Allergic reactions to tattoos are amongst the most common side effects occurring with this permanent deposition of pigments into the dermal skin layer. The characterization of such pigments and their distribution has been investigated in recent decades. The health impact of tattoo equipment on the extensive number of people with inked skin has been the focus of neither research nor medical diagnostics. Although tattoo needles contain high amounts of sensitizing elements like nickel (Ni) and chromium (Cr), their influence on metal deposition in skin has never been investigated. Here, we report the deposition of nano- and micrometer sized tattoo needle wear particles in human skin that translocate to lymph nodes. Usually tattoo needles contain nickel (6–8%) and chromium (15–20%) both of which prompt a high rate of sensitization in the general population. As verified in pig skin, wear significantly increased upon tattooing with the suspected abrasive titanium dioxide white when compared to carbon black pigment. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy of the tattoo needle revealed a high wear after tattooing with ink containing titanium dioxide. The investigation of a skin biopsy obtained from a nickel sensitized patient with type IV allergy toward a tattoo showed both wear particles and iron pigments contaminated with nickel. Previously, the virtually inevitable nickel contamination of iron pigments was suspected to be responsible for nickel-driven tattoo allergies. The evidence from our study clearly points to an additional entry of nickel to both skin and lymph nodes originating from tattoo needle wear with an as yet to be assessed impact on tattoo allergy formation and systemic sensitization.

中文翻译：

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纹身针磨损中含镍和铬的颗粒在人体中的分布及其对过敏反应的可能影响

对纹身的过敏反应是色素永久沉积到真皮层中最常见的副作用之一。近几十年来，人们对此类颜料的表征及其分布进行了研究。纹身设备对大量皮肤有纹身的人的健康影响既不是研究的焦点，也不是医学诊断的焦点。尽管纹身针含有大量镍（Ni）和铬（Cr）等敏化元素，但它们对皮肤金属沉积的影响从未被研究过。在这里，我们报告了人体皮肤中纳米和微米大小的纹身针磨损颗粒的沉积，这些颗粒易位到淋巴结。通常纹身针含有镍 (6-8%) 和铬 (15-20%)，这两种元素都会导致普通人群的过敏率很高。正如在猪皮中所证实的，与炭黑颜料相比，使用可疑的磨料二氧化钛白进行纹身时，磨损显着增加。此外，扫描电子显微镜显示纹身针在使用含有二氧化钛的墨水进行纹身后磨损严重。对一名对纹身有 IV 型过敏的镍过敏患者进行的皮肤活检进行的调查显示，磨损颗粒和铁颜料均被镍污染。此前，铁颜料几乎不可避免的镍污染被怀疑是镍驱动的纹身过敏的原因。我们的研究证据清楚地表明，由于纹身针磨损，镍会额外进入皮肤和淋巴结，对纹身过敏形成和全身致敏的影响尚未评估。