Journal of

Background and Aim: One of the most important pathologies of tattooing is granulomatous reaction to the tattoo which is usually represented by symptoms like pain, inflation, redness and tenderness at the tattoo area. Granulomatous reaction to tattoo occurs at all ages and has been seen among both male and female. Due to the new rise in popularity of cosmetic tattoos and its pathologies, we intend to explore a descriptive study of the demographic and histopathologic characteristics of the granulomatous reactions due to cosmetic tattoos.
 

Methods: Razi hospital patients with proven tattoo granuloma pathology in a 3-year period were identified and studied and their demographic-histological characteristics were recorded. The study is of a cross-sectional type. 196 patients were enrolled in the study, a questionnaire was prepared for each patient and information was collected through them. 
 

Results: The mean ± standard deviation age of the patients was 45.46±8.54. The mean ± standard deviation tattoo time was 4.18±4.33. The mean ± standard deviation frequency of tattooing was 1.64±1.8. The most common tattoo area was eyebrow in 88.3% of the patients and least common was upper eyelid in 0.6%. The most common pathology result was tattoo granuloma in 41.7% of the patients and the least common was Lichenoid in 2.8%.
 

Conclusion: Considering the highest frequency of pathological diagnosis of tattoo-granuloma (Sarcoidal and foreign body) with 41.7% in our study and observing the relationship between tattoo-granuloma and sarcoidosis in previous studies, complete examination of patients, long-term follow-up of patients which will have sarcoidosis in the future and examining the clinical response to treatment seems logical and beneficial. It is also important to consider whether the treatment of current lesions will play a role in preventing sarcoidosis in the future or not.