Special Applications of Medical Tattooing: Contouring and 3D Exemplified by Tattooing of the Nailbed and the Gingiva.

Abstract

Medical tattooing aims to restore the normality of skin structures in patients who have skin diseases or suffer sequelae after surgical interventions or hazards. There are numerous applications, with tattooing of vitiligo and the nipple areola complex after breast cancer surgery as leading fields. The use of 3D or realistic tattoo techniques has increased the potential of medical tattooing and improved the aesthetic results. The tattooist must have good technical training combined with artistic and creative talents. In this chapter, two innovative applications of medical tattooing will be presented as examples, i.e. tattooing of the nailbed and the gingiva. Nailbed tattooing reconstructs the normal perception of the nailbed and the nail plate when the nails have previously been removed though a surgical procedure. Tattoo of the gingiva performed after a connective tissue implant of the gum is a new application. These treatments, approved by a physician and performed by a tattooist with proven experience in medical tattooing, also involve the use of specific color nuances that produce an extremely realistic outcome.