Tattoo practices in north-east India: A hospital-based cross-sectional study

Binod Kumar Thakur

12 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery

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Tattoo and Body Piercing Complications Suicide and Self-Harm Studies Dermatologic Treatments and Research

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Tattooing has become increasingly popular, particularly among young people. However, little is known about the tattoo practices in North-East India. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to know the reasons and motivations of tattoo application and tattoo removal in individuals asking for tattoo removal. The secondary objective was to identify the demography, methods and safety of tattoo practices in these tattooed individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out in 212 consecutive individuals seeking tattoo removal. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were performed for intergroup comparisons. RESULTS: There were 178 (84%) males and 34 (16%) females. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age of individuals seeking tattoo removal was 21.8 ± 4 years. The mean ± SD age of doing tattoo was 15.8 ± 3 years. Most individuals possessed an amateur tattoo (94.3%), 4.2% a professional one and 1.4% had a combination. Sewing needle was the most common instrument used for making tattoos in 51.4%. The individuals made their tattoos in an unsterile manner in 49.1%. The most common reason for doing tattoo was for fashion in 87.7%. The participants wanted tattoo removal to qualify for jobs, especially in armed forces in 49.5% and due to regret in 21.7%. Black was the most preferred colour in 37.3% followed by green in 28.3%. The fabric ink was the choice of ink in maximum number of individuals, i.e. 93.9%. LIMITATIONS: It was a hospital-based study done only on individuals seeking tattoo removal. It needs caution to generalise the findings in population. In addition, there may be recall bias in the participants. CONCLUSION: The tattoo was done mostly below 18 years of age in a crude unsterile way. The individuals had poor risk perceptions about various infections and complications of tattooing. There is an urgent need to caution and educate the youngsters and school-going children about safe tattooing and consequences of tattooing.

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References

2006Tattoos and body piercings in the United States: A national data set 2010Tattoo inks contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that additionally generate deleterious singlet oxygen 2015Complications of tattoos and tattoo removal: Stop and think before you ink 2008Motivation for Contemporary Tattoo Removal 1996Motivation for Tattoo Removal 1999Reasons for requesting laser removal of unwanted tattoos 2015Tattoo ink nanoparticles in skin tissue and fibroblasts 1996Amateur tattooing practices and beliefs among high school adolescents

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