Had an accident after getting a tattoo at a spa, hired a tattoo artist to come to my house

Gặp tai biến sau xăm mình tại spa, thuê thợ về xăm tận nhà - Ảnh 1. — A tattoo removal patient at the cosmetic skin department of Ho Chi Minh City Dermatology Hospital - Photo: Provided by the hospital

The above information was given by Dr. Le Thao Hien, Department of Dermatology, Ho Chi Minh City Dermatology Hospital, at the 2024 Southern Dermatology Scientific Conference on the afternoon of September 29.

Complications after tattooing are a complex and difficult problem to treat. In recent times, Ho Chi Minh City Dermatology Hospital has continuously received and treated cases of complications due to tattoos.

The first typical case is a 36-year-old female patient. Eight days before the examination, the patient had her areola tattooed at a spa near her home.

After the tattoo, the patient felt a lot of pain. A few days later, the tattooed area continuously oozed yellow fluid and some areas had honey-colored scabs, accompanied by more pain, so he went to the Ho Chi Minh City Dermatology Hospital for examination.

The patient was diagnosed with infectious dermatitis and prescribed oral antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and topical medications. After a week of treatment, the tattooed area dried up and the pain and burning sensation subsided.

The second patient is a 14-year-old male living in Dong Nai. After listening to an advertisement on Facebook, the patient hired a tattoo artist to come to his home and tattoo his chest. A month after the tattoo, the patient saw white spots appear on the tattooed area and then spread more, so he went to the Dermatology Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for examination.

The patient was diagnosed with molluscum contagiosum after tattooing (molluscum contagiosum is one of the viral complications after tattooing). The patient was treated by scraping the skin lesion and after a week the skin healed well.

Dr. Hien added that complications after tattooing are divided into two types: acute and chronic.

Acute complications often appear a few days to a few weeks after tattooing and are divided into groups: allergic contact dermatitis, photodermatitis, outbreaks of some inflammatory - autoimmune skin diseases (psoriasis, vitiligo, lichen planus...), infections (bacteria, viruses, fungi) and the most serious are systemic infections and poisoning.

Meanwhile, chronic complications appear several months to several years after tattooing and are divided into the following groups: typical or atypical tuberculosis infection; papulonodular rash; granulomatous reaction; scarring (keloids, pitted scars, unsightly scars) and even skin cancer.

The cause of infectious complications is usually due to the tattoo process not following sterile principles and the skin after tattooing not being properly cared for.

Complications due to inflammatory reactions are mainly due to allergies to the material and color of the tattoo ink. In some cases, the body already has autoimmune skin diseases that have not been treated well, such as psoriasis, vitiligo, etc.

In addition, scars after tattooing are due to the tattoo artist tattooing ink too deep into the skin, which is the inherent keloid condition of the tattooed person.

Advice for people planning to get a tattoo

Doctor Le Thao Hien recommends that people who want to get a tattoo should choose a reputable facility that has been licensed to operate. Avoid getting tattoos with too many ink colors, and avoid ink colors that can easily cause allergies such as red, orange, and purple.

If you have inflammatory - autoimmune skin diseases (psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, lichen...) or are suffering from skin infections, you must treat them before getting a tattoo.

After tattooing, you need to keep your skin clean, apply medicine to heal the skin and prevent infection. Avoid exposing the tattoo to direct sunlight for at least 1-2 months after tattooing. If you have any unusual symptoms, you need to see a dermatologist soon to treat complications.