What is a traumatic tattoo?

When motorists get into car crashes, they have a possibility of suffering from what is called a traumatic tattoo. Motorcyclists in particular are at risk of this happening due to their lack of protection, but it can happen to anyone.

What exactly is a traumatic tattoo? What are the medical repercussions associated with them?

Defining traumatic tattoo types

As the National Library of Medicine states, traumatic tattoos can have a serious impact on a person’s health and mental wellness. These so-called tattoos are the scarring or embedding of foreign material that occurs after accidents, such as car crashes or explosions.

Road rashes are a type of traumatic tattoo, which occurs when the outer layers or even deeper layers of flesh end up shredded and torn away by friction contact with the rough road.

How do you deal with these injuries?

When dealing with this type of injury, it is also common for debris to end up embedded within the wound. In some cases, if the debris is lodged too deeply or cannot be removed safely, it may remain within the tissue and show discoloration through the skin, hence the comparison to tattoos.

Quick removal of debris is important, though. While it is not always possible, medical staff can often take care of it through abrasive cleaning measures in the emergency room.

Traumatic tattoos take a lot of time and care to heal properly. During this time, it is important to keep an eye out for potential issues like infections. Some people may also face the possibility of needing a skin graft to help aid in healing and reduce infection chances.