In 2024, it is reported that 32 percent of Americans have tattoos, with 22 percent sporting more than one. It’s becoming increasingly common to know someone with body art.
Pew Research highlights that various factors can influence the likelihood of having a tattoo, noting only a 1 percent difference between the number of men and women with tattoos.
According to the Smithsonian, the tradition of tattooing dates back over 5,000 years, where it held symbolic significance in different cultures, often representing status.
Today, tattoos are seen as a form of personal expression. However, they also serve as a reminder to ensure the meanings of certain words are fully understood before committing them to skin.
Recently, a study explored the potential link between tattoos and skin cancer risk.
The study, titled ‘Tattoo ink exposure looks at the risks of lymphoma and skin cancers – a Danish study of twins’, was conducted collaboratively by the University of South Denmark (SDU) and the University of Helsinki.
In this cohort study, 2,367 twins were analyzed, with one twin having tattoos and the other not.
The research aimed to investigate ‘the potential association between tattoo ink exposure and development of certain types of cancers in the recently established Danish Twin Tattoo Cohort’.
“Tattoo ink is known to transfer from skin to blood and accumulate in regional lymph nodes,” the researchers stated, suggesting that this could trigger inflammation, potentially leading to abnormal cell growth and increased cancer risk (via Sky News).
The study found that larger tattoos, exceeding the size of one’s palm, could increase the likelihood of developing lymphoma and skin cancer.
Sky News reports that individuals with larger tattoos had three times the risk compared to those without tattoos.
Assistant professor of biostatistics at SDU, Signe Bedsted Clemmensen, mentioned that ‘the bigger the tattoo and the longer it has been there, the more ink accumulates in the lymph nodes’.
Despite these findings, the research team notes that further studies are required. They acknowledge that it’s still unclear which ink pigments might pose a higher risk, or if specific types of lymphoma are more closely associated with tattoos.