Laser Irradiation of Organic Tattoo Pigments Releases Carcinogens with 3,30-Dichlorobenzidine Inducing DNA Strand Breaks in Human Skin Cells

Laser irradiation is the most common way to remove unwanted tattoos where nowadays primarily organic pigments are used for brilliant color shades. In vitro-methods are widely used to investigate genotoxicity in terms of DNA double strand breaks (DSB) and concurrent genome instability, both of which are crucial events during cancer development. The authors demonstrated the formation of hazardous substances after laser treatment of tattoo pigments and raised concern regarding the release of locally and systemically acting genotoxic carcinogens by tattoo laser removal of organic pigments.

The article was published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

Laser Irradiation of Organic Tattoo Pigments Releases Carcinogens with 3,30-Dichlorobenzidine Inducing DNA Strand Breaks in Human Skin Cells
Henrik Hering, Anja Yu Sung, Nadine Röder, Christoph Hutzler, Hans-Peter Berlien, Peter Laux, Andreas Luch, Ines Schreiver

Journal of Investigative Dermatology
20 June 2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2018.05.031
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2018.05.031