Histopathological findings in blepharopigmentation (eyelid tattoo).

We treated three patients with implantation of iron oxide pigment into the margin of the lateral eyelid followed by excision of that region 1 hour later in one patient, 5 days later in the second and 18 months later in the third. Histopathological examination of the specimens obtained 1 hour and 5 days after tattooing revealed persistence of the pigment implant as free granules in the epidermis and dermis. In the specimen resected 18 months after tattooing most of the residual pigment was found within macrophages in the dermis and focally in the endomysial connective tissue of the superficial orbicularis oculi muscle. There were no substantial deleterious effects on the treated tissues.