The Australian Medical Association (AMA) said the increasing popularity of tattoos, particularly among young people, is becoming an emerging medical concern.

“Summer is a popular time of year for people to get tattoos ... however, few people are aware that tattoos may hinder the diagnosis of a range of skin conditions, including skin cancer, by masking the tell-tale signs,” AMA president Dr Andrew Pesce said.

“Young people especially should seriously study the health effects of tattoos and body piercing, and not be influenced solely by fashion or peer pressure.”

Nickolas Dennis is just one of many Orange residents with tattoos, and said he can understand how they could increase the risk of skin cancer.

He has had tattoos since the late 1980s, but has only just noticed a suspicious looking mole in the ink on his upper right arm.

“I didn’t take notice of it until six months ago,” he said.

“I hadn’t noticed it because of my tattoo.”

“Because it’s coloured in I didn’t really look.”

Mr Dennis said the effects of the sun’s strong UV rays could be seen in his tattoos that have faded to the point of being unreadable due to sunburn and sun damage.

“When I got the tattoos there was not a great deal of information about skin cancer in the media,” he said.

How to check for skin cancer (Cancer Council)

Often melanoma has no symptoms, however it can be associated with changes that relate to ‘ABCDE’ - Asymmetry, irregular Border, uneven Colour, Diameter (usually over 6mm), Evolving (changing and growing). If symptoms can not clearly be seen due to tattoos it is advised to regularly see a doctor for skin checks.