Addressing tattoo removal ethics for patients with coerced tattoos

Isabella J Tan; Tarek Zieneldien; Sophia Ma; Janice Kim; Jane M Grant-Kels

doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2026.02.014

Addressing tattoo removal ethics for patients with coerced tattoos

J Am Acad Dermatol. 2026 Feb 10:S0190-9622(26)00178-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2026.02.014. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Isabella J Tan¹, Tarek Zieneldien², Sophia Ma², Janice Kim³, Jane M Grant-Kels⁴

Affiliations

¹ Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
² Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
³ Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, East Lansing, Michigan.
⁴ Department of Dermatology, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut; Department of Dermatology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Electronic address: grant@uchc.edu.

PMID: 41679552
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2026.02.014

No abstract available

Keywords: Ethics; access to care; cosmetic dermatology; dermatologic ethics; health disparities; health equity; institutional support; laser therapy; physician advocacy; public health intervention; social determinants of health; social justice in medicine; stigma reduction; tattoo removal.

Publication types

Letter