Tattoos and PDT: is there any contradiction?

Question

I have flesh coloured tattoos to help disguise white scars on my face. I also have tattooed eyebrows and lips. How will PDT with Metvix affect the tattoos?

Amy Y. Paul, DO, FAAD · Answer

Thanks for your question.  PDT is a completely different type of energy than the lasers used for tattoo removal, so there should be no problem getting your sun damage and AKs treated with PDT.  The blue light usually used for PDT is not going to see or target tattoo ink, and although you can have some swelling, pain, redness, ulceration and peeling, the tattoos should heal back up just fine.  I would run this question by your dermatologist in person just to be sure.  Best of luck!

Michael H. Swann, MD · Answer

PDT will only treat actinic keratoses in the skin. It does not treat normal healthy skin cells nor tattooed skin. There can be some short term inflammatory response post PDT which may alter the appearance of your tattoos short term. The severity of the reaction depends on the amount of actinic damage and incubation time. Also, the reaction under the tattoo depends on the amount of actinic damage in the skin under the tattoo. Once the inflammation from PDT resolves, then the appearance of the tattoos should return to normal.

Tattoos and PDT: is there any contradiction?

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