Oncologist: tattoos can provoke skin cancer

Many people who want to get a tattoo wonder if it can provoke skin cancer, and Prof. Sergei Abashin gives an answer

“Tattoos can provoke skin cancer, especially if they are made on pigmented or non-pigmented spots,” the doctor of medical sciences explained. “Oncologists are often addressed by patients who have decided to decorate a wart or a mole with such a pattern, and who ask what should be done. In this situation, it is possible to remove the mole and conduct a histological examination.”

In addition, Mr. Abashin said that malignant skin tumours are becoming the most frequent oncological diseases. “It has become fashionable to decorate the skin with various kinds of tattooing, but it is necessary to remember that such patterns on the body can lead not only to skin diseases. By the way, malignant skin tumours are becoming the most frequent oncological diseases as a person is getting older. Tattoos can act as a risk factor for the occurrence of other diseases," he noted.