Could Your Tattoo Kill You?

Getting “inked” has become more and more popular over the years so much so that even fields like medical assisting are becoming more and more lenient with employee’s sporting them. But could your awesome work of art kill you? There are a variety of reasons people get tattoos including adding a permanent reminder of something meaningful, covering an older unwanted tattoo, covering stretch marks or scars and covering skin blemishes and moles.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation tattoos especially dark ink tattoos can cover skin cancer. Although there has been no link to cancer and the ink itself the placement of a tattoo can be a risk particularly with a very dangerous skin cancer known as melanoma. If a mole is present in an area where the tattoo would be placed is not recommended to tattoo over it as a change in the moles size, boarder, asymmetry, texture and color are harder to notice. Instead see a dermatologist and have the mole looked at and possibly biopsied if the provider feels it is necessary. Individuals with tattoos should see a dermatologist regularly (your provider can tell you how often) to make sure no new moles or anomalies have begun.

Personally I love tattoos and have a few myself. In my research I did not find a derm doc who said “no” to tattoos so wear them proudly but safely!