Nearly half of all Australians have a tattoo – but what happens if you regret that tattoo?
Laser tattoo removal may lead to exposure to cancer-causing chemicals and Flinders University researchers are looking to assess these possible risks with a new Flinders University study in South Australia.
“The surge in tattoo popularity has resulted in a corresponding rise in ‘tattoo regret,’ and many people are turning to laser removal,” says project lead, PhD candidate Benjamin Boyle at Flinders University.
“Laser tattoo removal is a growing industry but is largely unregulated in South Australia.”
Researchers are calling for 50 people to take part in urine testing before and after laser treatment.
Professor Claire Lenehan, College of Science and Engineering Dean of Research, says: “Our research has demonstrated that carcinogenic compounds could be released during laser tattoo removal procedures.
“Just as prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause paints to degrade, so can laser removal of tattoos cause pigment molecules to break apart into smaller, potentially toxic compounds.
“We have identified chemicals that are known to damage DNA, affect fertility and even cause cancer.”
The next step is to test urine samples collected from volunteers having tattoos laser removed to see if these chemicals are released into the body during the tattoo removal process.
“We need to find out more about the safety of laser tattoo removal, particularly on the kidneys and other organs which filter blood,” says Mr Boyle.
“Do they filter through the body or get trapped in the body?”
Mr Boyle, who presented the preliminary study at the 17th World Congress of Environmental Health in Perth earlier this year, says that involving human volunteers will help determine any health risks related to laser tattoo removal.
He says this work will help to inform public health advice, policy and regulations on laser tattoo removal around the world.
People can find out more about the project or take part in this study by contacting tattooremoval@flinders.edu.au
