Background: Skin tattooing and cosmetic eyebrow definition and reshaping (micropigmentation) have been growing exponentially in popularity. The pigment used in these procedures can activate the skin's inflammatory response, promoting the formation of pathologic scars.
Objective: To carry out a systematic review of the literature on this topic and report a case of pathologic scarring on the eyebrows after micropigmentation.
Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guideline in the MEDLINE, Lilacs, and SciELO databases using the keywords "scar; scar, hypertrophic; eyebrows; pigmentation; skin pigmentation; coloring agents; tattooing" and their synonyms.
Results: The systematic literature review did not identify any study reporting pathologic scarring on eyebrows after micropigmentation. This is likely because eyebrow pathology is uncommon, although these results are limited by the comprehensiveness of the systematic review. The case of a 50-year-old woman undergoing eyebrow micropigmentation who presented with hypertrophic scarring after the procedure is also reported.
Conclusions: Eyebrow micropigmentation may be a risk factor for pathologic scarring, but further research is needed.