Reasons Behind the Ink
Historically, tattoos have been used for therapeutic practices and as signs of social status in primitive cultures. In this study, we sought to develop a greater understanding of the reasons individuals choose to get tattoos. Three hundred sixty-three patients with at least 1 tattoo from among our clinic patients volunteered to complete an 18-question, multiple-choice survey. Questions focused on level of education, family background, and reason for getting a tattoo, among other factors.
Practice Points
- Individuals who get tattoos often are more educated and well informed than previously thought, more likely leading them to seek removal if desired.
- Our results indicate that tattoos are not regretted as often as previously speculated.
Comment
Although ancient tattoos were used for therapeutic purposes, this study revealed that tattoos are now obtained by individuals with higher levels of education to remember a loved one or purely for enjoyment. The potential health risks associated with getting a tattoo did not deter the respondents in this study. Converse to the popular belief that individuals are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol when getting a tattoo, our study found that only 6% of respondents were under the influence. A comparable trend was found among US military service members in a similar study.3 The majority of respondents did not regret their tattoos and did not report taking a mind-altering substance. Tattoos serve as a symbol of one’s proud individualism.3 However, a 2001 study found a correlation between greater use of alcohol and marijuana among college students with tattoos and piecings.4 These circumstances may lead patients to seek consultation from a dermatologist for tattoo removal. Therefore, it is important to have a better understanding of this particular patient population to facilitate care in an efficient manner.
Evaluation of the gender and race of survey respondents would be useful in the future. Financial status of respondents also may be explored, as wealth and status were used by the ancient Egyptians to determine who could get a tattoo. A follow-up analysis on removal of tattoos also will be explored in the future.
