Tattoos: dermatological complications

From the Eskimo in Greenland to the tribes in Polynesia-the whole world knows the art of tattoo. Despite their wide popularity the relation between the skin diseases and the tattooed pictures aren't studied in depth. With the appearance of professional tattoo studios, the risk of infectious complications was reduced. Simultaneously, on a global scale there has been an increase in pseudolymphoma and allergic reactions caused by the introduction of an exogenous pigment into the dermis. The results of our clinical and therapeutic research and review of literature on the subject outline the major problems related to tattoos, i.e. clinical complications. The summarized data showed infectious diseases transmitted through the process of tattooing and many allergic reactions, granulomas and tumors as complications of a tattoo. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.