While tattoos are becoming increasingly popular the rise in people getting them done also means more people to study to learn about the potential health impacts of tattoo ink.
Some people will just get a little bit of ink on their skin while others have turned pretty much their entire body into a canvas and had all sorts of work done to the point that there’s not much undecorated skin remaining.
A study published from Sweden’s Lund University warned that tattoos may have a long-term health impact for some people, finding that ‘the risk of developing lymphoma was 21 percent higher among those who were tattooed’.
Researchers did say it was a rather rare disease and there might be other factors at play, but they did find that the body recognises tattoo ink as something foreign and will try to take it from the skin to the lymph nodes as your immune system kicks in.
Tattoos have become very popular, but studies warn they may increase the risk of getting certain diseases (Getty Stock Image)
There are now going to be other studies that will try to confirm the results and see for sure if tattoo ink really can increase your risk of lymphoma.
Unfortunately, that’s not all when it comes to the health risks posed by tattoos.
Other studies have been looking into the impact various tattoos have on a person’s body and it would appear as though there’s one colour of ink which is likely to do more harm than the others.
Some people getting their ink are going to get rashes and discomfort from the procedure, while inflammation and even infection are possible if instructions aren’t properly followed.
However, those are short-term matters and further studies done into the longer consequences of getting tattoo ink in your body have uncovered much.
Studies warn that tattoo ink can be a problem in some cases, and red is the main culprit (Getty Stock Image)
A study from the Duke University School of Medicine found numerous cases of tumours developing within tattoos, and identified ‘red tattoo pigment’ as the kind most likely for tumours to develop with.
The study found that 36.9 percent of tumours appeared in tattoos that had a red pigment, so you might want to avoid that colour if you want to play it as safe as possible when getting a design etched into your skin.
Some countries, including the UK, have introduced bans on certain types of tattoo ink over concerns that they are carcinogenic.
As part of the ban tattoo ink manufacturers were told they would have time to find alternative formulas.
