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Case Reports
. 2023 Jun 19;15(6):e40640.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.40640. eCollection 2023 Jun.

An Atypical Migration Pattern of Tattoo Pigment

Emily M Cao  1 , Mckenzie DiLeo  1 , Emelie E Nelson  1 , Morgan A Rousseau  2 , Rashid M Rashid  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

An Atypical Migration Pattern of Tattoo Pigment

Emily M Cao et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Unwanted diffusion of pigment past the original margins of a tattoo, termed "tattoo blowout," appears as a blurred rim classically surrounding the original tattoo borders. The darkened skin is visibly noted within hours to days following the tattooing procedure. Although this complication is not largely covered in literature, in prior cases, blowout has been shown to occur in areas of thin skin such as the dorsum of the foot. We present a rare presentation of tattoo blowout in a possible gravity-dependent pattern of pigment migration, occurring years after tattoo application. This atypical presentation highlights the knowledge gap that exists in the medical literature surrounding the mechanism of tattoo blowout and reinforces that physicians should be aware of these potentially poor aesthetic outcomes.

Keywords: tattoo; tattoo blowout; tattoo complication; tattoo pigment spread; tattoo removal.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Dorsal left foot with pigment migration from the inferior tattoo border
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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