TY - JOUR

T1 - Tattoos and skin barrier function

T2 - Measurements of TEWL, stratum corneum conductance and capacitance, pH, and filaggrin

AU - Nørreslet, Line Brok

AU - Serup, Jørgen

AU - Kezic, Sanja

AU - Engebretsen, Kristiane Aasen

AU - Thyssen, Jacob P.

AU - Agner, Tove

AU - Clausen, Maja Lisa

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - Background: Initially after tattooing, the skin barrier function is broken. However, the long-term impact of clinically healed tattoos on this has never been studied. The aim was to investigate the long-term effect on the skin barrier function in normal tattoos and examples of tattoos with chronic inflammatory complication. Methods: Participants were recruited from the “Tattoo clinic” of the Dermatological Department on Bispebjerg Hospital in Denmark, where patients with complicated tattoo reactions are treated. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), conductance, capacitance, and pH were measured in tattooed skin with regional control measurements in normal non-tattooed skin. Natural moisturizing factor (NMF) was measured in collected tape strips. Results: Twenty six individuals with 28 tattoos were included, that is, 23 normal tattoos without any pathologic reaction and 5 tattoos with chronic inflammatory complications. No significant differences were found in tattooed versus non-tattooed skin with respect to TEWL (median values 6.6 vs 7.2 g/m 2 /h), conductance (76 vs 78 a.u.), pH (5.94 vs 5.79), and NMF (0.58 vs 0.59 mmol/g protein). Capacitance (64 vs 57 a.u.) was higher in tattooed skin compared to non-tattooed skin (P = 0.006). Similar results were found in tattoos with inflammatory reactions. Conclusion: Overall, skin tattoos do not affect the long-term skin barrier function markedly. The skin capacitance was, however, affected in tattooed skin areas compared to non-tattooed skin areas.

AB - Background: Initially after tattooing, the skin barrier function is broken. However, the long-term impact of clinically healed tattoos on this has never been studied. The aim was to investigate the long-term effect on the skin barrier function in normal tattoos and examples of tattoos with chronic inflammatory complication. Methods: Participants were recruited from the “Tattoo clinic” of the Dermatological Department on Bispebjerg Hospital in Denmark, where patients with complicated tattoo reactions are treated. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), conductance, capacitance, and pH were measured in tattooed skin with regional control measurements in normal non-tattooed skin. Natural moisturizing factor (NMF) was measured in collected tape strips. Results: Twenty six individuals with 28 tattoos were included, that is, 23 normal tattoos without any pathologic reaction and 5 tattoos with chronic inflammatory complications. No significant differences were found in tattooed versus non-tattooed skin with respect to TEWL (median values 6.6 vs 7.2 g/m 2 /h), conductance (76 vs 78 a.u.), pH (5.94 vs 5.79), and NMF (0.58 vs 0.59 mmol/g protein). Capacitance (64 vs 57 a.u.) was higher in tattooed skin compared to non-tattooed skin (P = 0.006). Similar results were found in tattoos with inflammatory reactions. Conclusion: Overall, skin tattoos do not affect the long-term skin barrier function markedly. The skin capacitance was, however, affected in tattooed skin areas compared to non-tattooed skin areas.

KW - capacitance

KW - conductance

KW - filaggrin

KW - pH

KW - skin barrier function

KW - tattoo

KW - transepidermal water loss

U2 - 10.1111/srt.12664

DO - 10.1111/srt.12664

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 30600550

AN - SCOPUS:85059317320

VL - 25

SP - 382

EP - 388

JO - Skin Research and Technology

JF - Skin Research and Technology

SN - 0909-752X

IS - 3

ER -