Erbium:Yag laser therapy of lichenoid red tattoo reaction

Abstract

Delayed reactions caused by red tattoo pigments are often difficult to treat. We report a 31-year-old female patient with a lichenoid reaction to a red tattoo on the right ankle who was successfully treated with five sessions of a surgical Erbium:Yag laser, using several passes in each session. Our work leads us to consider that Er:Yag laser therapy may be an effective and safe treatment for these therapeutically challenging reactions.

Systemic contact dermatitis to a surgical implant presenting as red decorative tattoo reaction

“…Tattoo reactions are commonly described clinically and histologically as eczematous, lichenoid, granulomatous, spongiotic, and pseudolymphomatous reactions. Eczematous and lichenoid reactions are the most common type of red pigment reactions 6, 7, 8, 9. Increased T lymphocytes and Langerhans cells are often found at tattoo reaction sites and are consistent with an allergic pathomechanism 6 …”

“…In individuals for whom implant removal is not possible, a tapered dose of oral prednisone over 21 days may be helpful 1, 2, 3. For tattoo-related dermatitis, varying degrees of success with oral allopurinol, topical and intralesional corticosteroids, antibiotics, surgical excision, and laser have been reported 4, 7, 8, 9…”

Reações aos diferentes pigmentos de tatuagens: relato de dois casos

“…Topical or intralesional corticosteroid therapy may also be used but recurrences are common. 1,8 Two cases of reactions to tattoos were reported here. In the first case, two different reactions were found: one pseudolymphomatous reaction and one photoinduced reaction.…”

“…[1][2][3] Studies have reported various reactions to the salts and organic and inorganic compounds used in tattoos. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Among the most common reactions, those resulting from the red pigment deserve particular mention. These may be associated with allergic contact dermatitis, lichenoid dermatitis and pseudolymphoma, the two latter conditions having been identified in the cases presented here.…”

Complications of decorative tattoo

“…Published literature supporting the use of laser to treat tattoo reactions is scant, though there are reports of using the Erbium:YAG (14) and Nd:YAG (15) lasers successfully.…”