Skin-nontumor - Tattoo

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Skin-nontumor

Other dermatoses

Tattoo

Reviewer: Mowafak Hamodat MB.CH.B, MSc., FRCPC, Eastern Health, St. Johns (Canada) (see Reviewers page)
Revised: 1 August 2011, last major update August 2011
Copyright: (c) 2002-2011, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

Definition
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● Dye injected into dermis is phagocytosized by macrophages, which are permanent
● Image does fade over time
● Complications include infections introduced at time of tattooing; cutaneous diseases that localize in tattoos, often in a koebner-type phenomenon; allergic reactions to tattoo pigments and photosensitivity reactions

Treatment
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● Laser therapy

Micro description
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● Tattoo pigments are easily visualized in tissue sections
● After several weeks, they localize around vessels in the upper and mid-dermis in macrophages and fibroblasts
● Extracellular deposits of pigment are also found between collagen bundles; the pigment is generally refractile, but not doubly refractile
● No foreign body granulomatous reaction except in presence of other severe reactions
● Hypersensitivity reactions vary from a diffuse dermal lymphohistiocytic infiltrate with plasma cells and eosinophils, to a lichenoid reaction sometimes with associated epithelial hyperplasia
● Sarcoidal granulomas, a granuloma annulare-like reaction, vasculitis, pseudolymphomatous patterns and scarring may be present
● Rare features are a morphea-like reaction, epidermal spongiosis and pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia

Virtual slides
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Tattoo

End of Skin-nontumor > Other dermatoses > Tattoo

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