Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Tattoo
Kinds of Tattoo Terms modified by Tattoo Selected AbstractsSuccessful Treatment of a Cosmetic Tattoo Using a Combination of LasersDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 1 2004Karen Rebecca Suchin MD Background. Cosmetic tattoos are becoming more popular and are often composed of several colors. Tattoo pigments containing ferric oxide and titanium dioxide can change to a blue-black color after exposure to Q-switched lasers that can be permanent. Objective. Using a patient who presented with rouge tattoos on the cheeks as an example, we describe a useful approach to laser treatment of cosmetic tattoos. Methods. Test areas were done with the Q-switched Nd:YAG at both 532 and 1064 nm and with the pulsed-dye laser at 595 nm. Results. Although an immediate blue-black color change occurred after treatment with the Nd:YAG at 532 and 1064 nm, sequential treatments at 1064 nm produced a near complete clearance of the tattoos. The pulsed-dye laser was used to remove subtle pink tones. Conclusion. Performing small test areas before complete treatment and using several laser wavelengths throughout the course of therapy are essential to the successful treatment of cosmetic tattoos. [source] Removal of amateur blue-black tattoos in Arabic women of skin type (III,IV) with Q-switched alexandrite laserJOURNAL OF COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Iqbal A Bukhari Summary Background and Objectives, Tattoos in Arabic society used to have a cosmetic importance on the face of females. These were usually amateur tattoos done by non-professional women in the tribe. Because Islam as a religion prohibited its practice and its application, people became concerned about removing the old tattoos by any means. Nowadays, laser is considered an effective method of tattoo removal. Here, we report our experience in the removal of tattoos in Arabic women of skin type III,IV using the Q-switched alexandrite laser. Study Design/Materials and Methods, Twenty female subjects aged 35,50 years from similar racial and ethnic background with amateur tattoos were treated using the Q-switched alexandrite laser. Fluence threshold was determined and a spot test was made. Q-switched alexandrite laser with a fluence range 4.0,7.5 J/cm2 (mean 6.05) was used at 6,12-week intervals. Total treatment numbers ranged from three to six sessions (mean 4.15) with single-pulse technique application. Results, More than 95% lightening was achieved in five patients after three to six sessions at fluence range of 6,7.5 J/cm2 and > 75% lightening in 10 subjects after three to six sessions of treatment at fluence range of 4,7.5 J/cm2. Pinpoint bleeding was observed in one case but no pigmentary alteration or scarring was seen. Conclusion, Tattoo pigment removal by Q-switched alexandrite laser is an effective method in skin type (III,IV) with minimal side effects, which gives high patient satisfaction. [source] Youth and Tattoos: What School Health Personnel Should KnowJOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 9 2000Kelli McCormack Brown ABSTRACT: Though tattooing has been practiced by various cultures for centuries, this art form has undergone dramatic changes the past few decades. Today, tattoos appeal to diverse populations and mainstream culture. The proliferation of tattooing prompted increased concern for safety and awareness of hazardous conditions. Transmission of infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B and C, and theoretically, HIV, can occur when proper sterilization and safety procedures are not followed. While there are many populations at risk, a critical at-risk group is adolescents. Tattooing among adolescents is a risk-taking behavior that warrants the attention of health education in assisting adolescents in becoming informed decision-makers. Teaching and advocacy strategies are suggested, and roles for school health personnel are presented. [source] Tattoo removal by non-professionals , medical and forensic considerationsJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 7 2010S Karsai Abstract Tattoos are common phenomena in the western world and the demand for their removal has become widespread in the recent years. The introduction of quality-switched lasers has provided an effective removal method that is increasingly being exploited by tattoo studios themselves. Dermatologists, however, are frequently confronted with complications and side effects of tattoo removals that were performed by non-professionals. The objective of this study is to assess potential risks and pitfalls of laser tattoo removal when performed by medical laymen. The methods followed are systematic and evidence-based review of the literature. Four major problem areas were identified: rare but potentially severe allergic or toxic effects of decomposition products of the tattoo pigments; bodily harm caused by out-of-specification usage of the laser devices; malignant disease that is obscured within the area of a tattoo and requires meticulous dermatological diagnosis; and insufficient pre-operative consultation of patients about the risks, side effects and realistic expectations on the therapeutic outcome. We came to a conclusion that tattoo laser removal by medical laymen is unacceptable from the point of view of patient safety and the laws need to ban this practice swiftly. [source] Tattoos and antisocial personality disorderPERSONALITY AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2008William Cardasis Objective,The relationship of tattoos to the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) was explored in a forensic psychiatric inpatient hospital setting. It was hypothesized that a greater proportion of forensic inpatients that possessed tattoos had ASPD than patients who did not possess tattoos. Method,Forensic male psychiatric inpatients (N = 36) were administered a semi-structured interview to determine the presence of a tattoo. ASPD was determined by criteria on a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV ASPD checklist. Demographic and background characteristics of the patients were collected, and details about each tattoo were obtained including a calculation of the surface area of each tattoo. Results,Significantly more forensic psychiatric inpatients with tattoos had a diagnosis of ASPD compared to patients without tattoos. Patients with ASPD also had a significantly greater number of tattoos, a trend toward having a greater percentage of their total body surface area tattooed, and were more likely to have a history of substance abuse than patients without ASPD. Tattooed subjects, with or without ASPD, were significantly more likely to have histories of substance abuse, sexual abuse and suicide attempts than non-tattooed patients. Conclusions,Forensic psychiatric inpatients with tattoos should be assessed carefully for the presence of ASPD as well as for substance abuse, sexual abuse and suicide attempts, factors having potentially significant influence on the assessment and treatment of such patients. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Transient localized hypertrichosis on a temporary henna tattooCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 3 2010Nicolas Kluger No abstract is available for this article. [source] Walking difficulties due to an allergic reaction to a temporary tattooCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 3 2005C. Van den Keybus No abstract is available for this article. [source] Prevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection at an Urban veterans administration medical centerHEPATOLOGY, Issue 6 2001Megan E. Briggs This study was designed to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in veterans. Anti-HCV testing was performed in 1,032 patients and a questionnaire regarding sociodemographic characteristics and potential risk factors was administered. Adjusted prevalence of unique HCV-positive patients using outpatient services was 17.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 17.2%, 18.2%). The following risk factors were associated with HCV infection: a history of injection drug use (IDU), receipt of blood transfusion prior to 1992, history of tattoo (odds ratio [OR], 2.93; 95% CI, 1.70-5.08), combat job as a medical worker (OR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.25-5.60), history of incarceration over 48 hours (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.52-4.32), greater than 15 lifetime sexual partners (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 0.94-2.76) and sexual relations with a prostitute (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.25-0.82). We concluded that HCV is common in veterans. Risk factors independently associated with infection are IDU, prior transfusion, prior tattoo, combat medical work, incarceration, and multiple opposite sex partners. Infection with HCV among veterans is strongly associated with traditional risk factors for infection and less strongly associated with combat-related risk. [source] Spontaneous resolution of a delayed granulomatous reaction to cosmetic tattooINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Brad Jones MBBS, MPhil(Path) A 27-year-old woman presented with linear, flesh-colored papules along her vermillion borders, 4 years after a cosmetic lip tattoo was applied. A biopsy of the lesion was performed and histology showed it to be a granulomatous reaction surrounding the tattoo pigment. Following the biopsy, the lesions began to resolve spontaneously within 4 weeks and were not noticeable at a follow-up review. Granulomatous reactions are rare after cosmetic facial tattoos and may respond to topical corticosteroids or laser ablation. We present a unique report of a delayed granulomatous reaction to a cosmetic tattoo completely resolving without any specific treatment. [source] Pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia , an unusual reaction following tattoo: report of a case and review of the literatureINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 7 2007Wei Cui MD A 59-year-old woman presented with an itchy and uncomfortable raised lesion at a tattoo site (Fig. 1) on the lateral aspect of the left leg, just above the ankle. The tattoo had been placed 2 years before her presentation and the tattoo site was sun exposed. Immediately after she had the tattoo, she noticed redness of the skin. After a week, a pruritic and red scaly nodule developed that continued to gradually enlarge until her presentation. The patient had tried topical vitamin A and D ointment with no relief. The patient also had tattoos on the arms without any noticeable skin changes. The patient reported that the tattoo procedure on her leg was more painful than that on her arms, and was performed by a different (and perhaps inexperienced) tattoo artist. The original tattoo contained red, green, and yellow pigments. Figure 1. Raised nodular lesion with irregular margins A diagnosis of tattoo granuloma was considered; squamous cell carcinoma and fungal infection were included in the differential diagnosis. A punch biopsy was performed, followed by complete surgical excision of the lesion with a split-thickness skin graft from the right thigh. The skin excision specimen showed a 3 × 2.5-cm granular and pitted pink lesion with well-demarcated, somewhat irregular borders. The lesion was raised 0.5 cm above the skin surface. The lesion was present in the center of the original tattoo. Portions of the original tattoo with green and blue,green pigmentation were visible on either side of the lesion. No satellite lesions were identified. Microscopically, the raised lesion demonstrated striking pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia, with irregular acanthosis of the epidermis and follicular infundibula, hyperkeratosis, and parakeratosis (Fig. 2). Follicular plugging was present with keratin-filled cystic spaces. There was a brisk mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate in the dermis, composed primarily of lymphocytes, with admixed plasma cells and histiocytes. Giant cells were occasionally identified. Dermal pigment deposition was noted both within the lesion and in the surrounding skin, corresponding to the original tattoo. Variable dermal fibrosis was noted, with thick collagen bundles in some areas. There was no evidence of epidermal keratinocytic atypia, dyskeratosis, or increased suprabasal mitotic activity. Special stains (periodic acid,Schiff and acid-fast) for microorganisms were negative. Figure 2. (a) Raised lesion with marked pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia and follicular plugging (hematoxylin and eosin; magnification, ×2.5). (b) Irregularly elongated and thickened rete pegs with blunt ends associated with dermal chronic inflammation (hematoxylin and eosin; magnification, ×5). (c) Follicular dilation and plugging with keratin-filled cystic spaces (hematoxylin and eosin; magnification, ×5). (d) Dermal pigment and fibrosis (hematoxylin and eosin; magnification, ×10) [source] Photochemical cleavage of a tattoo pigment by UVB radiation or natural sunlightJOURNAL DER DEUTSCHEN DERMATOLOGISCHEN GESELLSCHAFT, Issue 7 2007Eva Engel Summary Background: Millions of people have at least one tattoo. Complex and light absorbing molecules are implanted in the skin. When tattooed skin receives UV radiation or natural sunlight, photochemical cleavage of the pigments may occur. As a first step, we dissolved pigments in a suitable solvent and analyzed them after light irradiation. Methods: The widespread Pigment Red 22 was dissolved in different solvents. The solutions were irradiated with either UVB radiation (up to 8 h) or with natural sunlight (110 days). After irradiation, the solutions were analyzed by means of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Results: A clear cleavage of the pigment was detected in all solvents and the primary decomposition products were identified. In tetrahydrofuran and dioxane, the pigment concentration decreased significantly during UVB irradiation, whereas the pigment was completely destroyed during sunlight exposure. In chloroform and dichloromethane, the pigment concentration decreased slightly during UVB irradiation, whereas the pigment was almost completely destroyed during sunlight exposure. Conclusion: Since chloroform and dichloromethane do not affect the cleavage process, these solvents are optimal for such in vitro experiments. We have shown the cleavage of the tattoo pigment Red 22 when exposed to UVB radiation or natural sunlight. The decomposition products are hazardous showing a potential risk of being toxic or even carcinogenic. At present, a risk assessment is not feasible since the concentration of pigments and their decomposition products in skin are unknown. [source] Ouch! , a logotherapeutic discourse of butch and tattooed in ChinaJOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 4 2010Wing-sun Liu This is a study of a small group of self-identified butch lesbians in their consumption of tattoos. The emotion-laden experience of negotiating social symbolism and self-identity (Elliott, 1997) in the context of hyperrealism (Baudrillard, 1983) has given rise to what Frankl (1984) has described as "existential vacuums." Frankl suggested that these "existential vacuums" can be filled with a higher level of meaning. An artifact of consumption, the tattoo, is used by the informants in this study as a component of bricolage in the DIY process of constructing a new self (Elliott, 1997), with the entire process of being tattooed , particularly the hyper-stimulation and pain of the procedure , further "existentializing" a new existence of "imagined masculinity." This new existence that transcends suffering and assigns new meaning to life is the principle idea of Frankl's logotherapy (Frankl, 1984; Barnes, 2000; Blair, 2004). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Granulomatous tattoo reaction and erythema nodosum in a young woman: common cause or coincidence?JOURNAL OF COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Uwe Wollina MD Summary Tattooing has become quite popular in Western countries. With the increasing prevalence, there is also an increased risk of adverse effects. We describe a 17-year-old female patient with a black and red,colored tattoo, who developed immediately after red tattooing general malaise with fever, nausea, and vomiting. A bullous reaction was temporarily seen within the red part of her tattoo. The reaction later shifted to a subacute dermatitis with bacterial superinfection. Two months later, she felt ill again. She developed painful tender nodules on the anterior aspect of both lower legs identified as erythema nodosum without sarcoidosis. Is this is a unique case of adverse reaction to tattoo pigments with a type I and a type IV reaction, or is this a coincidence? The treatment was initiated with systemic and topical corticosteroids and topical antibiotics combined with compression bandages for the legs. After 3 weeks of treatment, the erythema nodosum completely resolved and did not reappear during a 1-year follow-up. The treatment of the local reactions, however, was unsatisfactory without complete response. There is an indispensable need for regulation of tattoo pigments and tattooing to improve consumer safety. [source] Tungiasis (tungosis) comes to the Czech RepublicJOURNAL OF COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2002A Pospí, ilová Summary, A case of a 39 year old patient in whom infection by the sand flea Tunga penetrans was diagnosed by histological examination is described. Clinical findings included small red lesions on the lower extremities, containing a pyodermic component and a central black dot resembling tattoo. A tropical parasitic disease was considered as the signs developed following the patient's return from Tanzania. [source] Eruptive squamous cell carcinomas, keratoacanthoma type, arising in a multicolor tattooJOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Gary Goldenberg Permanent tattoos are formed through the injection of ink solids through the epidermis into the dermis and can cause multiple adverse reactions. We report a 38-year-old man who presented to our Dermatologic Surgery Unit with a diagnosis of a superficially invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), keratoacanthoma (KA) type, of the left forearm in a 1-month-old tattoo. Since his initial biopsy, he developed four more similar lesions on his left forearm within his tattoo. On physical examination, the patient had a large, multicolor tattoo on his left forearm, a well-healed surgical biopsy site and four erythematous hyperkeratotic papules within differently pigmented areas of the patient's tattoo. Histopathological examination showed KA and tattoo pigment. Based on the eruptive nature of these lesions, their clinical presentation and the histopathological changes, we report this as the first case of eruptive KA arising in a multicolor tattoo. [source] Tattoo removal by non-professionals , medical and forensic considerationsJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 7 2010S Karsai Abstract Tattoos are common phenomena in the western world and the demand for their removal has become widespread in the recent years. The introduction of quality-switched lasers has provided an effective removal method that is increasingly being exploited by tattoo studios themselves. Dermatologists, however, are frequently confronted with complications and side effects of tattoo removals that were performed by non-professionals. The objective of this study is to assess potential risks and pitfalls of laser tattoo removal when performed by medical laymen. The methods followed are systematic and evidence-based review of the literature. Four major problem areas were identified: rare but potentially severe allergic or toxic effects of decomposition products of the tattoo pigments; bodily harm caused by out-of-specification usage of the laser devices; malignant disease that is obscured within the area of a tattoo and requires meticulous dermatological diagnosis; and insufficient pre-operative consultation of patients about the risks, side effects and realistic expectations on the therapeutic outcome. We came to a conclusion that tattoo laser removal by medical laymen is unacceptable from the point of view of patient safety and the laws need to ban this practice swiftly. [source] Acquired leucoderma after henna tattoo in an Indian girlJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 5 2009V Mendiratta [source] Amalgam tattoo: a close-up viewJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 10 2006PD Pigatto [source] Multiple verrucae vulgaris in a young woman's tattooJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 3 2006M Sáez [source] Tattoos and antisocial personality disorderPERSONALITY AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2008William Cardasis Objective,The relationship of tattoos to the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) was explored in a forensic psychiatric inpatient hospital setting. It was hypothesized that a greater proportion of forensic inpatients that possessed tattoos had ASPD than patients who did not possess tattoos. Method,Forensic male psychiatric inpatients (N = 36) were administered a semi-structured interview to determine the presence of a tattoo. ASPD was determined by criteria on a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV ASPD checklist. Demographic and background characteristics of the patients were collected, and details about each tattoo were obtained including a calculation of the surface area of each tattoo. Results,Significantly more forensic psychiatric inpatients with tattoos had a diagnosis of ASPD compared to patients without tattoos. Patients with ASPD also had a significantly greater number of tattoos, a trend toward having a greater percentage of their total body surface area tattooed, and were more likely to have a history of substance abuse than patients without ASPD. Tattooed subjects, with or without ASPD, were significantly more likely to have histories of substance abuse, sexual abuse and suicide attempts than non-tattooed patients. Conclusions,Forensic psychiatric inpatients with tattoos should be assessed carefully for the presence of ASPD as well as for substance abuse, sexual abuse and suicide attempts, factors having potentially significant influence on the assessment and treatment of such patients. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Allergic contact dermatitis from temporary henna tattooTHE JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Dragan L. JOVANOVIC ABSTRACT Temporary henna tattooing has been very popular during recent years. Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is a plant from the Lythraceae family. For henna tattooing, henna dye is used. It is a dark green powder, made from the leaves of the plant, used for hair dyeing and body tattooing. Very often, para-phenylenediamine (PPD) is added to henna dye to make color blacker and to speed up dyeing. PPD may be a very potent contact sensitizer. We report a 9-year-old boy with allergic contact dermatitis due to temporary henna tattooing. Patch testing showed a positive reaction to PPD. After the treatment with topical corticosteroid and oral antihistamines, the lesion cleared with discrete residual hypopigmentation. [source] Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy for recurrent or persistent hyperparathyroidism using carbon track localizationANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 10 2003Robert J. Kennedy Background: The present study documents the use of carbon tracking to localize parathyroid adenomas in three patients with persistent or recurrent parathyroid disease. Methods: Three patients requiring second or third operations for hyperparathyroidism were operated upon after the parathyroid lesion had been localized preoperatively using a suspension of carbon particles in water. The enlarged parathyroid glands were identified by using one or more of the following: computed axial tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound or Sestamibi nuclear scan. The lesion was then localized with ultrasound or computed axial tomography and a carbon track was inserted from the lesion to the skin, leaving a small skin tattoo as a marker for the surgeon. Each patient underwent a minimally invasive parathyroid operation. Results: For each of the three patients the recurrent or persistent parathyroid adenoma was successfully identified and removed via a small incision. Conclusion: Minimally invasive techniques for primary hyperparathyroidism are changing our approach to parathyroid surgery. However, a minimally invasive technique is less applicable when the disease is persistent or recurrent. Although, when the recurrent or persistent parathyroid adenoma can be identified, localization and carbon tracking have proved useful in allowing the surgeon to remove the lesion via a minimally invasive technique. [source] True blue football fan: Tattoo reaction confined to blue pigmentAUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Corinne Yoong ABSTRACT A tattoo reaction which appeared solely on the blue pigment of a 6-month old red and blue football club tattoo of an ardent fan was investigated. The patient was otherwise asymptomatic and no other abnormality was detected on full physical examination. Histology revealed a florid sarcoidal granuloma reaction to blue pigment. Preliminary investigations for systemic sarcoidosis did not reveal any abnormality. The tattoo reaction flattened clinically with the institution of a short course of topical mometasone furoate 0.1% ointment and as the subject remained asymptomatic, close surveillance for the development of systemic sarcoidosis is to continue. The possibility of delayed type hypersensitivity is discussed. [source] Textile dye allergic contact dermatitis following paraphenylenediamine sensitization from a temporary tattooAUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Helen Saunders SUMMARY Textile dye allergy is frequently caused by azo dyes, which can cross-react with structurally similar compounds, including paraphenylenediamine. A case of allergic contact dermatitis to azo textile dyes, presenting principally as a sock dermatitis, is presented. The patient also gave a history of an episode of scalp dermatitis consistent with contact allergy to paraphenylenediamine in hair dye. It is proposed that paraphenylenediamine sensitization from a temporary skin tattoo may have been the primary sensitizing event for these reactions. [source] An unusual presentation of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus in a tattooCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2010B. Arun No abstract is available for this article. [source] Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus after a tattooCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2009M. La Placa No abstract is available for this article. [source] Successful Treatment of a Cosmetic Tattoo Using a Combination of LasersDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 1 2004Karen Rebecca Suchin MD Background. Cosmetic tattoos are becoming more popular and are often composed of several colors. Tattoo pigments containing ferric oxide and titanium dioxide can change to a blue-black color after exposure to Q-switched lasers that can be permanent. Objective. Using a patient who presented with rouge tattoos on the cheeks as an example, we describe a useful approach to laser treatment of cosmetic tattoos. Methods. Test areas were done with the Q-switched Nd:YAG at both 532 and 1064 nm and with the pulsed-dye laser at 595 nm. Results. Although an immediate blue-black color change occurred after treatment with the Nd:YAG at 532 and 1064 nm, sequential treatments at 1064 nm produced a near complete clearance of the tattoos. The pulsed-dye laser was used to remove subtle pink tones. Conclusion. Performing small test areas before complete treatment and using several laser wavelengths throughout the course of therapy are essential to the successful treatment of cosmetic tattoos. [source] Areolar Cosmetic Tattoo Ink Darkening: A Complication of Q-Switched Alexandrite Laser TreatmentDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 1 2002Sung-Eun Chang MD background and objective. Medical tattooing of the areola is widely performed in Korea. However, cosmetic tattoos containing flesh-tone, purple-red, and yellow dyes are sometimes resistant to Q-switched laser and may even become darker. method. Two Korean women in their 30s who had a mastectomy got light brown to red areolar medical tattoos but they were not satisfied with the shape and size of the tattoos. They underwent Q-switched alexandrite laser treatment with a 3 mm collimated beam at fluences of 7.5,8 J/cm2 in order to trim the irregular contour and reduce the diameter of the tattoos. results. Within 5 minutes a dark gray to black discoloration of the treated area was evident and remained dark for 6 weeks. Improvement was not noted after two further Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatments. conclusion. Medical areolar tattoos should be approached with extra caution when attempting their removal with high-energy pulsed lasers such as Q-switched alexandrite laser and a small test site should be performed prior to treatment. [source] Self-care versus self-harm: piercing, tattooing, and self-injuring in eating disordersEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 1 2005Laurence Claes Abstract Eating disordered patients seem to have a love,hate relationship with their bodies. Why do some decorate their bodies by means of tattooing and piercing, while others deliberately injure themselves and make parts of their body unattractive? We have explored this question in 101 eating-disordered patients by means of self-reporting questionnaires about the presence and characteristics of tattooing, piercing and self-injuring as well as the underlying motives. Furthermore, we studied the co-occurrence of impulsive behaviours as well as personality traits. In our patient sample, 11.9,per,cent had one or more tattoos, 25.7,per,cent a piercing and 64.9,per,cent showed some form of self-injurious behaviour (SIB). Tattooing and piercing are clearly driven by esthetical reasons, whereas SIB can have various explanations. All three behaviours were significantly more often linked to substance (ab)use. With respect to personality traits, piercing was positively linked to extraversion (positive affectivity) and openness, and negatively to conscientiousness. SIB, on the contrary, was positively linked to neuroticism (negative affectivity) and conscientiousness, and negatively to extraversion and openness. Tattooing did not show significant correlations with particular personality traits (probably due to the small number of tattooed patients). In summary, piercing and tattooing seem to reflect more self-care, and might protect some patients against more self-harm. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] Differences in personality characteristics between body-modified and non-modified individuals: associations with individual personality traits and their possible evolutionary implicationsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 7 2007Silke Wohlrab Abstract After a long history of negative stigmatisation, the practices of tattooing and body piercing have become fashionable in the last decade. Today, 10% of the population in modern western societies have some form of body modification. The aim of this study was to quantify the demographic and personality traits of tattooed and pierced individuals and to compare them with a control group of individuals without body modifications. These comparisons are based on questionnaires completed by 359 individuals that investigate the details of body modification, and which incorporate five personality scales. We describe several sex differences in ornament style and location. We found no relevant differences between modified and non-modified individuals in relation to demographic variables. This indicates that some of the traditional attitudes towards tattoos and piercings appear to be outdated. However, we found striking differences in personality traits which suggest that body-modified individuals are greater sensation seekers and follow a more unrestricted mating strategy than their non-modified contemporaries. We discuss these differences in light of a potential signalling function of tattoos and piercings in the mating context. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||