Tattooing and scarring: Technique and complications

Abstract

Core Messages: Body modifying techniques and body art more in particular tattoos and piercings have become increasingly popular in western world in the last decades. Body art practitioners and customers are often unaware of the risk of complications associated with body art procedures. Major complications include infections, allergies, and permanent disfiguring deformities. Although in many countries tattoo inks are subject to regulations for food and cosmetics and guidelines for save procedures have been developed, there is still a lack of control. In the objective to reduce the side effects, heavy metals have been banned from tattoo inks and have been replaced by azo dyes. However, azo dyes can also have hazardous potential in particular when tattoos are treated with lasers. Allergic contact dermatitis to temporary henna tattoos is mainly caused by the presence of PPD (paraphenylenediamine). © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.