic pigment leakage, including pesticide DBCP.
If You’re Still Going to Get a Tattoo
Foerster offers several tips for prospective tattoo recipients:
- Choose a studio known for cleanliness and safety. She warned, “Infections also increase lymphoma risk.” Avoid artists who skip disposable gloves or let inks sit in sunlight.
- Postpone tattoos if pregnant or breastfeeding, due to understudied reproductive risks linked to ink chemicals and particle size.
- Pick simple designs with fewer colors to limit substances injected. Foerster recommended, “I would opt for a black tattoo.”
If possible, wait before getting a tattoo. Researchers including Foerster and McCarty run prospective studies tracking cancer development in tattooed people over time, aiming to provide stronger evidence. Foerster hopes, “We will have reliable results in three or four years.”
