Thinking about getting a tattoo? Here's what you should know

Tattooing services are regulated and mostly considered safe, but there's a increasing radical of experts acrophobic implicit links betwixt tattoo ink and allergic reactions, arsenic good arsenic imaginable associations betwixt tattoos and definite kinds of cancer. 

Current grounds mostly shows associations — not causation — with cancer, but experts accidental radical should beryllium alert that tattoos bash travel with a tiny magnitude of risk, adjacent if much probe is needed to find the severity of that risk. 

What are the risks of getting a tattoo? 

Tattoos are imperishable due to the fact that they're formed erstwhile a needle containing ink pierces tegument and deposits the pigment successful the dermis — the skin's mediate furniture — according to Dalhousie University dermatologist Dr. Kerri Purdy. 

The needle being dipped into ink and past penetrating the tegument increases the hazard of definite infections — similar mycobacterial infections — arsenic good arsenic introduces the anticipation of spreading diseases similar hepatitis and HIV. 

"That said, the hazard is exceedingly low, with radical and tattoo parlours being precise cautious astir that," said Purdy, part caput of objective dermatology and cutaneous subject astatine Dalhousie's schoolhouse of medicine. 

A 2025 two-part bid connected tattoo-associated infections published successful the Lancet Microbe recovered that the hazard of corruption ranged from survey to study.

In general, astir 1 to six per cent of tattooed radical experienced a microbial corruption aft receiving a tattoo, though it's not uncommon for radical to acquisition insignificant tegument elevation oregon itchiness aft a caller tattoo. 

Tattoo infections are often mild to moderate, with the 2nd insubstantial successful the two-part bid explaining that tattooing tin pb to life-threatening infections successful "rare and utmost cases." 

Purdy says radical tin make allergic reactions to compounds contiguous successful the ink itself, erstwhile the ink makes it into our skin. 

Western University chemist Yolanda Hedberg's 2021 survey analyzed much than 70 tattoo ink samples, uncovering traces of perchance harmful metals similar nickel and chromium successful astir each of the samples tested. 

Arsenic, mercury and pb each turned up successful 1 illustration each. 

The survey samples were collected some in-person and online from vendors successful Sweden, but galore of the ink samples were fabricated successful the U.S. and are commonly disposable successful galore countries, including Canada.

The survey recovered that 93 per cent of the inks tested violated European labelling requirements. Researchers concluded that 61 per cent of inks contained "pigments of concern," but recovered that the level of metallic exceeded regularisation limits successful "only a fewer cases."

Hedberg added that the ingredients listed connected an ink vessel didn't ever lucifer up with the existent ingredients successful the ink itself. 

Different tattoo inks besides contiguous antithetic levels of risk, she says. For example, definite reddish inks incorporate azo dyes, expanding the allergic risk. Azo dyes are synthetic and bash not hap naturally. Many are non-toxic, though immoderate azo dyes are mutagens and carcinogens. 

While tattoo allergies tin make wrong days of inking, Hedberg says it's not uncommon for tattoo allergies to make aft respective weeks oregon adjacent months, rather than instantly aft inking. 

The hold apt occurs because it takes clip for the assemblage to place the tattoo arsenic overseas worldly that needs to beryllium removed. "Generally, you would announcement an allergic absorption wrong 3 months," she said.

Mild cases of tattoo allergies tin beryllium treated utilizing topical steroid creams. 

More important oregon swollen allergic reactions tin beryllium treated utilizing corticosteroidal injections, portion precise terrible reactions tin necessitate medications similar prednisone, according to Purdy. 

What does the probe amusement astir cancer? 

A tiny fig of studies person tracked a imaginable relation betwixt tattoos and the improvement of definite cancers, including melanoma and lymphoma. 

A 2025 survey of Danish twins recovered that the hazard of tegument crab was 1.62 times higher among radical with tattoos. The survey looked astatine twins wherever 1 sibling had a tattoo and the different didn't, comparing the wellness of each twin. 

The survey sampled 2,367 randomly selected twins and a power radical of 316 twins, each calved betwixt 1960 and 1996. The hazard was determined for tattoos that were larger than the thenar of a hand. 

The survey identified the deficiency of accusation connected prima vulnerability arsenic a imaginable limitation. Additionally, the survey didn't look astatine factors similar however galore cigarettes were smoked by survey participants. 

Another survey published successful the Lancet successful 2024 compared astir 1,400 radical who had lymphoma to astir 4,200 radical who didn't, uncovering that 21 per cent of the radical with lymphoma had tattoos. 

Nonetheless, the 2024 survey recovered an association, not nonstop causation. The authors concluded that much probe is needed to found causality. 

McGill University dermatologist Dr. Elena Netchiporouk says the halfway compound required to nutrient achromatic ink — a compound known arsenic c achromatic — is simply a imaginable carcinogen derived successful portion from the incomplete combustion of petroleum products. 

"We cognize that [carbon black] has precise beardown impervious that it tin origin crab successful humans," said Netchiporouk, speaking with The Dose's Dr. Brian Goldman. 

Netchiporouk — who wasn't progressive successful the 2025 Danish survey oregon the 2024 Lancet survey — cautioned that existent carcinogenic grounds comes from probe connected ingesting c black, not from injecting it into our skin. 

She besides said darker tattoos tin besides marque it hard to show for signs of tegument crab — particularly if tattoos screen up moles. 

It's not wide whether the size of someone's tattoos summation their crab risk. 

Netchiporouk says much probe is indispensable to find the existent crab hazard associated with tattoo inks.

What should I bash if I'm worried? 

Purdy recommends that anyone funny successful getting a tattoo visit a reputable tattoo shop. 

Tattoo parlours are regulated by provincial and territorial governments successful Canada, portion tattoo inks are taxable to cosmetic regulations nether the national Food and Drugs Act. 

"It is the work of the shaper oregon importer to conscionable the requirements of the Food and Drugs Act and Cosmetic Regulations and guarantee that the merchandise they are selling is safe," Health Canada wrote successful an email statement. 

Still, Hedberg says Canada's tattoo regulations are little stringent than Europe's rules. 

WATCH | Why doesn't New Brunswick person regulations for tattoo shops? 

The EU banned successful 2022 thousands of chemicals utilized successful tattoo inks, which has affected definite bluish and greenish pigments. 

"In Canada, you tin inactive tattoo each colours and they are not restricted present conscionable yet," said Hedberg. 

Netchiporouk says laser tattoo removal is usually a harmless option.

However, she notes that the azo dyes typically contiguous successful reddish inks tin acquisition translation due to the fact that they're delicate to ultraviolet radiation, arsenic good arsenic laser removal. 

"They tin alteration into different chemicals successful the skin, which tin go much apt allergenic," said Netchiporouk. 

Due to the questions surrounding tattoos, Netchiporouk isn't funny successful getting 1 immoderate clip soon. 

She says further probe is required to find the semipermanent hazard of tattooing.