STUDY FINDS POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN TATTOO INK AND WEAKENED WEAKEN OUR LYMPHATIC AND IMMUNE SYSTEM

Although humans might have been tattooing their skin for hundreds of years, recent studies have caused some concern. The new study, published last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), found that tattoo ink may negatively impact our lymphatic systems and potentially disrupt our bodies' responses to vaccines.

The toxicological risks of tattoo ink have been examined in the past, but research has not yet focused on tattooing and its effects on our immune system. To address this, Swiss scientists used a murine model to investigate the precise processes that occur following tattooing. The team ultimately found that pigments drained into adjacent lymph nodes, causing immune-cell death and inflammation, effects that persisted over time. The ink that built up in the lymph nodes diminished the antibody response to COVID-19 vaccines when administered in tattooed skin. Nonetheless, the researchers noted an “enhanced response” among those vaccinated with an inactivated flu vaccine.

Since the study focused exclusively on mice, it is still uncertain if these immune effects also affect humans. Nevertheless, the results underscore both the possible dangers of tattooing and the need for toxicology testing, suitable tattoo-ink components, and regulations regarding both. The study comes at a time when a 2023 Pew Research Centre survey found that around 32% of Americans have at least one tattoo, including 22% with multiple tattoos.

“This study constitutes the most comprehensive investigation to date into how tattoo ink affects immune response, and it highlights serious health concerns related to the practice of tattooing,” the scientists write. “Our work highlights the necessity for additional research to guide public health policies and regulatory frameworks concerning the safety of tattoo inks.”

This new research is similar to other studies conducted in the past year, including one that appeared in Springer Nature on November 24. The study indicates that people with tattoos have a 29% higher risk of developing cutaneous melanoma, a severe skin cancer frequently associated with ultraviolet (UV) exposure. To arrive at this conclusion, researchers examined health records from Sweden’s National Cancer Register, pinpointing all individuals between the ages of 20 and 60 who were diagnosed with melanoma in 2017. From this sample, the team selected approximately 5,700 participants and issued them questionnaires regarding their health and tattoo history.

Christel Nielsen, a co-author of the study, says in Science Alert, "Our data imply a possible link between tattoos and melanoma, but one study is never enough to prove causation." "Awareness is important, but there's no reason to panic if you have tattoos."