Reasons behind the ink

Abstract

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.