And while Liam, and his tatt-covered girlfriend Miley Cyrus, are no strangers to going under the ink gun, it turns out that their addiction to body art could be causing potential harm to the Byron Bay regulars.
According to new warnings from the Cancer Council, tattoos pose higher risks of skin cancer development for several reasons.
“If a tattoo covers or surrounds a mole, you might not see changes that could indicate skin cancer,” Cancer Council NSW Hunter regional manager Shayne Connell said according to the Newcastle Herald. “The tattoo pigments in your skin may make it difficult for a doctor to accurately detect cancer, delaying diagnosis of melanoma or skin cancer."
The danger surrounding ink increases with greater skin coverage, with sleeves posing a hug worry for dermatologists.
“Tattoos should be avoided in skin areas containing moles or pigmentary changes, as they could delay or complicate the diagnosis of potential malignant growth,” suggests a European Commission report, also quoted by the Herald.
Almost two thirds of Aussies will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer before the age of 70, according to Australian Government statistics, making it the most prevalent form of cancer in our society. Hemsworth is also in an extremely high risk group, with the risk doubling among young males, most likely due to their lifestyle habits. Let's hope Liam is covering up during his next surf.
Another recent report to come out of the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) has also suggested that “a number of the tattoo inks... are non-compliant with the Poisons Standard,” with suggestions that tattoo ink may even be carcinogenic due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons were reportedly found in 83 per cent of black ink tested by NICNAS, a worrying identification for the cancer council.
And while the cases directly linking cancer and tattoos are limited, it's definitely a scary finding and work considering the next time you're considering getting some permanent ink dedicated to your loved one... or your favourite insect in Hemsworth's case.
