A systematic review found a hepatitis C antibody prevalence of 3.6% among tattooed individuals. Tattooing is associated with 1.8 times higher odds of hepatitis C infection.
Key Takeaways
- WHO reports that hepatitis B is a leading cause of liver cancer worldwide
- WHO reports that chronic hepatitis C is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality, including liver cancer
- In the US, 71% of people with hepatitis B are unaware that they are infected (estimate reported by CDC)
- A systematic review reported that the prevalence of hepatitis C antibody among tattooed individuals was 3.6% in pooled analysis
- In a meta-analysis, tattooing was associated with higher odds of hepatitis C infection (odds ratio reported in the review as 1.8x)
- In the US, the bloodborne pathogens standard requires employers to ensure that employees use personal protective equipment and follow exposure control plans where occupational exposure may occur
- The WHO Global Health Sector Strategy aims for 90% reduction in new hepatitis infections and 65% reduction in hepatitis-related deaths by 2030 (as a prevention benchmark)
- In the EU, a 2010 European Parliament and Council regulation requires medical device traceability for certain devices, supporting infection prevention controls
- In US OSHA standards, employers must provide post-exposure evaluation and follow-up at no cost when an exposure incident occurs
- The US is estimated to have more than 1.2 million people employed in the broader personal care sector, which includes tattoo artists (as part of the NAICS personal care employment count)
- The CDC recommends HBV vaccination for health care personnel at risk for exposure to blood; by analogy, tattoo workers at risk from occupational exposure should be vaccinated
- In a US case-control study, people with a history of tattooing had higher prevalence of hepatitis C markers than those without tattooing (difference quantified in the study’s reported odds ratio)
- Among tattoo owners in the US, 67% reported that their tattoo is not removable (as measured in the same Pew survey)
- The tattoo removal market was estimated at $1.1 billion in 2020 and projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2021 to 2028 (industry report estimate)
Hepatitis B and C risks linked to tattooing highlight stronger infection control and vaccination to prevent infection.
Related reading
01 · Category
Diagnosis & Outcomes4 stats
01
WHO reports that hepatitis B is a leading cause of liver cancer worldwide
02
WHO reports that chronic hepatitis C is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality, including liver cancer
03
In the US, 71% of people with hepatitis B are unaware that they are infected (estimate reported by CDC)
04
In a population-based study, the attributable risk of hepatitis C to non-injecting exposure routes including tattooing was estimated at 10% in the reviewed cohort (attributable fraction reported in the study)
Interpretation
Diagnosis & Outcomes Interpretation
From a Diagnosis and Outcomes perspective, the fact that 71% of people in the US with hepatitis B are unaware of their infection and that hepatitis C accounts for about 10% of non-injecting exposures like tattooing underscores how missed diagnoses can feed into major liver cancer and mortality burdens highlighted by WHO.
02 · Category
Transmission & Risk2 stats
01
A systematic review reported that the prevalence of hepatitis C antibody among tattooed individuals was 3.6% in pooled analysis
02
In a meta-analysis, tattooing was associated with higher odds of hepatitis C infection (odds ratio reported in the review as 1.8x)
Interpretation
Transmission & Risk Interpretation
From a transmission and risk perspective, tattooed individuals show a 3.6% pooled prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies and have about 1.8 times higher odds of hepatitis C infection, suggesting tattoos may increase exposure risk.
03 · Category
Prevention & Safety5 stats
01
In the US, the bloodborne pathogens standard requires employers to ensure that employees use personal protective equipment and follow exposure control plans where occupational exposure may occur
02
The WHO Global Health Sector Strategy aims for 90% reduction in new hepatitis infections and 65% reduction in hepatitis-related deaths by 2030 (as a prevention benchmark)
03
In the EU, a 2010 European Parliament and Council regulation requires medical device traceability for certain devices, supporting infection prevention controls
04
A 2019 study in Epidemiology and Infection found that tattoo-related infections were more likely when non-professional settings were used (reported as a statistically significant association in the paper)
05
A 2021 review in the Journal of Infection Prevention reported that adherence to infection control practices (e.g., sterilization, glove use, and instrument handling) reduces risk of bloodborne pathogens in tattoo settings
Interpretation
Prevention & Safety Interpretation
Prevention and safety efforts are most strongly supported by clear targets and evidence, including the WHO’s goal to cut new hepatitis infections by 90% and hepatitis deaths by 65% by 2030 and findings that tattoo-related infections are more common in non professional settings and when infection control practices like sterilization and glove use are not followed.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry Practices6 stats
01
In US OSHA standards, employers must provide post-exposure evaluation and follow-up at no cost when an exposure incident occurs
02
The US is estimated to have more than 1.2 million people employed in the broader personal care sector, which includes tattoo artists (as part of the NAICS personal care employment count)
03
The CDC recommends HBV vaccination for health care personnel at risk for exposure to blood; by analogy, tattoo workers at risk from occupational exposure should be vaccinated
04
The same UK survey reported that 62% of respondents reported using single-use, disposable needles where applicable
05
In a 2018 Canadian study, 43% of tattoo shop owners reported that staff training on infection control was conducted at least annually
06
In a 2017 US study of body art facilities, 39% reported not having written infection control policies available during inspections (as reported in the paper)
Interpretation
Industry Practices Interpretation
Industry practices around tattoo-related hepatitis prevention are inconsistent, with studies showing that 39% of US body art facilities lacked written infection control policies during inspections and only 43% of Canadian tattoo shop owners reported annual training, even as single use needle use reached 62% in a UK survey.
05 · Category
Market Demand & Behavior5 stats
01
In a US case-control study, people with a history of tattooing had higher prevalence of hepatitis C markers than those without tattooing (difference quantified in the study’s reported odds ratio)
02
Among tattoo owners in the US, 67% reported that their tattoo is not removable (as measured in the same Pew survey)
03
The tattoo removal market was estimated at $1.1 billion in 2020 and projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2021 to 2028 (industry report estimate)
04
A 2018 review in Dermatologic Surgery reported that tattoo inks and pigments can include contaminants, emphasizing the need for safe procedures though not specifically hepatitis transmission
05
In a survey of US adults, 14% reported being concerned about health risks from tattoos (reported in the survey analysis)
Interpretation
Market Demand & Behavior Interpretation
From a market demand and behavior angle, US tattoo owners show clear reluctance to remove ink with 67% saying their tattoo is not removable, while health concerns also linger as 14% of US adults report being worried about tattoo health risks, alongside evidence that tattooing is associated with higher hepatitis C markers in a US case-control study.
report visual · Breakdown
What tattoo-related hepatitis risk signals look like
Studies show a mix of prevalence and transmission associations, alongside substantial rates of undiagnosed hepatitis B.
10%
In a population-based study, the attributable risk of hepatitis C to non-injecting exposure routes including tattooing w
90%
The WHO Global Health Sector Strategy aims for 90% reduction in new hepatitis infections and 65% reduction in hepatitis-
source-verifiedpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · who.int2030
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Hepatitis And Tattoos Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hepatitis-and-tattoos-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Hepatitis And Tattoos Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hepatitis-and-tattoos-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Hepatitis And Tattoos Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hepatitis-and-tattoos-statistics.
Sources & references
22 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+13 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)