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 Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 12:01 am
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Skin cancer and Tattoo Link
Link: http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-jdms/papers/Vol5-issue1/Q0516264.pdf
I. Introduction:
The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian "tatu" which means "to mark something." Tattooing has been practiced for more than 12,000 years BC. Since 1990, the presence of tattoos has become so popular that , in our environment, 3% to 8% of the general population has some type of tattoo . Today, tattooing is making a strong comeback. It is more popular and accepted than it has ever been. This rise in popularity has placed tattooists in the category of "fine artist". Current artists combine the tradition of tattooing with their personal style creating unique and phenomenal body art. With the addition of new inks, tattooing has certainly reached a new plateau1. The potential local and systemic carcinogenic effects of tattoos and tattoo inks remain unclear. Several studies have shed light on the presence of potential carcinogenic or procarcinogenic products in tattoo inks2. There may be many complications associated with the introduction of pigment into the skin and include acute inflammatory allergic hypersensitivity, granulomatous, lichenoid, or pseudolymphomatous types of histopathologic reactions and in some patients, they can be a marker for systemic diseases such as AIDS, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, tetanus, syphilis, tuberculosis and other blood-born diseases3.
II. Potential Carcinogenic Products In Tattoo Inks:

The precise composition of tattoo inks is not regulated. The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved any ink for use in tattooing2. Control and regulation remain difficult because most inks are purchased abroad via the internet or during tattoo conventions. Tattoo colourants include pigments which can be inorganic metallic salts or different types of organic molecules and organic dyes. Auxiliary ingredients are usually added to modify the properties of the ink and make it suitable for the tattooing procedure. The composition of inks has changed over the past 20 years. Studies were done in the 1980s and 1990s of tattoos created 10–20 years before and their results might not apply to tattoos performed nowadays4. Inks are less likely than before to contain
inorganic salts such as mercury, cadmium, and cobalt.Aluminium, oxygen, titanium, and carbon are common ingredients of tattoo inks irrespective of the colour.Several studies have shown that different colours can share a component, whereas a similar colour might not and that some metallic salts are still commonly used. Known allergenic metals such as chromium, nickel and cobalt have been found to exceed safe allergic limits. Surveyed tattoo inks were composed of several metallic salts, some found at high concentrations and others at low or trace concentrations.The traditional classification, based on the rule that one colour equals one metallic salt (ie. red=mercury, blue=cobalt, green=chromium, purple=magnesium etc), which is still mentioned in some textbooks and reviews is too restrictive and definitely out-of-date5,6. European market studies have shown that most of the current commercially available tattoo compounds are azo pigments or polycyclic compounds, classified by their chemical constitution. Among the organic colourants identified in tattoo inks, 60% were azo compounds, some of which are classified as carcinogenic (anisidine, nitro-o-toluidine, chloro-o-toluidine, and 3,3′-dichlorobenzidine). 3,3′-dichlorobenzine is thought to be released from the azo pigments found in these products4. Table 1 summarises some of the potential procarcinogens & carcinogens in tattoo ink.
IV. Potential Links Between Tattoos And Skin Cancers :
If there is a true link between tattooing and skin cancer, carcinogenesis is most likely to be the result of a multifactorial process. The trauma induced by the procedure (puncturing the skin) has typically been identified as one of the main causes. Tattoo pigments do not remain inert in the dermis; an inflammatory reaction occurs over the lifetime of the bearer, in an attempt to degrade all foreign material5. Chronic ultraviolet sun exposure has been suggested as another potential factor for skin carcinogenesis in tattoos. Tattoos might be located on ultraviolet-exposed or intermittently exposed body areas. Wiener and Scher suggested that pigments might alter ultraviolet absorption in the skin. Moreover, it could be postulated that a tattooed individual would show off their tattoos, especially during summer time, exposing the tattooed skin to sun and ultraviolet radiation with the potential long-term risks6.
Does the colour of the tattoo matter? Red and black have always been the most commonly used colours for tattoo.
Red is known to be the main colour responsible for hypersensitivity tattoo reaction,8 and according to Nicolas Kluger & Virve Koljonen was the most common colour for occurrence of SCCs, keratoacanthomas, and pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia2.Different compositions of inks might therefore have crucial roles for different pathogenic processes. Unfortunately, most studies have focused on black and red inks. To our knowledge, except for the presence of metallic salts, the presence of potential carcinogenic components in other colours has not been investigated5,6,. Finally, there might be other undetermined factors, such as a genetic predisposition and viruses in the skin, with potential role in carcinogenesis associated with tattoos.
Tattoo can be a potential risk factor for inner organ cancers too.Tattoo pigments reside mainly in the dermis, either within fibroblasts or between collagen bundles. Macrophages, in an attempt to eliminate the pigments, assimilate them and migrate to the lymphatic vessels then to the regional lymph nodes. Cases of macroscopic, often asymptomatic, lymph nodes filled with black pigments have been reported. As a generalisation, any individual with a tattoo might have a regional black lymph node. Black lymph nodes can also become palpable, raising the concern for potential infection or malignancy and leading to lymph node excision or dissection by a surgeon who suspects metastatic melanoma6. So far, there is no data regarding the potential localisation of tattoo byproducts elsewhere in the body. Nevertheless, some researchers stress that the long contact time between skin and tattoos allows continued exposure to toxic or allergenic metals with consequent accumulation in the
body. The potential diffusion of nanoparticles also remains speculative10. Tattoo pigments might be discharged from the body without any further health-related complications.It might be thought better off undergoing laser tattoo removal. Unfortunately, while the tattoo might be erased by the treatment, blasting away that pigment releases it into the body a second time11. Table2 summarises the potential link between tattoos & skin cancer..
V. Prevention:
If tattooing is not done ,it should be avoided.Safety of pigments in tattoo colourants should be searched for,before undergoing tattooing.The instruments and machine used should be sterilized.If the person is already tattooed ,he should avoid going in the sun.The sun exposed parts should be covered with clothings before going in the sun and application of sunscreen lotions and the use of umbrellas may help further in this regards.Laser removal of the tattoo should be avoided.
VI. Conclusion:
Permanent tattooing with its health-related issues and potential carcinogenic effect is a topic that should not be neglected by health services, and could be an important upcoming health issue. Regulation of tattoo ink manufacturing is urgently needed 2and safe biological inks must be searched11. The importance of vigilance and of a high index of suspicion for any skin changes within a tattoo, which may otherwise be easily overlooked by the clinician,is recommended.Thus the harmless tattoo is a very serious risk & awareness in this regards is highly recommended.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 7:39 pm
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10/27/2017 - changed image hosting
I have long suspected this was not a proper way to treat God's creation. This is an offense to him first and foremost, and risks the well-being of others and ourselves. The skin is an organ after all and it has a function; compromise that function, and we invite disease.
I use to hold to the interpretation that YHWH only prohibited tattoos which commemorated the dead, but this makes me rethink that. I think he was speaking in general. And reading over the command again, I shouldn't have fallen for that interpretation in the first place...
Leviticus 19:28 (NIV)
28 “‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.
I'm reminded of a documentary I watched years ago about scarification (a type of tattooing that tribal people do—with or without inks); they're still marks made on the body. That type of tattooing results in permanent raised bumps on your skin. And the tools for making them are quite gruesome.
Example of an African tribal tattoo using scarification:  [ source]
Not surprisingly, some of these are religiously motivated:
Quote: [...] There are also aesthetic, religious, and social reasons for scarification. For example, scarification has been widely used by many West African tribes to mark milestone stages in both men and women's lives, such as puberty and marriage. It is also used to transmit complex messages about identity; such permanent body markings may emphasize fixed social, political, and religious roles.[2] Tattoos, scars, brands, and piercings, when voluntarily acquired, are ways of showing a person's autobiography on the surface of the body to the world.[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarification#Reasons
Tools:
• Lemon plant thorn x_x (in Papua New Guinea)
Quote: The black ink used for the tattoos is made by mixing ground charcoal with water and then the pattern is painted on the girl’s face using the stalk of a taro plant. Then a lemon plant thorn is used as a needle to pierce the skin so that the ink can penetrate and permanently stain the flesh, http://www.indopacificimages.com/index.php/papua-new-guinea-2/diving-papua-new-guinea-tufi-facial-tattoos-in-oro-province/
• Bones, Hammers and small chisels (in Aotearoa New Zealand)
Quote: These experts work with little combs made of bone or wood, which were rested on the skin, then tapped in with a smart stroke from a hammer. The result was a neat line of punches which the artists rubbed with a special dye. Some of it settled under the skin in a mark which stayed for good. [...] The Maoris tattooed their legs and faces, with their own favourite swirling design, by a method which was even more severe than an used in other islands. The tattooing instrument was shaped not so much like a comb as a small chisel. http://janeresture.com/oceania_tattoos/index.htm
Also motivated by their beliefs:
Quote: The Maori legend states that tattoo was created by Ruaumoko, the god of earthquake, as a memorial to his despair and awe at the separation of his father Ranginui, the god of the sky, and his mother Papatuanuku, the god of the earth. http://janeresture.com/oceania_tattoos/index.htm
Buddhist Monks give spiritual significance to tattoos too (and involves needles, possibly tipped with snake venom eek ):
Quote: The temple is also known for the daily tattoos or Sak Yants given by the monks that live there, and especially for the tattoo festival held on the temple grounds once a year during March. The power of any amulet or tattoo decreases with time, so, to re-empower tattoos each year, Sak Yant masters celebrate with their disciples the Wai Khru (Wai Khru meaning to pay homage to one's teacher). On this day devotees gather in the parlours of their Sak Yant masters to honor them and get their tattoos blessed and re-empowered.[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Bang_Phra#Daily_tattooing [...] Right before reaching the monk, the people next in line to the one being tattooed will assist the monk with holding the one receiving the tattoo still. The monk uses a single long thin needle about 18 inches in length and about four millimeters in width. The tip of the spike is split into two (like a split cane), so that each stab of the spike produces two dots of ink in the skin. There are about 8 of these needles in a pot of a type of cleaning solution. Sometimes the monk will sharpen the needle with fine grade sandpaper before beginning. The monk will then select from several different rubber templates with the design of choice. He will apply the template to ink and then press it on to the recipients back to transfer the design. When ready to begin, he will dip the tip of the needle into a mix of oil, probably palm oil, Chinese charcoal ink, and possibly snake venom. He then begins to trace the pattern. The typical tattoo takes about 3,000 strikes to complete. The monk dips the needle into the ink about every 30 seconds. When complete, he blesses the tattoo and blows a sacred Kata (Ghata) on it to infuse it with power. For men, the monk uses the charcoal ink. For women he uses a transparent ink and will use a glove in order to not touch the female body.
More on Sak Yant tattoos:
Quote: Yantra tattooing, also called sak yan or sak yant (Thai: สักยันต์,[1] Khmer: សាក់យ័ន្ត, Burmese: တက်တူးထိုး), is a form of tattooing that originated among ancient Tai peoples.[2] It consists of magical geometrical, animal and deity designs accompanied by Pali phrases that offer power, protection, fortune, charisma and other benefits for the bearer. Today it is practiced in Thailand and Myanmar, and to a much lesser extent in Laos and Cambodia. The practice has also begun to grow in popularity among Chinese Buddhists in Singapore.[3] Sak means "to [tattoo]" in Thai, and yan is the Thai pronunciation for the Sanskrit word yantra,[4] meaning "magical design" or "mystical insignia".[5] Sak yan designs are normally tattooed by ruesi, wicha (magic) practitioners, and Buddhist monks, traditionally with a long metal rod sharpened to a point (called a khem sak).[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yantra_tattooing
So, no matter the significance behind it (merely artistic, recording milestones on your body, spiritual, etc...), I see YHWH prohibited them for both health reasons and religious reasons. We must be set-apart from the spiritual practices of the world because they don't worship YHWH (if we act like them, we don't demonstrate how he is different, nor how we are different) and it's also physically unhealthy to treat the skin the way they did/do.
These tribal people definitely spend lots of time with their bodies exposed to the sun. x_x; Oy.
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:49 am
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cristobela I have long suspected this was not a proper way to treat God's creation. This is an offense to him first and foremost, and risks the well-being of others and ourselves. The skin is an organ after all and it has a function; compromise that function, and we invite disease.
I use to hold to the interpretation that YHWH only prohibited tattoos which commemorated the dead, but this makes me rethink that. I think he was speaking in general. And reading over the command again, I shouldn't have fallen for that interpretation in the first place...
Thank you for tying in biblical references. I knew there were some in regard to tattoos, but could not remember where.
Quote: So, no matter the significance behind it (merely artistic, recording milestones on your body, spiritual, etc...), I see YHWH prohibited them for both health reasons and religious reasons. We must be set-apart from the spiritual practices of the world because they don't worship YHWH (if we act like them, we don't demonstrate how he is different, nor how we are different) and it's also physically unhealthy to treat the skin the way they did/do.
These tribal people definitely spend lots of time with their bodies exposed to the sun. x_x; Oy.
Definitely! Not to mention, scars darken considerably in the sun... Even with the tattoos by themselves, they will forever initiate an acute inflammatory response as long as the ink in that layer. The ink does shed in the body over time, hence why tattoos need to be "touched up".
I am honestly very glad that I began to lean towards Christianity when I did... Several girlfriends of mine were pressuring me to get tattoos with them. Can't explain it, but I just had an inherently bad feeling about it. Later, I came across some of the biblical verses you had posted and now I am relieved I did not go through with it.
However, I do have an acute history of self-injury (burning), so that is something I have had to pray and repent about. Our bodies are the only vessels we are responsible for in this lifetime. They are sacred and it is best that we use them to glorify God; not ourselves. |
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