Hospitalized for skin damage after tattooing both legs

Recently, the Central Dermatology Hospital examined and treated a male patient, nearly 30 years old, with symptoms of local infection such as swelling, redness, and oozing fluid in the left calf area, accompanied by a hard nodule under the skin at the location of the red tattoo. The patient had severe pain and itching at the skin lesion.

Medical history showed that the patient had gone to a tattoo facility in Hanoi in early February 2025. Just one week after getting both legs tattooed, the patient began to experience itching and burning in the red tattoo area, while the black and blue tattoo areas did not have this symptom.

Because of the itching and discomfort, the patient scratched, rubbed, and soaked his calves in leaf water. The injury became more and more severe, forcing him to go to the Central Dermatology Hospital for examination and treatment.

After examining and performing some tests to assess the condition of the injury, Dr. Duong Thi Thuy Quynh, Department of Treatment of Male Skin Diseases, Central Dermatology Hospital, diagnosed the patient with allergic contact dermatitis due to tattoo ink allergy, with secondary infection.

Although the patient's condition was not too serious, this is a fairly common complication after tattooing. Importantly, this complication can be completely prevented or detected early if there is proper examination and consultation beforehand. After a few days of treatment and intensive care, the skin damage has improved significantly, the patient feels less itchy and sore, the tattooed area also begins to dry and recover better.

Master, Doctor Pham Dinh Hoa, Deputy Head of the Department of Treatment of Men's Skin Diseases, Central Dermatology Hospital, said that cosmetic tattooing on body areas is a legitimate need, especially when it is aimed at expressing personality and personal aesthetics. However, this is an invasive procedure and has many potential risks.

Common complications after tattooing include allergic contact dermatitis or an irritant reaction to the tattoo ink, manifested by redness, swelling, itching or burning at the tattoo site.

In addition, if sterile conditions are not ensured, patients may experience local infection with clinical signs such as swelling, heat, redness, pain, progressing to pus or forming a subcutaneous abscess if not treated promptly. The histopathological reactions caused by side effects of tattoos are very diverse, the most common of which is lichenoid inflammatory reaction. Other reactions that may occur include eczematous dermatitis, pseudolymphoma, and sclerodermatoid reactions.

Dr. Hoa also recommends that people who want to get a tattoo should choose licensed facilities, with practitioners who have appropriate certificates, high expertise and a lot of experience in this field. The procedure must also be carried out under strict sterile conditions, the tools used in the tattoo process must be cleaned, sterilized and stored according to standards to ensure the safety of the user's health, prevent and minimize post-tattoo complications such as the risk of infection and complications related to the tattoo process.

Ngoc Nga

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/nhap-vien-vi-ton-thuong-da-sau-khi-xam-kin-hai-cang-chan-post545705.html