Cosmetic Tattoo Research Articles

Microblading Technique for Tattooing of "Hairstrokes" That Simulate Natural Hair: Eyebrow Tattooing and Correction of Medical Conditions.

Microblading is a rapidly expanding technique in cosmetic and medical tattooing, used for eyebrow correction and conditions of hair loss. Tattooing is performed by hand using a special blade; tiny cuts in the outer skin are filled with dark pigment to simulate a natural hair. Indications, the technique, and the microblading procedure step-by-step are considered in what follows. Details on client selection and a range of pitfalls are discussed. The leading application of microblading is cosmetic tattooing of the eyebrows adding pigmented "hairstrokes" to the natural brow area. Tattooed "hairstrokes" fade in color over months and a repeated "touch up" procedure may be required. Pretreatment with laser removal of tattoos of the past may be indicated when a client requests a "touch up" with another brow in another style, shape, or extension. Microblading carries the risk of scarring. The combination with conventional machine-driven needle tattooing for background shading the skin of the brow is also discussed. Microblading is also used as a corrective intervention in a range of dermatological and medical conditions. Having grown exponentially for cosmetic purpose in the first phase of microblading parallel to acquired refinement, the method is now mature and ready to make further progress on medical indication in the coming second phase. The medical community should welcome this opportunity for supplementary correction with restoration of the normal brow anatomy added to other achievements in dermatological and medical therapy.

Koebner Phenomenon: a Clinical Clue of Systemic Sarcoidosis

We have a 57 year old female with past medical history significant only for hypothyroidism and generalized lymphadenopathy who presents with acute behavioral changes. She was minimally responsive on exam, nonverbal, and only weakly able to follow basic commands such as squeezing her hands. Her physical exam was notable for scarring of bilateral eyebrows (figures 1 and 2), which occurred three years ago when she had cosmetic tattooing of her eyebrows. She was accompanied by her husband who states that she does not take any medications at home other than levothyroxine. Clinical testing including neuroimaging with CT and MRI, EEG, CBC/CMP, TSH, HIV, RPR, urine drug screen, and CSF analysis were all normal. On a previous admission, patient had a full-body CT performed which showed extensive lymphadenopathy throughout the neck, bilateral hila, mesentery, and retroperitoneum. Bronchoscopy was performed at that time which did not yield any pathology. In addition, there are innumerable hypodense lesions invading the liver and spleen parenchyma, which was not worked up at this point. A biopsy of multiple liver lesions performed this admission showed noncaseating granulomas with no evidence of malignancy (figure 3). A diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis was made based on compatible clinical presentation, pathologic evidence of noncaseating granulomas, and exclusion of infection or malignancy. The patient was started on high-dose systemic corticosteroids with rapid return to baseline neurologic function. Isomorphic responses to skin trauma, such as in cosmetic tattooing in our patient, is known as Koebner phenomenon and can present as early clues of systemic sarcoidosis in the appropriate clinical context.

A Study on the Curriculum Development of Cosmetic Tattooing Applying AHP Analysis

The main purpose of this study is to discover cosmetic tattoo curriculum components based on domestic and foreign case studies, and to develop curriculum systematization by identifying importance and priorities. Based on data collected from 34 industry and academic experts with an average of 10.8 years of experience in the beauty industry, AHP analysis was conducted as follows: First, four level 2 components of the curriculum were derived, followed by ① Basic Theory, ② Tattooing, ③ Safety and Health, and ④ Management aspects. Second, the composite relative weight results showed that ranking 1-5 was concentrated on the theoretical and practical components, while components related to the use of machines, devices, equipments, and needles were ranked 6-10th. Operations and management related components were the lowest. This study is meaningful in that it provided the foundation for the development of curriculum in preparation for the legalization of cosmetic tattoos, and suggests that a professional qualification systems andcurriculum should be considered important in terms of the reliability and industrial growth for the future.

Comparison of picosecond versus nanosecond Nd:YAG lasers for the removal of cosmetic tattoos in an animal model

Cosmetic tattoos are difficult to remove, and their response to picosecond laser treatment has seldom been investigated. We compared the efficacy and adverse effects of picosecond versus Q-switched lasers for the removal of cosmetic tattoos. White, flesh-colored, and brown inks were irradiated using 532/1064nm picosecond and Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers, and their absorption spectra before and after laser irradiation were analyzed. Nine rats were tattooed with all three inks. Each tattoo was divided into three sections and treated at 1064nm with a picosecond laser or Q-switched laser, or left untreated, in four sessions at 1-month intervals. Skin biopsies were taken from treated and untreated sites. In vitro study showed the 1064 nmpicosecond laser caused the least paradoxical color shift. In vivo study showed that all white tattoos achieved poor response scores, six flesh-colored tattoos achieved fair to good response scores, and seven brown tattoos achieved good to excellent response scores with the picosecond laser. The picosecond laser was superior to the Q-switched laser for removing flesh-colored tattoos (P < 0.05), but the effectiveness for white and brown tattoos was similar for both lasers. The degree of paradoxical darkening when removing the white and flesh-colored tattoos was significantly lower with the picosecond than that with the Q-switched laser (P < 0.01). Transmission electron microscopy showed that many tattoo ink particles had decreased in size after irradiations with both pulse durations. The 1064nm picosecond Nd:YAG laser causes mild paradoxical darkening and might be more appropriate for removal of flesh-colored and brown cosmetic tattoos.

Safety of Tattoos and Permanent Make up (PMU) Colorants

The art of tattooing is a popular decorative approach for body decoration and has a corrective value for the face. The tattooing procedure is characterized by placing exogenous pigments into the dermis with a number of needles. The process of creating traditional and cosmetic tattoos is the same. Colorants are deposited in the dermis by piercing the skin with needles of specific shape and thickness, which are moistened with the colorant. Colorants (pigments or dyes) most of the time include impurities which may cause adverse reactions. It is commonly known that tattoo inks remain in the skin for lifetime. It is also a fact that the chemicals that are used in permanent makeup (PMU) colorants may stay in the body for a long time so there is a significant long-term risk for harmful ingredients being placed in the body. Tattoo and PMU colorants contain various substances and their main ingredients and decomposition components may cause health risks and unwanted side effects to skin.

Treatment Update of Port-Wine Stain: A Narrative Review.

Port-wine stain (PWS) is a congenital vascular malformation affecting 0.3&ndash;0.5% of normal population. These characteristic lesions arise due to the interplay of vascular, neural, and genetic factors. Treatment options include lasers, cosmetic tattooing, electrotherapy, cryosurgery, derma-abrasion, and skin grafting; however, none of these treatment alternatives appears to be satisfactory and is unable to provide consistent, satisfactory responses or even complete cures. Currently, laser is the treatment of choice, as it is comparatively safe and more effective than other procedures. The most commonly used modality is pulsed dye laser (PDL). The literature research includes peer-reviewed articles (clinical trials or scientific reviews). Studies were identified by searching electronic databases (MEDLINE and PubMed) to January 2020 and reference lists of respective articles. Only articles published in English language were included. J Drugs Dermatol. 20(5): doi:10.36849/JDD.5005.

Copper vapor laser treatment of granuloma of the vermilion border of the lips arising as a complication after permanent make-up

Background. Granulomas of the vermilion border of the lips (GVBL); as a complication of lip tattooing; inevitably poses cosmetic problems. Surgical excision and cryodestruction are associated with an increased risk of scarring and recurrence of GVBL. Laser therapy can selectively destroy a pigment and achieve the desired cosmetic result with minimal risk of side effects. So laser treatment was reported to be a more relevant method of treatment of GVBL.&#x0D; Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of treatment of GVBL with copper vapor laser (CVL) radiation.&#x0D; Case report. 39-year-old female patient; without manifestations of systemic sarcoidosis; reported a 2-year history of granulomas of the lips vermilion border. She had a permanent makeup cosmetic tattoo before the onset of granulomas after lip tattooing. Histopathological examination revealed the presence of pigment in the upper and middle layers of the dermis. GVBL treatment was performed using a CVL during a single procedure; with an average CVL power of 0.60.8 W; with a ratio of 3:2 at wavelengths of 511 nm and 578 nm; exposure time 0.3 s. Light spot diameter 1 mm. CVL treatment led to a pronounced elimination of all GVBL without side effects within five years.&#x0D; Discussion. CVL allows a combined mode of exposure; consisting of grinding large granules of pigment to sizes that can be absorbed by the lymphatic system and suppressing VEGF expression using radiation with a wavelength of 578 nm.&#x0D; Conclusions. The CVL treatment provided an excellent cosmetic result due to selective photodestruction of the pigment and complete remodeling of the vascular bed associated with GVBL. The high clinical efficiency of eliminating post-tattooing foci of GVBL using CVL without side effects allows us to suggest this method for dermatologists and cosmetologists as a highly effective and inexpensive way to eliminate complications of permanent makeup.

Laser Cosmetic Tattoo Removal Successful After One Session of R20M™ Method. A Case Study Report

It has been estimated that up to a quarter of young to middle-aged adults have at least one tattoo. As more tattoos are being acquired, increasing numbers of people are also seeking their removal. The number of tattoo removal procedures is still growing. The motivation for tattoo removal includes new jobs or careers, the need to portray a certain image at work or in new social circles, and new, negative feelings towards old tattoos or sometimes tattoo went very bad. Unfortunately, laser tattoo removal is generally more costly, more painful, and takes more time and more patience to have it done. Tattoos are created by the introduction of exogenous pigment into the dermal skin layer and be divided into professional, amateur, cosmetic, traumatic, or medical tattoos. Professional tattoos are applied with a tattoo machine into the deeper layer of the dermis and are permanent in nature. Cosmetic tattoos are often referred to as permanent makeup, are becoming to be more popular...

Cutaneous Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Infection after Cosmetic Tattooing: A Case Report

Nontuberculous (atypical) mycobacteria rarely cause skin and soft tissue infections. Tattooing with contaminated gray ink has been implicated in previously reported outbreaks. We report the case of a 39-year-old Hispanic male who presented with a refractory, pruritic, papular eruption within the distribution of his tattoo with punch biopsy demonstrating papillary dermal granulomatous and suppurative inflammation surrounding small collections of acid-fast bacilli with associated superficial and deep dermal perivascular lymphatic inflammation, consistent with nontuberculous mycobacterial infection. Although uncommon, clinicians should consider nontuberculous mycobacterial infection in the differential diagnosis of refractory tattoo-associated skin eruptions.

Cosmetic Tattooing and Early Onset Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Population-based Case-Control Study from New Hampshire.

Cosmetic tattoos use dyes with carcinogenic potential. Skin cancers arising in tattoos have been reported. We investigated whether risk of early onset basal cell carcinoma was related to the site and colors of cosmetic tattoos as part of a population-based case-control study of cases (ages 25-50 years), identified from a state-wide surveillance system, and age- and gender-matched controls, selected from driver's license records, randomly assigned an anatomic site of the cases. One hundred fifty-six cases (17%) with early onset basal cell carcinoma and 213 controls (26%) reported cosmetic tattoos. Among those with tattoos, the adjusted odds ratio of basal cell carcinoma at the tattoo site compared to another site was 1.8 (95% confidence interval = 1.0, 3.2). We observed the strongest associations for yellow and green tattoo colors. Our preliminary findings support the possibility of an enhanced risk of early onset basal cell carcinomas at the site of cosmetic tattoos.

Tattoo complications and magnetic resonance imaging: a comprehensive review of the literature.

Tattooed patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can develop cutaneous complications during the procedure. Our aim was to review all published case reports on MRI-induced tattoo complications to identify a possible pattern. So far, 17 cases have been reported. Five (29%) of the cases were in cosmetic tattoos. Symptoms are abrupt and painful with fast onset during MRI, sometimes requiring termination of the procedure. Clinical signs are absent or manifested as inflammation sensed as burning. No thermal skin burns have been recognized. Full recovery is fast, with no sequelae. MRI-induced tattoo complications are uncommon. Patients with cosmetic and traditional tattoos can undergo routine MRI.

A CASE OF TATTOO SARCOIDOSIS

A CASE OF TATTOO SARCOIDOSIS

Q-switched Nd:YAG laser for cosmetic tattoo removal.

Laser is a widely accepted tool for tattoo removal, with standardized treatment protocols. Nevertheless, cosmetic tattoo removal may be challenging, because tattoos are performed in proximity of "sensitive" areas and because the ink used in cosmetic tattoos may contain substances that are not standardized and may modify their color at a high temperature. In this case series, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of Q-switched (QS) Nd:YAG laser for cosmetic tattoo removal. Our study included 20 patients with cosmetic tattoos of lips, eyebrows, and eyeliners treated with QS Nd:YAG laser. Before treatment, an accurate preoperative assessment was performed, taking into account both patient and tattoo characteristics. Complete tattoo removal was obtained in all the cases and no major complications occurred. Adverse events were mild, mostly represented by erythema. All patients reported a high level of satisfaction. Selective photothermolysis enables complete tattoo removal, even in the case of cosmetic tattoos. However, cosmetic tattoos require a personalized treatment based on an accurate preoperative assessment which takes into account both patient and tattoo characteristics. QS Nd:YAG laser may be considered a good choice in the treatment of cosmetic tattoos, because it enables complete removal with acceptable secondary effects.

Basal cell carcinoma arising at tattoo site of radiotherapy field marking in a patient with multiple malignancies

Basal cell cancer is one of the commonest human malignancies It has also been reported as a part of various genetic syndromes There are scarce reports of basal cell carcinoma arising at tattoo sites with roughly ten cases reported in literature on cosmetic tattoos postulated to be due to the trauma of procedure and carcinogenic effect of dyes in tattoo ink Therapeutic ionizing radiation causing DNA damage is an independent risk factor Herein we report a patient with history of Non Hodgkins lymphoma adenocarcinoma stomach colon and prostate treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy which developed Basal cell carcinoma at the site of therapeutic tattoo used for radiotherapy skin marking

Analysis of Heavy Metals in Pigments Used in Makeup Tattoo

Background/Objectives: This study aims to provide basic material to establish safety sign standard and control standard of cosmetic tattoo pigment by analyzing heavy metal component of pigment used in cosmetic tattoo.Methods/Statistical analysis: The experiment analyzed heavy metal such as antimony(Sb), cobalt(Co), copper(Cu), lead(Pb), zinc(Zn), barium(Ba), tin(Sn) included in regulated item by applying safety standard of prohibition of use or content restriction of hazardous material since September 26, 2015 in accordance with “Act on Registration, Evaluation, Etc. of Chemical” simplemented by the Environment department on June 26, 2015.Findings: As a result of examining the contents of heavy metals in dyes and pigments used in cosmetic tattoo products, it was found that the total of 5products exceeded the reference value and found to be unsuitable for safety standards.Improvements/Applications: it requires marking of detailed compound ingredient and guidelines. There is a need for micro content analysis using precise measuring tool in the future.

The tattooed population in Italy: a national survey on demography, characteristics and perception of health risks.

In recent years, Italy has seen a constant upward trend in the practice of tattooing. The Italian National Health Institute has conducted a national survey to determine the prevalence of tattooed people in Italy and to study related features of the phenomenon. Establish the prevalence and characteristics of the tattooed population and evaluate awareness of the risks associated with tattoos, which can contribute to consumer health protection. Computer-assisted telephone interviews and computer-assisted web interviews were completed by a sample of the general population; 7608 people aged between 12 and 75+. The prevalence of tattooed people was 12.8% of the general population in Italy (95% CI: 12.05%-13.55%), equivalent to an estimated 6 900 000 tattooed individuals. Tattoos were more prevalent among women, at 13.8%, while tattooed men accounted for 11.8%. The vast majority of tattooed subjects had decorative tattoos of small dimensions, with a higher prevalence of monochromatic tattoos. Only a minority of tattooed participants reported having cosmetic tattoos (3.0%) or medical tattoos (0.5%). According to the data, 3.3% of tattooed subjects claimed complications or reactions; of these, only 21.3% consulted a dermatologist/general practitioner; more than half (51.3%) did not consult anyone. In general, only 58.2% of the sample were aware of health risks. The Italian survey showed that 36.7% of all tattoos had been performed in the last five years prior to the interview. The estimated prevalence of tattoos in Italy is in agreement with the statistics of the European Union. The prevalence in the age group 35-44 years is almost double that of the Italian population and it is higher in women than in men. Tattooing is relevant to public health. The high number of tattooed Italians, the potential long-term effects on health and the reported complications call for the awareness of health authorities. Appropriate intervention should ensure safer tattooing by reinforcing the training of tattooists, by improving surveillance and by providing information to raise public awareness of the risks and contraindications of tattooing.

Removal of cosmetic oral mucosal tattoos with Nd:YAG laser—histological and clinical observations

Background: The cosmetic oral mucosa tattoos occur infrequently but the social stigma that may be associated generally with tattoos is motivating factor for its removal. The development of infrared lasers has revolutionized the ability to remove cosmetic oral tattoo effectively. The wave-length of choice is 1,064 nm but there is no relevant histological data regarding effects of Nd:YAG laser on oral tissues after tattoo removal. The aim of this study is to provide histological evidences and to clarify the healing processes in oral mucosa after tattoo removal with 1,064 nm wavelength laser. Methods: Five patients with professional black tattoo of inner lip were included in this study. The clinical procedures were performed using 1,064 nm wavelength. Two equal specimens were taken from the treated and non-treated sites for further histological evaluation. Results: The specimens after the treatment revealed fragmentation of black ink particles up to 1.5 mm below the surface. Mild fibrosis was observed in the superficial submucosal area where collagen fibers replaced the pigment-containing cells altered by the laser. Clinically, the treatment results showed excellent recovery of the oral mucosa. One year later, the laser treated areas were healthy and without esthetical and functional disturbances. Conclusions: Both histological and clinical results advocated Nd:YAG laser treatment as safe and very effective means of removing cosmetic tattoos on the oral mucosa.

MR scanning, tattoo inks, and risk of thermal burn: An experimental study of iron oxide and organic pigments: Effect on temperature and magnetic behavior referenced to chemical analysis.

Tattooed persons examined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can develop burning sensation suggested in the literature to be thermal burn from the procedure. MRI-induced thermal effect and magnetic behavior of known tattoo pigments were examined ex vivo. Magnetic resonance imaging effects on 3 commonly used commercial ink stock products marketed for cosmetic tattooing was studied. A main study tested 22 formulations based on 11 pigment raw materials, for example, one line of 11 called pastes and another called dispersions. Samples were spread in petri dishes and tested with a 0.97 T neodymium solid magnet to observe visual magnetic behavior. Before MRI, the surface temperature of the ink was measured using an infrared probe. Samples were placed in a clinical 3T scanner. Two scans were performed, that is, one in the isocenter and one 30cm away from the center. After scanning, the surface temperature was measured again. Chemical analysis of samples was performed by mass spectroscopy. Mean temperature increase measured in the isocenter ranged between 0.14 and 0.26°C (P<.01) and in the off-center position from -0.16 to 0.21°C (P<.01). Such low increase of temperature is clinically irrelevant. Chemical analysis showed high concentrations of iron, but also nickel and chrome were found as contaminants. High concentration of iron was not associated with any increase of temperature or any physical draw or move of ink. The study could not confirm any clinically relevant temperature increase of tattoo pigments after MRI.

A case of scar sarcoid on cosmetic tattoos successfully treated with intralesional corticosteroid injections

A case of scar sarcoid on cosmetic tattoos successfully treated with intralesional corticosteroid injections

A case of sarcoidosis arising from an old cosmetic tattoo

A case of sarcoidosis arising from an old cosmetic tattoo