A 29-year-old German man decided to get his tattoos removed from his chest and arms. During the removal of his tattoos, the doctors discovered a cancerous mole that was masked by the tattoo ink.
This procedure is done via laser treatment and may take years to complete. The duration of the treatment depends on the number of tattoos the person has.
Cancerous mole: Could it be Melanoma?
Usually, any such mole can be examined to decide whether it is cancerous or not. However, in this case, the tattoo ink had penetrated the mole. Thus, the doctors were not able to examine it properly.
“Sometimes, depending on the color of tattoo ink, it can make the mole look more irregular. You can’t see the borders clearly, and it may make something seem more or less dangerous “
SAID DR. DORIS DAY, A DERMATOLOGIST AT LENOX HILL HOSPITAL IN NEW YORK WHO WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE MAN’S CASE.
Removal of the mole
The doctors told the young man to get the mole removed immediately. They halted the tattoo removal treatment until the mole was removed.
However, despite their persistence, the man refused to get the mole removed. Finally, after prolonged insistence by his doctors, the man decided to get it removed surgically.
Biopsy
Like the doctors suspected, the mole was indeed a tumor, commonly known as “melanoma”. Thankfully, it had not spread to other parts of the body.
Doctor’s Recommendations
Doctors strongly advise to not get tattoos that cover or mask any part of a mole or any such abnormal entity on the skin. Moreover, if such a decision is made, a picture of it should be taken prior to getting the tattoo on that area. This would assist any doctor that examines it in the future.
“For people who want their tattoos removed, the skin should be examined as thoroughly as possible for hidden pigmented lesions and if a suspicious mole is found, it should be biopsied before laser removal is performed.”
HE RESEARCHERS SAID IN THEIR REPORT
