Micropigmentation Research Articles

Assessment of Toxic Metals and Hazardous Substances in Tattoo Inks Using Sy-XRF, AAS, and Raman Spectroscopy.

Synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, in conjunction with atomic absorption and Raman spectroscopy, was used to analyze a set of top brand tattoo inks to investigate the presence of toxic elements and hazardous substances. The Cr, Cu, and Pb contents were found to be above the maximum allowed levels established by the Council of Europe through the resolution ResAP(2008)1 on requirements and criteria for the safety of tattoos and permanent makeup. Raman analysis has revealed the presence of a set of prohibited substances mentioned in ResAP(2008)1, among which are the pigments Blue 15, Green 7, and Violet 23. Other pigments that were identified in white, black, red, and yellow inks are the Pigment White 6, Carbon Black, Pigment Red 8, and a diazo yellow, respectively. The present results show the importance of regulating tattoo ink composition.

Biological hazards associated with microblading and evaluation of its infection control procedures and wound care


 Background: Microblading is emerging as one of the fastest growing beauty trends, appearing in tattoo shops, hair salons, and even in private home studios. The procedure uses a tool with single blade to penetrate the upper layer of the dermis and deposit semi-permanent pigments to mimic hair-like strokes. This study compares the risks of microblading to those in tattooing and analyzes the similarities in order to determine the biological hazards associated with microblading. Currently, there is a lack of knowledge on microblading practices specifically, and the purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of infection control knowledge and practices in place, as well as the attitudes towards regulations in British Columbia. Method: Self-administered electronic surveys created on Google Forms were distributed to microblading establishments in B.C. through email. The survey assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of microbladers in B.C. through a series of questions regarding demographics, infection control, and wound care. A list of 130 microblading establishments were contacted and asked to participate in the online survey. Results: Among the 130 microblading establishments contacted, 41 agreed to participate. The majority of microbladers had a college certificate or diploma, 1-5 years of experience, and have taken a bloodborne pathogen course. Over 31% of the participants operated both in microblading as well as permanent makeup, 27% operated solely as microbladers, and 22% of the participants had both microblading and spa operations. The most prevalent form of training was a microblading course that lasted a week or longer, and 78% of the participants felt that there should be more training required for becoming a microblader. There was no association between the years of experience and level of pathogen knowledge according to the Chi square test (p=0.78), and no association between the attitude towards regulations regarding microblading and the number of infection control measures in place (p=0.38). However, there was a statistically significant association between taking a bloodborne pathogen course and knowing the correct bloodborne pathogens of concern. Conclusion: Microbladers in British Columbia are fairly new and thus only have 1-5 years of experience, and minimal training of week-long microblading courses. A majority of them feel that more training or certification should be required and that there should be more regulations regarding microblading. The results indicated that education and training provide the most knowledge rather than years of experience. This suggests that health authorities should focus on providing more access to education for microblading, such as offering a TattooSafe program for tattooing microblading, and permanent makeup, similar to FoodSafe, and developing more material to inform microblading fact sheets.

Granulomatous tattoo reactions in permanent makeup of the eyebrows.

Journal of Cosmetic DermatologyVolume 18, Issue 1 p. 212-214 EDITORIAL ECHO Granulomatous tattoo reactions in permanent makeup of the eyebrows Sanne Huisman MD, Corresponding Author Sanne Huisman MD [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0003-0514-3011 Academic Tattoo Clinic Amsterdam, Department of Dermatology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this authorSebastiaan A. S. van der Bent MD, Sebastiaan A. S. van der Bent MD Academic Tattoo Clinic Amsterdam, Department of Dermatology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this authorAlbert Wolkerstorfer MD, PhD, Albert Wolkerstorfer MD, PhD Academic Tattoo Clinic Amsterdam, Department of Dermatology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this authorThomas Rustemeyer MD, PhD, Thomas Rustemeyer MD, PhD Academic Tattoo Clinic Amsterdam, Department of Dermatology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this author Sanne Huisman MD, Corresponding Author Sanne Huisman MD [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0003-0514-3011 Academic Tattoo Clinic Amsterdam, Department of Dermatology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this authorSebastiaan A. S. van der Bent MD, Sebastiaan A. S. van der Bent MD Academic Tattoo Clinic Amsterdam, Department of Dermatology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this authorAlbert Wolkerstorfer MD, PhD, Albert Wolkerstorfer MD, PhD Academic Tattoo Clinic Amsterdam, Department of Dermatology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this authorThomas Rustemeyer MD, PhD, Thomas Rustemeyer MD, PhD Academic Tattoo Clinic Amsterdam, Department of Dermatology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this author First published: 10 April 2018 https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.12540Citations: 15Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume18, Issue1February 2019Pages 212-214 RelatedInformation

Survey on Educational Satisfaction of Beauty Vocational School

Accounting for 70% of the Gross National Product (GNP), the beauty industry grew to a KRW 7.5 trillion market in 2014. In fact, it has grown by 39% on average annually since 2005. It is forecast to reach more than KRW 10 trillion in 2017. Aesthetic practice, hairdressing, nail art and makeup are now under the national qualification system. In addition, they have been segmented into semi-permanent makeup, eyelash care, waxing and body shape care. At the same time, the market size and the number of the students entering these fields have also gradually increased. To supply manpower, regular and non-regular courses have been offered. The regular curriculum is given by technical high schools, high schools, junior colleges, and university and graduate schools while non-regular curriculum is offered at private institutes, vocational schools and other lifelong education facilities. In terms of the general aspects of the students from a vocational beauty school, this study discussed the following: Age, educational background, enrollment period, acquisition of national license, number of beauty-related private qualifications, beauty job preference. In addition, it targeted helping students choose their future job by investigating current educational conditions and satisfaction such as i) reasons to choose the beauty sector, ii) reasons to select beauty school, iii) purpose of learning in beauty, iv) satisfaction with the beauty sector and school, and v) jobs that students are most interested in having.

Microbiological survey of commercial tattoo and permanent makeup inks available in the United States.

Tattooing and use of permanent makeup (PMU) has dramatically increased over the last decade, with a concomitant increase in ink-related infections. The aim of this study was to determine whether micro-organisms are present, and if so, the number and their identification in the commercial tattoo and PMU inks available in the United States. We surveyed 85 unopened tattoo and PMU inks, purchased from 13 companies. We incubated 100μl of ink samples on trypticase soy agar plates for bacterial growth, 7H10 Middlebrook medium for mycobacterial growth, and Sabouraud dextrose medium for fungal growth. In total, 42 inks were contaminated with micro-organisms (49%). Thirty-three inks were contaminated with bacteria, 2 inks with fungi, and 7 inks had both bacterial and fungal growth. Mycobacteria were not detected in any of the examined tattoo and PMU inks. In 26 inks, microbial concentrations ranged between 101 and 103 CFU per ml, but higher counts (>103 CFU per ml) were recorded in 16 inks. We identified 83 bacteria by their 16S rDNA sequences, including 20 genera and 49 species. Strains of Bacillus spp. (53%) were dominant, followed by Lysinibacillus fusiformis (7%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5%). Thirty-four (41%) possibly clinically relevant strains were identified, including P. aeruginosa, Dermacoccus barathri and Roseomonas mucosa, some of which have been previously reported to be associated with human skin infections. The results indicate that commercial tattoo and PMU inks on the US market surveyed in this study contain a wide range of micro-organisms, including pathogenic bacteria. Microbial contaminants in tattoo and PMU inks are an emerging safety concern for public health. This study provides evidence that microbial contamination of tattoo and PMU inks available in the United States is more common than previously thought and highlights the importance of monitoring these products for potentially pathogenic micro-organisms.

Identification of organic pigments in tattoo inks and permanent make-up using laser desorption ionisation mass spectrometry.

Nowadays, about 12% of the European and 20% of the US population are tattooed. Rising concerns regarding consumer safety, led to legal restrictions on tattoo and permanent make-up (PMU) inks. Restrictions also include bans on certain colourants. Both ink types use organic pigments for colour-giving, plus inorganic pigments for white and black and colour tones. Pigments are only sparingly soluble in common solvents and occur as suspended particles in the ink matrix. Their detection and identification therefore pose a major challenge for laboratories involved in monitoring the legal compliance of tattoo inks and PMU. We overcame this challenge by developing a direct laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry method, which included an easy sample clean up. The method proved to be capable of detecting and identifying organic pigments in almost all of the tested ink samples. Method validation and routine deployment during market surveys showed the method to be fit for purpose. Pigment screening of 396 tattoo inks and 55 PMU taken from the Swiss market between 2009 and 2017 lead to the following conclusions: Pigment variety is much greater in tattoo inks (18) than in PMU (10); four prohibited pigments (Pigment Green 7, Pigment Red 122, Pigment Violet 19 and 23) were found in both ink types; for PMU, these four pigments made up 12% of the pigment findings, compared to 32% for tattoo inks. Therefore, legal compliance of PMU was at a higher level. A comparison of pigments found with those declared on tattoo ink labels clearly showed that banned pigments are rarely declared, but rather masked by listing non present legal pigments and label forging; therefore, highlighting the urgency of widespread market controls.

Clinical analysis of acute ocular injury due to eyeliner tattoo

Objective To analyze the clinical features and efficacy of the acute ocular injury due to eyeliner tattoo. Methods The data of 31 eyes of 16 cases with acute eye discomfort due to eyeliner tattoo from Jan. 2013 to Jan. 2017 were collected, the clinical manifestation, treatment and efficacy were analyzed retrospectively. Results All patients were young women, ocular injury mainly involved the eyelids, conjunctiva and cornea. According to different conditions, keratitis were treated by flushing eyelid and conjunctiva, taken anti-inflammation, repairment eye drops and corneal bandage lens. Tobradex ointment was applied on eyelids. There were 16 eyes in mild group, the cure rate was 100.00%; 11 eyes in moderate group, the cure rate was 90.91%; 4 eyes in severe group, the cure rate was 75.00%.The clinic time of 9 eyes was within 3 hours and the cure rate was 100.00%. The clinic time of 18 eyes was 4-6 hours and the cure rate was 94.44%. The clinic time of 4 eyes was after 7 hours and the cure rate of 75.00%. Conclusion Eyeliner tattoo can cause acute ocular surface damage. It can be effectively treated as soon as possible. Key words: Tattoo, eyeliner; Injury, ocular, acute; Analysis, clinical

Surgical effect of eyebrow plasty combined with hair grafting technique

Objective To observe the effect of eyebrow plasty combined with hair grafting technique. Methods From January 2011 to April 2015, 19 patients with eyebrow defect by eyebrow tattooing, operation or trauma received eyebrow plasty. The removed eyebrow tissue was separated into hair follicle units, and the eyebrow shape was redesigned. The hair grafting method was used for repairing eyebrow defect. Scalp was used as a supplement to get enough hair follicle units. Results All but one patients with eyebrow defect obtained good results, and the grafted hairs were growing well with satisfied direction and shape. One patient sustained folliculitis and was cured after inunctions with 75% alcohol. Conclusions Eyebrow plasty combined with hair grafting technique is a safe and effective method for repairing eyebrow defect, with reducing the number of operations and shortening the treatment time. Key words: Hair grafting; Eyebrow defect; Eyebrow plasty

Identification of organic pigments in tattoo inks and permanent make-ups using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Nowadays, about 12% of the European and 20% of the US population are tattooed. Rising concerns regarding consumer safety, led to legal restrictions on tattoo inks and permanent make-up (PMU) inks. Restrictions also include bans on certain hazardous colourants. Both ink types use organic pigments for colour-giving, plus inorganic pigments for white and black and colour tones. Pigments are only sparingly soluble in common solvents and occur as suspended particles in the ink matrix. Their detection and identification therefore pose a major challenge for laboratories involved in monitoring the legal compliance of tattoo inks and PMUs. We overcame this challenge by developing a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry method, which included an easy sample clean up. The method proved to be capable of detecting and identifying organic pigments in almost all of the tested ink samples. Method validation and routine deployment during market surveys showed the method to be fit for purpose. Pigment screening of 396 tattoo inks and 55 PMUs taken from the Swiss market between 2009 and 2017 lead to the following conclusions: Pigment variety is much greater in tattoo inks (18) than in PMUs (10); four prohibited pigments (Pigment Green 7, Pigment Red 122, Pigment Violet 19 and 23) were found in both ink types; for PMUs, these four pigments made up 12% of the pigment findings, compared to 32% for tattoo inks. Therefore, legal compliance of PMUs was at a higher level. A comparison of pigments found with those declared on tattoo ink labels clearly showed that banned pigments are rarely declared, but rather masked by listing not present legal pigments and label forging; therefore, highlighting the urgency of widespread market controls.

Effects of Semi-permanent Make-up Image Effects on the Word of Mouth Intention and Repurchase

Effects of Semi-permanent Make-up Image Effects on the Word of Mouth Intention and Repurchase

A Study on the Educational Satisfaction of Private Certificates for and the Regular Education of Semipermanent Make-up

A Study on the Educational Satisfaction of Private Certificates for and the Regular Education of Semipermanent Make-up

A Case of Generalized Lichenoid Reaction upon Red Permanent Lip-Liner Make-Up

Cosmetic permanent make-up is an increasingly popular form of tattooing. The latter is potentially associated with adverse skin reactions. Whereas localized lichenoid reactions at tattooed sites have been reported, generalized eruptions are rare.

Bilateral diffuse lamellar keratitis triggered by permanent eyeliner tattoo treatment: A case report.

Diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) is a sterile inflammation of the cornea, which may occur after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery. Little is known about the association of DLK with permanent eyeliner tattoo. The present case report describes the case of a 37-year-old Chinese woman who developed severe foreign body sensation in both eyes 1 week after receiving bilateral permanent eyeliner tattoo treatment. The patient had received bilateral LASIK surgery 10 years previously. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy revealed diffused granular infiltrates precipitated around the edge of the corneal flaps in both eyes. After topical treatment, DLK persisted. Therefore, the patient underwent surgery to remove the corneal epithelium around the DLK lesion. There was no recurrence of the disease during the 3-month observation period. To our knowledge, this is the first case report describing a case of late-onset of DLK that was triggered by permanent eyeliner tattoo. Doctors should be aware of the diagnosis and treatment of this complication associated with the application of permanent eyeliner tattoo as the popularity of this cosmetic procedure increases.

The public health impact of infection control, sterilization and regulation in tattooing


 Background: The purpose of this study was to look at infection control and sterilization procedures in relation to invasive services performed at Personal Service Establishments (PSEs) in British Columbia. The objective was to collect data on the opinions of regulation and infection control practices of persons currently working in the industries of: tattooing, micro-blading and permanent make-up. Method: Data was collected from a survey that was created and distributed online through Survey Monkey. A list of 261 personal service establishments throughout Vancouver Costal Health and Fraser Health were called and/or e-mailed and asked to participate in the online survey. Results and Analyses: Among the 261 PSEs contacted, 30 agreed to participate. They were asked about the regulation of their profession and their standard practices for infection control and sterilization. 3% of the respondent’s primary service was permanent make-up, 7% micro-blading, 7% piercing and 80% was tattooing. The majority of opinions on regulation were divided where 50% felt the industry was under regulated and 40% felt it was adequately regulated. 90% of the respondents agreed that formal training should be required before being allowed to tattoo and 43% of the respondents also agreed that the use of an autoclave should require certification. For infection control/sterilization procedures 100% of shops use one-time use (disposable) needles and ink caps, 80% use disposable tubes, 93% use cord and machine covers and 90% use disposable razors. 63% of the respondents do not use autoclaves because they use disposable items and therefore do not need to clean and sterilize re-usable equipment. The data compared in chi-squared analysis, age and formal training had a p-value of 0.01460 which indicates that there is an association between age and the belief that formal training should be required for those who practice tattooing. Those under 40 were more likely to indicate that formal training should be required. Conclusion: With a low response rate for micro-blading and permanent make-up it is not feasible to compare or contrast opinions and/or practices between the three services. The tattooing industry had the highest response rate and can be looked at in more detail. The information collected on tattooing could be used to develop a course to improve the safety of PSE’s. EHO knowledge in inspecting food service establishments is very high as a system has been put into place that ensures effective inspections. As well, the FOODSAFE program teaches safe practices to those who work in the kitchen. The growing popularity of PSEs now gives EHOs the opportunity to focus on creating safe work environments through the implementation of a training course and possibly altering the way inspections of each different PSE are conducted. Results of this study, along with other Canadian published data, should be considered when developing standardized training and education in the industry where invasive procedures are used.

Problematic ingredients and adverse reactions to pigments used in permanent make-up

English summary of Postawa A, Spiewak R: Analysis of the composition of pigments used in Polish permanent makeup salons in terms of the risk of allergic reactions. Estetol Med Kosmetol 2017; 7: 001.en.

Removal of Tattoos by Q-Switched Nanosecond Lasers.

Tattoo removal by Q-switched nanosecond laser devices is generally a safe and effective method, albeit a time-consuming one. Despite the newest developments in laser treatment, it is still not possible to remove every tattoo completely and without complications. Incomplete removal remains one of the most common challenges. As a consequence, particular restraint should be exercised when treating multicoloured tattoos, and patients need to be thoroughly informed about remaining pigment. Other frequent adverse effects include hyper- and hypopigmentation as well as ink darkening; the latter is particularly frequent in permanent make-up. Scarring is also possible, although it is rare when treatment is performed correctly. It is becoming more widespread for laser operators to encounter allergic reactions and even malignant tumours in tattoos, and treating these conditions requires a nuanced approach.

乳輪乳頭部へのアートメイクのMRI検査における安全性 〜第2報 : マウス皮膚を用いた形状の検討〜

乳輪乳頭部へのアートメイクのMRI検査における安全性 〜第2報 : マウス皮膚を用いた形状の検討〜

Comparison of the degree of semi-permanent makeup removal and histological changes using 1064 nm Q-switched ND:YAG laser

Comparison of the degree of semi-permanent makeup removal and histological changes using 1064 nm Q-switched ND:YAG laser

Guidelines for removing permanent makeup

<p>Permanent makeup (PMU) is a frequently implemented cosmetic procedure performed by beauticians. From a technical point, PMU is considered a facial tattoo. Failed procedures or a change of mind can lead to the desire for removal. The purpose of this retrospective evaluation of patients who came to the clinic with the desire to remove PMU between 2011 and 2015 was to explore the problems, side effects, and results in order to define treatment guidelines for other doctors. We evaluated 87 individual cases in total. In treatable cases, i.e. 52 out of the 87 cases, laser treatments were performed using a nanosecond Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser. It takes between 1-12 treatments to remove the PMU. In three cases, the colour of the PMU could not be removed by laser and remained after the treatment. In two cases, laser treatment had to be terminated due to colour changes towards the green-blue spectrum. Before PMU removal, laser test shots are urgently recommended as unforeseeable colour changes can cause severe aesthetically unpleasant results. Covered up PMU (skin colour) is particularly susceptible to changes in colour. Heat-induced shrinking of the eye area can cause an ectropium. Surgical solutions also have to be taken into consideration. The use of proper eye protection with intraocular eye shields is mandatory. This article is an attempt to set up some guidelines for the treatment of PMU removal.</p>

Cosmetic components causing contact urticaria: a review and update.

Immediate skin reactions are common in dermatological practice, but may often be overlooked. The main objective of this article is to provide an update of the literature concerning immediate-type reactions or contact urticaria/contact urticaria syndrome caused by cosmetic ingredients in terms of immediate clinical symptoms, positive reactions following open, scratch or, most often, prick testing, and sometimes the detection of specific IgE antibodies. To this end, a selective search in different medical literature databases was performed. This yielded a list of cosmetic ingredients causing immediate reactions, including hair dyes and bleaches, preservatives, fragrance and aroma chemicals, sunscreens, hair glues, plant-derived and animal-derived components, permanent makeup and tattoos, glycolic acid peel, lip plumper, and alcohols. Many of the reported cases, however, lack appropriate controls and detailed investigation. Contact urticaria may occur with or without systemic symptoms, which are sometimes life-threatening.