Introduction: Decorative
tattooing involves the introduction of exogenous pigments and/or
dyes into the dermis to produce a permanent design.Areas covered: This review provides an overview of the current aspects of cutaneous complications associated with permanent
tattooing and permanent make-up based on the previous reviews of interest, case series, and case reports of interest. References for this review were found through a search of PubMed by use of the terms '
tattoo', '
tattoos', or '
tattooing'.Expert opinion: Complications include primarily
infections,
allergy to
tattoo pigments, benign, and sometimes malignant
tumors arising on
tattoos and the localization of various
dermatoses to
tattoos. Immunocompromised patients and individuals with
chronic conditions should be able to discuss with their physician and ask advice before getting tattooed.
Tattoo color
allergy still remains an unsolved issue. The identification of current culprit failed. It is most likely a byproduct that appears in situ in the skin during the life of the tattooed bearer. Studies involving expert centers are warranted to establish the best treatments for
tattoo allergy. The risk of
tattoo associated
cancers appears to this author as largely overstated. However, case controls studies on large on cohorts of individuals with or without
tattoos could help to evaluate whether
tattoos have a possible in role in
cancers.