RiskofChronicDiseaseswithTattoos–BfRSeesNeedforFurtherResearch

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Sep 18, 2025 - Cosmetics

RiskofChronicDiseaseswithTattoos–BfRSeesNeedforFurtherResearch

In a notice on September 11, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) stated that there is currently very little knowledge about the connection between tattoos and chronic disease progression.

“The known health risks of tattoos include skin inflammation and allergic skin reactions.“

This topic was examined in a recent study by the BfR. As a result of the study, "elevated liver values were also found in tattooed participants compared to the non-tattooed control group. However, there were no clear indications for a skin cancer risk associated with tattoos.”

However, due to the small number of participants available, optimal statistical analysis was not possible. It was inferred, however, that there are still data gaps in the chronic effects. This will be actively taken into account in future studies.

Sources:

• www.bfr.bund.de