Thursday, 30 October 2025
A new study, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found there is no increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in people with tattoos.
The study, which is published in eClinical Medicine, was led by Mr Thomas McConnell, a graduate entry medical student from the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham.
As tattoos become increasingly popular worldwide, scientists have been exploring whether they could have hidden health risks.
Concerns have been raised in recent years that tattoo ink, which contains a mix of organic and inorganic pigments, as well as other chemical by-products, may travel through the body and build up in the lymph nodes. Some studies have suggested this could potentially be linked to lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.
To investigate, researchers carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis, combining results from all available studies on tattoos and lymphoma. By pooling the data, they were able to get a clearer picture of the overall evidence.
The findings showed no evidence for an increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in people with tattoos. However, the researchers stress that the current evidence base is still small, and there was not enough data to rule out any possible effects entirely.
The team hopes their work will help guide both the scientific community and the public. With stricter EU regulations now in place around tattoo ink ingredients, they also highlight the importance of continued monitoring of tattoo safety.
Our study suggests that tattoos do not appear to raise the risk of lymphoma significantly. This is reassuring news for the millions of people with tattoos worldwide.
“However, because the evidence is still limited, we cannot yet say with certainty that there is no effect. More large, high-quality studies are needed before we can draw firm conclusions.”
The full study can be found here.
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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