Abstract
Tattoos consist of insoluble ink particles injected intradermally and ingested by phagocytic cells. These phagocytic cells do not remove the tattoo ink away from the skin and remain relatively stable. Decorative tattoos can be divided into amateur and professional. Amateur tattoos contain carbonaceous material from indian ink or graphite. They are injected by the patient or a colleague into the skin and usually take the form of relatively simplistic linear lettering or designs. There is usually less particulate matter than in a professional tattoo but the depth of the tattoos may vary more in an amateur tattoo. Professional tattoos can consist of a variety of inks and colour using insoluble metal salts and organic complexes. They may be densely coloured and occupy large areas of the skin.
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References and Further Reading
Introduction
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Lanigan, S.W. (2000). Laser Treatment of Tattoos. In: Lasers in Dermatology. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0437-7_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0437-7_5
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