Can you get an MRI if you have tattoos?

Yes. Tattoos are not a contraindication to MRI. The FDA reports that some people feel swelling or burning in a tattoo during the scan, but this is rare and does not last long. In a 2019 New England Journal of Medicine study of 330 tattooed participants scanned at 3 Tesla, only one had a mild skin reaction, and it resolved within 24 hours without treatment. Tell the technologist about your tattoos before the scan.

Why do tattoos sometimes burn during an MRI?

The radiofrequency pulses used in MRI can induce small electric currents in conductive or magnetic pigments, especially iron oxide blacks and browns. That current can raise the skin temperature at the tattoo. Burns have also been reported with tattoos that contain no iron, and a 2023 study of permanent makeup inks found magnetite, goethite, and hematite particles that may stimulate nearby nerves and cause pain without a visible burn.

Which tattoos are most likely to cause a problem in an MRI?

The 2024 ACR Manual on MR Safety names extensive tattoos, dark tattoos, loop-shaped tattoos, and tattooed eyeliner as features that may increase radiofrequency heating. Case reports add black pigment, any iron oxide pigment, and designs with loops, large circles, or many adjacent points. Risk is higher when the tattoo sits inside the area where the scanner transmits radiofrequency energy.

Is permanent makeup or tattooed eyeliner safe in an MRI?

Usually. A 2002 survey of 1,032 people with permanent cosmetics found that 135 had an MRI afterward and only 2 (1.5 percent) reported a problem, one slight tingling and one burning, both brief. The FDA notes that eyeliner pigment can distort the image when the scan targets the eyes themselves. Tell the technologist and the radiologist so they can plan for it.

What should you do if a tattoo feels warm during the scan?

Use the call button or squeeze ball right away. The ACR manual instructs facilities to tell patients to report any discomfort immediately and to consider cold compresses or sealed ice packs for at-risk tattoos. The technologist can pause the sequence, check your skin, and continue with a compress or discuss other imaging options with the radiologist.

Can You Have an MRI If You Have Tattoos?

The short answer: yes. Tattoos are not a reason to skip an MRI. The FDA says some people feel swelling or burning in a tattoo during the scan, but this is rare and does not last long. In the largest prospective study to date, 330 tattooed people had 3 Tesla scans and only one had a mild skin reaction. Tell the technologist about your tattoos before the scan, and report any warmth or tingling the moment you feel it.

The rest of this article covers how often reactions happen, why they happen, which tattoos carry more risk, and what to do about permanent makeup and fresh ink.

How common are tattoo reactions during an MRI?

Rare. The FDA's consumer update on tattoo safety states that some people may have swelling or burning in the tattoo during MRI, that this happens rarely, and that it does not last long (FDA, Think Before You Ink). Its separate fact sheet adds that the reports it has received describe no lasting effects (FDA, Tattoos and Permanent Makeup Fact Sheet).

The best numbers come from a 2019 letter in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers at University College London and the Max Planck Institute examined 330 participants with 932 tattoos before and after 3 Tesla brain scans. One participant had a mild skin sensation related to the scan. It resolved within 24 hours without treatment (Callaghan et al., NEJM 2019; UCL summary).

Two limits matter. The study excluded any single tattoo longer than 20 cm and anyone with tattoos covering more than 5 percent of body surface. The authors also cautioned that the results apply to the scanner and coil setup they tested. Large or extensive tattoos were not studied, so the risk for a full sleeve or back piece is less well defined.

Burns do occur. Published case reports describe first-degree burns and skin reactions at tattoo sites during MRI, including one in a professional football player during a pelvic scan (Ross and Matava, Sports Health 2011; Wagle and Smith, AJR 2000). The authors of the football case note that no permanent injury has been reported in the literature.

Why can a tattoo heat up in an MRI?

An MRI uses a strong static magnet and pulses of radiofrequency (RF) energy. The RF pulses deposit a small amount of heat in all tissue. Some tattoo pigments, especially iron oxide blacks and browns, conduct electricity or respond to magnetic fields. The football player case report explains the accepted mechanism: ferromagnetic compounds in the pigment can carry an induced electric current, and that current raises local skin temperature enough to cause a burn (Ross and Matava, 2011).

Iron is not the whole story. A 2006 report in the American Journal of Roentgenology described first-degree burns from tattoos that contained no iron (Franiel et al., AJR 2006). A 2023 Danish study of permanent makeup inks found that the magnetic fraction of iron oxide inks contained magnetite, goethite, and hematite. The authors proposed that these particles stimulate nearby nerve fibers, which would explain sudden pain without a visible burn (Serup et al., Skin Research and Technology 2023).

Which tattoos carry more risk?

The American College of Radiology's 2024 Manual on MR Safety names the features that raise the potential for RF heating: extensive tattoos, dark tattoos, loop-shaped tattoos, and tattooed eyeliner (ACR Manual on MR Safety, 2024). The 2011 case report gives a similar list: black pigment, any pigment with iron oxide, and designs with loops, large circles, or many adjacent points.

Location also matters. The ACR guidance applies to tattoos that sit inside the volume where the scanner transmits RF energy. A tattoo on your calf during a brain MRI receives far less RF energy than a tattoo on your shoulder during a shoulder MRI. The technologist knows which coil is in use and can judge this for you.

Two tattoos that touch or sit very close together are a special case. The ACR manual notes that dermal implants in close contact can raise the risk of thermal injury. The 2011 report suggests a towel or cloth between two tattooed skin surfaces that would otherwise touch.

What about permanent makeup and tattooed eyeliner?

Permanent eyeliner, eyebrows, and lip color are tattoos, and they use iron oxide pigments more often than body art does. The ACR lists tattooed eyeliner among the higher-heating features. The FDA fact sheet adds a second issue: pigment near the eyes can distort the image when the scan targets the eyes themselves. The distortion shows up as a blur, a dark spot, or a warped shape called an artifact (FDA).

The evidence still favors going ahead with the scan. A 2002 survey published in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging collected 1,032 responses from people with permanent cosmetics. Of the 135 who had an MRI after their procedure, 2 (1.5 percent) reported a problem: one slight tingling, one burning. Both were brief. The authors concluded that permanent cosmetics should not prevent a person from having an MRI (Tope and Shellock, JMRI 2002). The FDA states the same position: the risk of skipping a needed MRI is likely much greater than the risk from a tattoo reaction.

Regular makeup can matter too. RadiologyInfo.org, the patient site of the Radiological Society of North America and the ACR, lists eye shadow, eyeliner, and nail polish among cosmetics that may contain metal and should be removed before a scan (RadiologyInfo.org, MRI Safety). Our preparation guide covers what else to leave at home.

Can a tattoo affect the images?

Sometimes, and mainly in one situation. Metallic pigment creates a small signal void where the scanner cannot read the tissue. For a body tattoo this rarely matters, because the skin is not the target. For tattooed eyelids during an MRI of the orbits, the pigment sits right on top of the structure the radiologist needs to see. The FDA and the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology both single out this case (EADV patient leaflet, 2025). Telling the team about eyeliner lets the radiologist account for it when reading the scan.

What if your tattoo is new?

The ACR manual says patients whose tattoo was placed within 48 hours of the exam should be told that the edges may smear or smudge. This is not a heating issue. It is a healing issue: fresh pigment has not settled in the dermis, and pressure or warmth in the scanner can blur the lines. If your scan is not urgent and you have the choice, book the tattoo after the MRI rather than the day before.

What should you do before and during the scan?

List every tattoo on the screening form. Include small, old, faded, and cosmetic tattoos. The EADV leaflet asks patients to name all of them, not only the large ones.
Mention iron oxide or cosmetic pigment if you know your ink contained it. Permanent makeup artists can often tell you.
Ask about a cold compress. The ACR manual says cold compresses or sealed ice packs should be considered for at-risk tattoos in the RF field. This is routine at many centers.
Report warmth or tingling immediately. The ACR instructs facilities to tell patients to do this. You will have a squeeze ball or call button. Use it. A pause costs a few minutes; a burn costs more.
Do not remove a tattoo to get a scan. The EADV states that tattoo removal for imaging should only be considered in exceptional cases and always with a clinician.

If a sensation becomes intense, the technologist can stop the sequence, check your skin, and either continue with a compress or talk to the radiologist about another imaging option. Read our MRI safety guide for the full screening list, and what to expect at your first MRI for the order of events on the day.

The bottom line

You can have an MRI with tattoos. Reactions are rare, short, and have not caused permanent injury in the published record. The risk rises with large, dark, or loop-shaped designs, with tattooed eyeliner, and with tattoos that sit inside the coil's RF field. The steps that reduce it are simple: disclose every tattoo, ask about a cold compress, and speak up at the first hint of warmth. The safety page lists the implants and devices that do require a conversation before scanning; tattoos are not on that list.

Last updated: August 2026. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Follow the specific screening and preparation instructions given by the facility performing your scan.