Inked up: Can getting a tattoo increase your risk of cancer?

Tattoos were once used to signify a life lived on the edge before gaining more mainstream popularity. However, they may increase the risk of blood cancers Tattoos can be meaningful for many, but the risk must be assessed. Photo: Getty There was a time, not so long ago, when tattoos were the exclusive domain of sailors, prisoners, and motorcycle gang members.

They were symbols of rebellion, markers of a life lived on the edge. But those days are long gone. In Ireland, especially, tattoos have shed their outlaw image and become mainstream.



Rather astonishingly, over one-third of Irish people now sport tattoos, and women are just as likely — if not more so — to be inked. Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Stay up to date with all the latest news.