In mice that got sunburns from UV light, those with red tattoos got their third skin tumor a bit sooner and the tumors grew a little faster than in mice without tattoos.

Pro

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Community contributions welcome

Red tattoos, ultraviolet radiation and skin cancer in mice

Randomized Controlled Trial

Animal

2017 Nov

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Red tattoos, ultraviolet radiation and skin cancer in mice

Score: 14

DOI: 10.1111/exd.13383

Similar Assertions

When tumors did appear in sun-exposed mice with red tattoos, they grew faster than tumors in mice without tattoos.

92%

Red tattoos alone, without sun exposure, didn’t cause any skin tumors in mice.

88%

The red ink used in the study contains a chemical (2-anisidine) that’s not allowed in human tattoos because it might cause cancer.

71%