Most people can get tattooed safely. Some situations call for waiting, or for a word with your doctor first. This guide gathers the questions people search most — and answers them with the published words of dermatologists who run tattoo clinics, followed by what that means in practice. It is general information, not medical advice for your case.
“From our point of view, there is no strict contraindication to getting a tattoo done; however, there is definitely a certain number of situations in which individuals who want to get a tattoo should first seek medical advice to determine whether or not they can get one and, if so, under which conditions they can get it.”
In plain terms: very few situations mean “never”. Many mean “ask your doctor first” or “not right now”.
“The risks of undergoing tattooing during pregnancy or breastfeeding are unclear and rather theoretical. However, because a tattoo can always be performed afterward, we suggest delaying any tattooing procedure until the end of pregnancy/breastfeeding.”
In plain terms: there is no evidence of harm, but also no proper studies — so the advice is to wait. Most studios will not tattoo someone they know is pregnant. If you were tattooed before you knew you were pregnant, the same chapter notes that no complication for the infant has been reported; mention it to your midwife or doctor.
The same advice applies: wait until you have finished breastfeeding. The main theoretical concerns are infection and whether ink components reach breast milk, which has not been studied. Human milk banks usually do not accept donations for six months after a new tattoo.[2]
Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs — including everyday aspirin — make bleeding during a session heavier. Kluger’s advice:
“Temporary withdrawal of the treatment for the tattoo session should be discussed with the physician in charge.”
In plain terms: talk to the doctor who prescribes your medication before booking, and never stop it on your own. Tell your artist too; they can plan shorter sessions.
“Diabetes should be controlled by the time of the tattooing procedure, as assessed by hemoglobin A1c, and the skin area where the tattoo will be applied should be devoid of any skin lesion.”
“Moreover, as the tattoo session may last several hours, the customer should take measures to prevent possible hypoglycemia.”
In plain terms: well-controlled diabetes is not a barrier. Let your doctor and artist know, bring food and your usual kit, and keep an eye on healing.
“A tattoo can always be reconsidered when the treatment is withdrawn or at a maintenance level. In contrast, it remains reasonable to delay/avoid any tattoo when the disease is active and the treatments are currently at high dosages.”
In plain terms: on a stable, low-dose treatment a tattoo may be possible — decide with your specialist; during a flare or on high doses, wait.
“Any patient with a known congenital heart disease should warn the general practitioner/cardiologist about the procedure, ask for updated data, and discuss possible prophylactic antibiotics.”
In plain terms: with a heart condition that carries a risk of endocarditis, talk to your cardiologist first, and choose a studio with impeccable hygiene.
The British Association of Dermatologists advises avoiding tattoos during treatment and for up to six months afterwards, because of possible scarring or irritation.[3] Newer reviews have relaxed this advice for some medical procedures, but tattoos were not part of that evidence — ask the dermatologist who prescribed it.
If you are ill, reschedule. Healing needs a well-rested body, and fever or an active infection are good reasons to move the date — most studios would rather rebook than tattoo someone who is sick.
“Overall, from our point of view, chronic skin disorders per se are not strict contraindications for tattooing. However, honest information should be given to the customer about his/her risk so that he/she can decide freely to get a tattoo or not.”
“The risk of Köbnerization is higher if the disease is currently active. Therefore, tattooing should be delayed until the skin is clear of any (or any new) lesions and is quiescent.”
In plain terms: the risk is that the condition appears inside the new tattoo (the “Köbner phenomenon”, seen in psoriasis, lichen planus and vitiligo). Wait until your skin is calm, avoid active patches, and accept that a flare may one day show in the tattoo.
“For instance, whereas keloids are a strict contraindication for body piercings, they are not a contraindication for professional tattooing.”
In plain terms: a tendency to keloids is less of a barrier for tattoos than for piercings. Still mention it to your artist, and consider a small test area first with their advice.
“As a general rule, no naevus or any pigmented lesion should be tattooed.”
“There is no rule for how much space should be given, but a minimum of 0.5–1 cm (no less) is necessary, as a nevus can still extend with time.”
In plain terms: ink over a mole makes it hard to spot changes that could signal skin cancer. Ask the artist to leave at least half a centimetre to a centimetre around moles — a good design can work around them. If you have many moles or a family history of melanoma, have a skin check before tattooing.[4]
Scars and stretch marks can be tattooed once they are fully mature — pale, flat and no longer pink — which often takes a year or more; ink behaves less predictably in scar tissue, so choose an artist with scar experience. Visible veins are not a barrier, but tell the artist.
“Tattooing should be avoided when the skin is tanned, as when the tan fades, the tattoo will appear darker than the surrounding skin.”
In plain terms: never tattoo over sunburn, and avoid getting tattooed on freshly tanned skin — reschedule instead.
Avoid a new tattoo in the weeks before planned surgery near the area, and wait until surgical wounds have fully healed and your surgeon agrees before tattooing over or near a scar.
In most US states you can donate straight away if your tattoo was done by a state-regulated studio with sterile needles and ink that is not reused; otherwise the wait is three months.[6] Rules differ between countries.
Having tattoos does not stop you having an MRI. Tell the radiographer about them. Jørgen Serup, who founded the Copenhagen Tattoo Clinic, writes:
“MRI adverse events of decorative tattoos on trunk and extremities have been sporadically reported, but events are exceptional relative to the popularity of these adornments.”
In plain terms: an MRI-related sensation in a normal decorative tattoo is rare; it is reported more with cosmetic tattoos (eyebrows, eyeliner). A prospective study at University College London found tattoo-related reactions in fewer than 1% of scans within its criteria.[8]
Mayo Clinic recommends being vaccinated against hepatitis B before getting a tattoo, as an extra layer of protection alongside a clean studio.[9]
Expect to show photo ID proving you are 18 or older. In the US, at least 45 states restrict tattooing minors: some allow 16–17-year-olds with a parent’s consent (sometimes in person), others don’t allow it at any age.[10] Many studios only tattoo adults either way.
If in doubt: tell your artist about any condition or medication — it stays between you — and ask your own doctor before booking. A good artist will happily reschedule.
Fact-checked against the sources above · last reviewed September 30, 2026. Quotations are taken word for word from the dermatologists’ published work; they have not reviewed this page. Who we quote and why →
General information, not medical advice. Your artist’s instructions come first for aftercare; signs of infection or an allergic reaction — or any health condition or medication you are unsure about — are a reason to talk to a doctor.