Clinical Observations on Cosmetic Ocular Tatooing

ABSTRACT

To investigate the present status with its side effect of ocular tatooing for cosmetic purpose in our country, 150 patients with the eyelid and eyebrow tatooing who visited my clinic from July 1986 to October 1988 were enrolled in this study. Six patients who complained the early complications after the cosmetic tatooing were included in the tatooing group, and 150 patients without the tatooing were used as a control group for the statistical study. The following results were obtained 1. The ages tatooed ranged from 19 to 68 years old age with the mean age of 39.65 +/- 9.46 years. Fourth and fifth decades consited of 76% of the total subjects tatooed. 2. At their first visit, blepharitis, external hordeolum, pingueculitis, subconjunctival hemorrhage and keratitis were more statistically frequent than the control gruop(p<0.05), but chalazion was not so. 3. Cosmetic tatooing was gradually noted after 1984 and was most frequently performed in 1986(41%). Thereafter, it reduced from 1987(35%) until now. 4. One half was tatooed once and 1 to 3 times of tatooing were added for the remainder. 5. Ninetyseven % of tatooing was done by non-medical doctor in beauty parlor or the other places excluding the hospital, and only 3% was performed by medical doctor in the hospital. 6. Eyelid tatiooing was noted in 96% of the total subjects tatooed and eyebrow tatooing was shown in over half of them(53%). 7. Early complication of the tatooing was confirmed by history taking in 29% of the total subjects tatooed, which consited of lid swelling(23%), subcutaneous hemorrhage of lid(4%), itching sensation(2%) and conjunctival redness(1%). Clinical Observations on Cosmetic Ocular Tatooing Six patients were treated for one to 10 days for the early complication of tatooing under the diagnosis of lid edema(100%), keratitis(83%), subcutaneous hemorrhage of lid(50%), blepharititis(33%), conjunctivitis(33%), corneal abrasion(33%) and conjunctival foreign body(17%). 8. Thirtysix % out of the patients confirmed by history taking was regretful after the cosmetic tatooing.