Emerging virus diseases are a major threat to humans and public health. Over the past two decades, there has been mounting interest in the increasing number of viruses causing unexpected illnesses and epidemics among humans. Emerging diseases also include as yet unrecognisable infections, or a previously recognised infection that has expanded into new ecological niche often accompanied by a significant change in pathogenicity. In the wake of these discoveries, the need for stronger infection prevention measures for personal services such as tattooing and cosmetic tattooing procedures needs to be revisited and re-established through more rigorous measures. This study provides an overview of some of the more common viruses and highlights their covert and sometimes non-symptomatic nature that tattooing practitioners need to be mindful of. It also presents precautionary measures that practitioners must take to protect against cross-contamination through infection prevention protocols. This study also looks at the importance of education and updates in education and the role of mandatory regulations.
Perception of skin color in the natural state, or with tattoo pigment installed in the dermis is highly complex and includes both optical requisites and eye and brain functions connected to advanced cognitive and psychological functions. Permanent makeup (PMU) is miniaturized tattooing on critical anatomical location aiming at fulfilment of a person's esthetic ideal. It is a special challenge since a satisfactory outcome depends on perfectionated technique and very critical selection of pigments. The eye can be compared to a digital camera, and the center of central vision in the brain to a computer and color integrator. Color perception is the end product of a complicated brain function. The background theory of color physics and perception is reviewed with emphasis on aspects related to changed skin color created by pigment installed in the dermis with the purpose to tattoo eyebrows, eyeliners, lips, and other locations. The delicate dosing of pigment relative to the natural skin tone is highlighted. The review is relevant for all aspects of PMU including medical tattooing, e.g., areola tattooing after breast cancer surgery. A detailed guidance to PMU artists and medical tattooists on selection and use of tattoo inks and pigments is provided. The guidance is also relevant to laser surgeons and technicians performing tattoo removal.
The European Union for Standardization called CEN (Comité Européen de Nomalization), as a result of the project named CEN/TC-435 in January 2020, released a new hygiene standard for tattooing as a non-binding recommendation on safe tattoo practice in Europe, ready for national implementation. It describes hygienic standards for facilities, instruments, tattoo ink handling, and tattoo procedures. Informed consent is included. It is generic and covers all sorts of tattooing. Medical tattooing is performed in hospitals, private clinics, and in tattoo parlors. Hospitals have their own settings and hygiene standards. The article describes practical challenges of medical tattooing performed in hospital settings, with medical tattooing performed in parlors as the reference, with respect to adherence to hygiene standards of different background and nature. It is a challenge possible to overcome in practice. The specialized field of medical tattooing is also visited, and indications and precautions described.
Cosmetic tattoos are in the same family as medical tattoos and conventional cosmetic care and fall within the overall concept of body modification. Each discipline has its own segment of users and its own techniques and professional providers. However, they all serve the higher aim of shaping the skin and the body and improving image and self-esteem.
Microblading is a rapidly expanding technique in cosmetic and medical tattooing, used for eyebrow correction and conditions of hair loss. Tattooing is performed by hand using a special blade; tiny cuts in the outer skin are filled with dark pigment to simulate a natural hair. Indications, the technique, and the microblading procedure step-by-step are considered in what follows. Details on client selection and a range of pitfalls are discussed. The leading application of microblading is cosmetic tattooing of the eyebrows adding pigmented "hairstrokes" to the natural brow area. Tattooed "hairstrokes" fade in color over months and a repeated "touch up" procedure may be required. Pretreatment with laser removal of tattoos of the past may be indicated when a client requests a "touch up" with another brow in another style, shape, or extension. Microblading carries the risk of scarring. The combination with conventional machine-driven needle tattooing for background shading the skin of the brow is also discussed. Microblading is also used as a corrective intervention in a range of dermatological and medical conditions. Having grown exponentially for cosmetic purpose in the first phase of microblading parallel to acquired refinement, the method is now mature and ready to make further progress on medical indication in the coming second phase. The medical community should welcome this opportunity for supplementary correction with restoration of the normal brow anatomy added to other achievements in dermatological and medical therapy.
