SALT LAKE CITY — A tattoo a day keeps the doctor away, or at least skin cancer, and researchers aren’t sure why.

You don’t need to be covered in tattoos, but if you have more than one, researchers at the University of Utah say there’s a lower chance of getting skin cancer.

The team gathered 7,000 Utahns for its study and found having two or more tattoos decreased the risk of two types of melanoma: Invasive melanoma and in situ, which means the cancer stays on the surface of the skin and can be removed quickly.

However, someone with only one tattoo actually has a greater risk of cancer. Lead scientist Jennifer Doherty at the Huntsman Cancer Institute says researchers aren’t sure why this is, but would like to study it further.

Doherty was surprised by the results, assuming more tattoos

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