Blue Macular Skin Lesions of Unknown Cause in a Tyre Factory Worker: A Case Report

摘要

This report describes the case of a 61 year old gentleman who developed blue macular skin lesions of unknown cause. Biopsy of the lesion showed pigment deposition in the dermis that had the appearance of tattoo pigment, but oddly the patient had never been tattooed in the past. Carbon black is a chemical which can be used to give blue tattoos their colour. The patient was exposed to carbon black in his job as a tyre maker and it may have accumulated in the dermis by an unknown route. An occupational exposure may be the cause of the skin lesions and this case may play a part in the identification of more cases and a confirmation of the true diagnosis.