Thin tangential excision of tattoos.

BACKGROUND

There are many techniques used to remove professional tattoos. Each method can be complicated by hypertrophic scarring, pigmentary changes, and/or insufficient pigment removal.

OBJECTIVE

To study the results of precise, thin, tangential excisions of professional tattoos. The posttreatment migration of dermal tattoo pigment was also evaluated.

METHODS

Five healthy white males had their professionally placed tattoos excised at a depth of 0.008 in (0.2 mm) using a Brown dermatome. Pre- and posttreatment biopsies were used to measure the depth of the tattoo pigment.

RESULTS

At 3 months posttreatment, four patients had no significant scarring and three patients retained only scattered flecks of tattoo pigment. Each patients demonstrated migration of the deeper dermal pigment to a more superficial level.

CONCLUSION

A superficial, tangential excision of a professional tattoo by a Brown dermatome is a viable, low-risk, inexpensive procedure.