LOCAL ITCHING AND SWELLING THREE DAYS AFTER TATTOOING WITH YELLOW AND GREEN COLORS IN A YOUNG WOMEN, KNOWN TO BE CONTACT ALLERGIC TO ALUMINIUM

• Aim: To highlight the risk of local contact dermatitis from aluminum in a tattoo, a case report. Method: Observing an 18 years of age women seeking medical care three days after having tattooed a flower decoration on her right arm. Background: At the age of 10 she had problems with itching and eczema on her upper left arm after vaccination and in her armpits, when using deodorants. A dermatologist referred her to a patch test clinic on the suspicion of contact allergy to aluminum. The patch test showed a strong reaction (+++) to aluminum chloride hexahydrate 2, 0 % in petrolatum. Eight years later – on a Monday – she asked a tattoo parlor to make a four-colored decoration of her right arm. She asked them before if there were any aluminum in the tattoo and was reassured that this was not the case. The tattooing was done in black, red, yellow and green colors. On Thursday she had severe itching and swelling where there was yellow and green tattooing. She had no reaction at all where there were black or red colors. She was recommended local steroid application. Results: The itching continued for around a year. The yellow color was analysed and contained 960 microgram aluminum per gram. Conclusions: Individuals with an earlier subcutaneous itching nodule from vaccination could get long lasting contact dermatitis after a tattoo.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

aluminium

contact allergy

vaccine

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