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.
