Overview

• Analyzing 7,000 Utah residents, Huntsman Cancer Institute found lower rates of invasive and in situ melanoma in people with two or more tattoo sessions.
• Participants with only one tattoo session showed higher melanoma rates, particularly in situ, a pattern the authors say requires further study.
• The research, led by Jennifer Doherty and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, evaluated tattoo exposure as an understudied environmental factor.
• Authors proposed tentative explanations—more consistent sun protection among heavily tattooed individuals, a possible UV-blocking effect, or immune responses—while emphasizing these mechanisms are unproven.
• Researchers cautioned against treating tattoos as protective and urged continued sun safety, noting prior studies have associated tattooing with elevated risks for certain blood cancers.