Mar 4, 2025 03:55 AM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1075482
INTRO: People often put a lot of thought into getting a tattoo. But there's one thing most people forget to think about—what impact the tattoo might have on their health in the long run. What happens to the ink once it's in your skin? Does it all stay in the skin where it's visible, or does it travel further into the body?
Research has shown that tattoo ink does not just remain where it is injected. Particles from the ink can migrate to the lymph nodes, where they accumulate.
Researchers from the Department of Public Health and the Department of Clinical Research at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), together with the University of Helsinki, have investigated whether this could have health consequences. Using data from Danish twin pairs, they found that tattooed individuals are more frequently diagnosed with skin and lymphoma cancers compared to those without tattoos.
Ink particles in the body may affect the immune system. The lymph nodes are a crucial part of the immune system, helping to fight infections and filter harmful substances from the body.
When tattoo ink penetrates the skin, some of it is absorbed into the lymph nodes. The researchers are particularly concerned that tattoo ink may trigger chronic inflammation in the lymph nodes, which over time could lead to abnormal cell growth and an increased risk of cancer.
– We can see that ink particles accumulate in the lymph nodes, and we suspect that the body perceives them as foreign substances, explains Henrik Frederiksen, consultant in haematology at Odense University Hospital and clinical professor at SDU.
– 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.
Studying this link is challenging because cancer can take years to develop. This means that exposure in youth may not lead to illness until decades later, making it difficult to measure a direct effect... (MORE - details, no ads)
INTRO: People often put a lot of thought into getting a tattoo. But there's one thing most people forget to think about—what impact the tattoo might have on their health in the long run. What happens to the ink once it's in your skin? Does it all stay in the skin where it's visible, or does it travel further into the body?
Research has shown that tattoo ink does not just remain where it is injected. Particles from the ink can migrate to the lymph nodes, where they accumulate.
Researchers from the Department of Public Health and the Department of Clinical Research at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), together with the University of Helsinki, have investigated whether this could have health consequences. Using data from Danish twin pairs, they found that tattooed individuals are more frequently diagnosed with skin and lymphoma cancers compared to those without tattoos.
Ink particles in the body may affect the immune system. The lymph nodes are a crucial part of the immune system, helping to fight infections and filter harmful substances from the body.
When tattoo ink penetrates the skin, some of it is absorbed into the lymph nodes. The researchers are particularly concerned that tattoo ink may trigger chronic inflammation in the lymph nodes, which over time could lead to abnormal cell growth and an increased risk of cancer.
– We can see that ink particles accumulate in the lymph nodes, and we suspect that the body perceives them as foreign substances, explains Henrik Frederiksen, consultant in haematology at Odense University Hospital and clinical professor at SDU.
– 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.
Studying this link is challenging because cancer can take years to develop. This means that exposure in youth may not lead to illness until decades later, making it difficult to measure a direct effect... (MORE - details, no ads)