[Dirt tattooing following an explosion in a chemistry class].

Traumatic tattooing following an explosion can generally be removed by rubbing with a hard-bristle handbrush within 48 h after the accident occurs. This measure failed, however, in the case of a pupil with extensively dispersed granular material in the face. The patient had mixed approximately 5 g of potassium permanganate and red phosphorus together during a chemistry lesson (!), thereby causing an explosion. A conservative treatment of applying compresses moistened with a sodium bicarbonate solution led to healing without scars.