Dear Doctor
I have a medium sized congenita melanocytic nevus birthmark, about 7 cm diameter.
I would like to get a tattoo over it as a way of covering it up. Is this safe?
Dear Patient
It is not safe to have a tattoo over mole and especially a congenital melanocytic nevi since they are at an increased risk of developing a type of skin cancer known as malignant melanoma.
Hiding the mole would therefore result in the skin cancer not being detected at an early stage.
In addition, the tattoo pigments inside the masked nevi would cause a confusing picture histologically should the doctor do a biopsy and send it to the lab for examination.
Ask a Dermatologist your Question
