“ 'We were rather alarmed at the high rate of reported chronic complications tied to getting a tattoo,' ” says senior study investigator and NYU Langone dermatologist Marie Leger, MD, PhD, whose team’s latest findings appear in the journal Contact Dermatitis online May 27.
"Leger says some adverse skin reactions are treatable with anti-inflammatory steroid drugs, but others may require laser surgery. For stronger reactions, surgery is sometimes necessary to remove tattooed areas of the skin or built-up scar tissue and granular skin lesions, which can rise several millimeters on the skin and cause considerable itching and emotional distress.
"Leger cites the lack of regulatory oversight as an underlying weakness in measuring the true scope of the complications tied to tattooing, noting that the chemical composition of colored inks used in the process is poorly understood and not standardized among dye manufacturers. “It is not yet known if the reactions being observed are due to chemicals in the ink itself or to other chemicals, such as preservatives or brighteners, added to them, or to the chemicals’ breakdown over time,” says Leger.
“ 'The skin is a highly immune-sensitive organ, and the long-term consequences of repeatedly testing the body’s immune system with injected dyes and colored inks are poorly understood,” says Leger. “Some of the reactions appear to be an immune response, yet we do not know who is most likely to have an immune reaction to a tattoo.' "
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