Motivation for tattoo removal

Do young women with tattoos have lower self-esteem and body image than their peers without tattoos? A non-verbal repertory grid technique approach

Available evidence regarding the reasons for people to acquire body markers such as tattoos is contradictory. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between self-esteem and body image in young women with tattoos. To this end, the repertory grid technique (RGT) was adapted and used to assess differences between women with and without tattoos in terms of self-esteem and body image. Sixty young women with tattoos and sixty young women without (all aged 18-35 years), performed the Color RGT in order to evaluate the relationship between self-esteem and body image. Compared to women without tattoos, women with tattoos showed significantly lower self-esteem and displayed stronger relationships between three constructs: ideal body, ideal self and tattooed woman status. No significant differences in body image were detected between the two groups. Women with tattoos were characterized by an association between body image and self-esteem, while women without tattoos did not display such a correlation. Thus, it appears that links between self-esteem, ideal body, ideal self and constructs of "woman with tattoos" may play a role in tattooing behavior in young women.

Tattoo Practices in North-East India: A Hospital-based Cross-sectional Study

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.

Tattooing: profile and discourse of individuals with marks in the body

BACKGROUNDS

Tattooing is an atavist and diffuse phenomenon of interest to various areas of knowledge. Its practice by specific groups such as prisoners and psychiatric patients has turned it into a stigma.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the discourse of tattooed individuals about the discrimination and the construction of stigmas resulting from marks in the body.

METHODS

42 individuals were interviewed and the data were analyzed.

RESULTS

The profile of the participants was as follows: most were women; with 2 to 4 tattoos; who were about 23 years old when they got their first tattoo; with an undergraduate degree; who viewed tattooing as a trend; who did not report any important fact that made them get a tattoo; who classified the pain of getting a tattoo as tolerable, who stated that never felt discriminated and never felt the need to hide the tattoos; who find that tattoos make them more sexually attractive; who do not view tattooing as a form of cultural resistance; who said they would not have done it if they believed it caused them professional problems; who stated that they were not drunk when they got the tattoos; who said they were not habitual drugs users, who believed that tattooing is a form of expression and aesthetic sense.

CONCLUSION

A difference between the discourse of tattooed individuals and their acts was observed in relation to the social context. In addition, there has been an important shift in the meaning of the practice to tattooed individuals.

Tattoo ink darkening of a yellow tattoo after Q-switched laser treatment

The popularity of tattoos is burgeoning with 20-30 million tattooed individuals in the Western World. Requests for removal can be expected to rise concurrently with increased applications. Laser removal of tattoos is potentially a more cosmetically acceptable method of removing tattoos than surgical excision or dermabrasion. Nevertheless, complications and side-effects can result from laser treatment and include scarring, hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, partial removal, infection, bleeding and tattoo ink darkening. The latter has been reported for flesh-toned and red tattoos. Such a complication has never been reported for the laser treatment of a yellow tattoo in the dermatological literature. We describe a case of tattoo ink darkening of a yellow tattoo after treatment with the 532 nm quality-switched Neodymium : Ytrrium-Aluminium Garnet laser to highlight clinicopathological features. The mechanism by which some tattoos darken after laser treatment is not clearly understood. We review darkening of tattoos after laser treatment to raise awareness of this important complication. This paper will help to facilitate discussions with the patient and in obtaining informed consent prior to commencing treatment. Tattoo ink darkening of a yellow tattoo adds to the growing list of complications resulting from attempts at tattoo removal.

Tattoos as risk factors for transfusion-transmitted diseases

BACKGROUND

Several infectious diseases have been found to be associated with tattooing, including some transfusion-transmitted diseases (TTDs). Information on tattooing has been included in screening interviews of prospective blood donors and may be a reason for deferral.

METHODS

Review of articles identified through Medline (and other computerized data bases) using medical subject heading (MeSH) terms and textwords for "tattooing," "transfusion", "hepatitis", "human immunodeficiency virus", "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome", "syphilis", "Chagas disease", "infection", "risk factors", and their combinations.

RESULTS

There is strong evidence for the transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and syphilis by tattooing. Tattooing may also transmit the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), although convincing evidence is still lacking. There is little or no evidence that other TTDs can be transmitted by tattooing. Epidemiologic studies to date have shown a large variation in odds ratio estimates of the association between tattooing and HBV, HCV, and HIV infections.

CONCLUSION

Further studies are required to clarify the risk of tattoos in transmitting infectious diseases through blood transfusions. A reassessment of tattoos as a screening criterion among blood donors is justified.

Appearance, cosmetics, and body art in adolescents

Appearance in adolescents is a means of communication, a language expressing self identity. Teenagers explore fashions to make personal statements. Teenagers are significant consumers of various toiletry and skin care products that fill their cleansing, hydrating, and photoprotective needs. They also are enthusiastic consumers of products aimed at adolescent fads, such as decorative hair and nail cosmetics. For some teenagers, the expression of individualism is achieved through body art, such as tattooing and body piercing. Areas of concern are the lack of motivation for sun protection and the risky behavior associated with body piercing and tattooing.

Cosmetics, skin care, and appearance in teenagers

Adolescence is a period of tremendous transformation in the appearance of the body and the evolution of the mind that will eventually lead to adulthood. "Yesterday's child" will need to assume and exert control over these changes. Therefore his/her appearance becomes a means of communication, a language to express his/her pursuit of self-identity. The cosmetic industry has identified teenagers as "powerful" consumers, and offers them various toiletry and skin care products that should fulfill their needs, such as cleansing, hydrating, and photoprotective agents. Certain decorative cosmetics, especially for hair and nails, are attractive to them also. For some teenagers, the expression of individualism is through body art such as tattooing and body piercing. Areas of concern are the lack of motivation for sun protection and the risky behavior associated with body piercing and tattooing.