Tattoos, Makeup and Jewellery: What to Sort Before an MRI

Almost certainly you can be scanned with tattoos. They are imaged in the UK every day and serious reactions are rare. A small number of inks contain iron oxide and can warm slightly, so the radiographer wants to know where your tattoos are. Makeup, jewellery and piercings are simpler: leave them off or at home.

This is general information rather than medical advice. If something about your health is worrying you, speak to your GP or call 111.

Why tattoos are on the form at all

An MRI scanner uses radiofrequency energy, and some pigments contain iron oxide compounds that can absorb it. In theory a large, densely inked tattoo could act a little like a loop of conductive material and warm up.

In practice this is uncommon. A 2019 research letter in the New England Journal of Medicine reported on 330 people with a total of 932 tattoos who were scanned; a single participant had a transient tingling sensation that settled within 24 hours without treatment, and the authors put the probability of an adverse reaction in the region of 0.2 to 0.3 per cent. Later laboratory work, including studies in Skin Research and Technology, has identified magnetite, goethite and hematite in some inks, particularly those used for permanent makeup.

So the honest summary is: low risk, not zero risk, and worth mentioning rather than worth cancelling over.

What actually to do about it

Tell the radiographer where your tattoos are before you go in, especially if any are large, dark, densely packed or done in the last few weeks. Fresh tattoos are also an ordinary skin-healing question, so mention the date.

During the scan, say something immediately if any area feels hot, prickly or uncomfortable. You will have a call buzzer in your hand. Radiographers would far rather stop a sequence and restart it than have you lie there being stoic. A cold flannel over a large tattoo is a normal, undramatic precaution some centres use.

None of this is a ruling on your particular tattoo. As with implants, the radiographer decides on the day with the full picture, which is the same principle covered in our guide to MRI with metal implants and devices.

Permanent makeup, microblading and cosmetic tattoos

These deserve a separate line on the form, because the pigments used in permanent makeup are more likely to contain iron oxides than modern body-art inks, and because they sit on the eyelids, brows and lips, which is exactly where a head scan concentrates energy.

Declare eyeliner tattooing, microblading, lip blush, scalp micropigmentation and areola tattooing. You cannot remove any of it, and no one expects you to. The clinic just wants to know before, not after.

Makeup on the day

Ordinary foundation, lipstick and moisturiser are not usually a problem. The things to leave off are:

• Eye makeup of any kind, particularly mascara, shimmer eyeshadow and metallic liner
• Mineral makeup and highlighters, which can contain metal oxides such as titanium dioxide and iron oxides
• Dry shampoo and styling products with metallic or glitter particles
• Nail wraps and gel with metallic flake, if you are having a hand or wrist scan

Lash extensions are worth a phone call if you are having a head scan, because some adhesives contain traces of metal. Bring your makeup bag and put your face back on afterwards.

Jewellery, piercings and hair

Assume everything metal comes off. Rings, watches, necklaces, bracelets, hoops, studs, tongue and navel bars, hair grips, hair ties with metal crimps, glasses, hearing aids and dentures with metal clasps.

The practical advice is to leave it at home rather than bring it. Changing cubicles are small, jewellery gets lost, and a piercing you have not moved for three years is not going to come out easily under time pressure. If a piercing genuinely cannot be removed, ring the clinic beforehand so they can plan around it.

Wigs and hairpieces sometimes contain metal clips or wefting wire. Mention it.

What to wear

The scanner cannot tell the difference between a decorative stud and a structural one. Aim for:

• Soft joggers or leggings with no metal drawstring tips
• A t-shirt or top with no zip, no hooks, no metallic print and no underwiring
• Slip-on shoes
• No belt

Many clinics will hand you a gown anyway, which is simpler than auditing your wardrobe. If you would rather stay in your own clothes, ask when you book. Our guide to what to expect from an MRI scan covers the rest of the appointment, including how long you will be in there.

Patches, pumps and things stuck to you

Transdermal medication patches are easy to forget and matter more than most people expect. Some patches have a thin metallic backing layer, and the US Food and Drug Administration issued a public advisory about the risk of skin burns during MRI with these, recommending that patients tell the radiographer about any patch.

Do not just peel it off and say nothing, because some patches deliver medication you should not simply stop. Tell the clinic which patch you wear, and let them tell you what to do about it.

The same goes for glucose monitors, insulin pumps, nicotine patches, hormone patches, pain patches and anything adhesive you are wearing.

The small things that get appointments rescheduled

If you take nothing else from this page, take this short list. These are the everyday reasons a booked slot gets lost.

• Arriving in jeans with a metal zip and rivets, with no gown available
• A piercing that will not come out and no time to sort it
• Eye makeup before a brain scan
• A patch nobody mentioned until the patient was already on the table
• A recently fitted implant with no card and no paperwork

None of them are dramatic. All of them cost you a morning.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have an MRI if I have tattoos? Tattoos are scanned every day in the UK and problems are rare. A small number of inks contain iron oxide, which can warm or tingle. Tell the radiographer where your tattoos are, particularly large ones and any done in the last few weeks, and say straight away if anything feels hot.

Do I have to remove permanent makeup or microblading? You cannot remove it, and you are not expected to. Declare it on the form instead. Permanent makeup pigments are more likely than body-art inks to contain iron oxides, so the radiographer will want to know it is there, especially for a scan of the head.

Can I wear makeup for an MRI? Ordinary foundation and lipstick are not usually an issue. Eye makeup, shimmer products and metallic or mineral pigments are best left off, because some contain metal oxides. If you are having a head or neck scan, arrive with a clean face and bring your makeup to reapply afterwards.

What should I wear to an MRI? Soft clothes with no metal at all: no zips, studs, hooks, underwiring or metallic thread. Many clinics will give you a gown regardless. Leave watches, jewellery, hair clips and piercings at home rather than trying to remove them in a changing cubicle.

Do I need to take out piercings? Yes, assume all of them come out, including ones you normally leave in. If a piercing genuinely cannot be removed, ring the clinic before the appointment rather than turning up and hoping. It is a common reason appointments run late or get rescheduled.

When you are ready, you can compare MRI scans and availability across UK clinics, and ask about tattoos or patches when you book rather than on the day.