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Allergic Reaction to Mercury Occurring in Tattoo. Presented by Dr. Max Wolff and (by invitation) by Dr. Chester M. Sidell.
L. M., a youth aged 17, was tattooed in June, 1953, on the volar surface of the right forearm with blue and red pigment. After healing, the red portion of the tattoo continued to be thickened.
There is thickening with slight induration of the skin in the areas that are tattooed with red pigment.
The patient was aware that he was sensitive to mercury, but he did not know cinnabar contains mercury. He is presented for therapeutic suggestions.
DISCUSSION
Dr. Gordon Ekblad (by invitation): In the Navy we see many tattoos with an occasional allergic reaction to the red dye. I had seen no reaction to other dyes until last month, when I observed a reaction to green pigment, but as the man was not sensitive to the patch