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Depigmentation and hypertrophic scars after application of a fluid lactic acid tattoo eraser

Depigmentierung und hypertrophe Narben nach Anwendung eines flüssigen Milchsäure-haltigen Tattoo-Entferners

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Summary

Background

Tattoo removal is often requested by patients. The gold standard is laser tattoo removal that can be time- and cost-intensive. Therefore, safe alternatives without lasers, pain, and scars would be desirable.

Objective

We wanted to address safety of chemical tattoo erasers.

Methods

We report a case of depigmentation and hypertrophic scars after use of a chemical tattoo eraser and searched the literature.

Results

Chemical tattoo erasers are not only used by physicians, but also nonmedical professionals such as beauticians, tattoo artists, and others. The case report we observed and other cases from the literature suggest that lactic acid based tattoo erasers are risky. Available safety data are unsufficient to recommend such procedure as an alternative to current laser therapy.

Conclusions

Chemical tattoo erasers based on lactic acid may be capable to remove tattoo ink but the procedure bears safety risks of permanent adverse effects. For the safety of patients, better regulations for tattoo erasers need to be implemented. Patients need to be informed about adverse effects by such procedures.

Zusammenfassung

Grundlagen

Tattoo-Entfernung wird von Patienten oft nachgefragt. Der Goldstandard ist die Entfernung mittels Laser, was zeit- und kostenintensiv sein kann. Deshalb besteht eine Nachfrage nach Alternativen ohne Laser, schmerzfrei und narbenlos.

Ziel

Wir analysierten Daten zur Sicherheit chemischer Laser-Entfernungen.

Methodik

Wir berichten über einen Fall der Entstehung depigmentierter, hypertropher Narben nach chemischer Tattoo-Entfernung und haben die medizinische Literatur auf Nebenwirkungen nach chemischer Tattoo-Entfernung hin analysiert.

Ergebnisse

Chemische Tattoo-Entferner werden überwiegend durch nichtmedizinisches Personal eingesetzt wie Kosmetikerinnen, Tätowierer u. a. Der von uns beobachtete Fall sowie Mitteilungen in der medizinischen Literatur verdeutlichen, dass diese Verfahren nicht ohne Risiken sind. Verfügbare Sicherheitsdaten sind nicht ausreichend, derartige Verfahren als Laser-Alternativen zu empfehlen.

Schlussfolgerungen

Chemische Tattoo-Entferner mögen Tattoo-Pigmente entfernen, jedoch stellen sie erhebliche Gesundheitsrisiken dar, die permanente Nebenwirkungen verursachen können. Für die Sicherheit der Patienten sollten bessere Regularien für Tattoo-Entferner implementiert werden. Patienten sind über die Nebenwirkungen derartiger Verfahren in Kenntnis zu setzen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Academic Teaching Hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt, Friedrichstrasse 41, 01067, Dresden, Germany

    Uwe Wollina MD

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  1. Uwe Wollina MD
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Correspondence to Uwe Wollina MD.

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Wollina, U. Depigmentation and hypertrophic scars after application of a fluid lactic acid tattoo eraser. Wien Med Wochenschr 165, 195–198 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-015-0353-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-015-0353-x

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