Tattoo Regret, Complications, and Removal: A Cross-Sectional Study among Tattooed Individuals in Saudi Arabia

Background. A tattoo is a pigment permanently deposited into the skin to create different patterns. The worldwide percentage of tattooed individuals, as well as the level of tattoo regret, complications, and removal, has increased. However, data from Saudi Arabia are lacking. Objective. To determine...

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Main Authors: Hadeel Mitwalli, Nuha Alfurayh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-01-01
Series:Dermatology Research and Practice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5673785
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author Hadeel Mitwalli
Nuha Alfurayh
author_facet Hadeel Mitwalli
Nuha Alfurayh
author_sort Hadeel Mitwalli
collection DOAJ
description Background. A tattoo is a pigment permanently deposited into the skin to create different patterns. The worldwide percentage of tattooed individuals, as well as the level of tattoo regret, complications, and removal, has increased. However, data from Saudi Arabia are lacking. Objective. To determine the rates of tattoo regret, complications, and removal among tattooed individuals in Saudi Arabia. Methods. A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A link to the survey was distributed through social media and contained twenty questions about participants’ demographics, tattoo practices, regret, removal, and complications. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. A total of 181 tattooed individuals participated in the study. Most of them were females (95.6%), and 76.7% had their first tattoo at an age over eighteen years. A total of 47.5% had one tattoo session, and the most common body site was the eyebrows (57.5%). Fifty-eight percent regretted their tattoo, and 42.5% attempted to remove it. Upper extremity tattoos were significantly associated with regret (72.3%) (P=0.004) and removal (56.9%) (P=0.003). Tattoo removal was mostly due to cultural reasons (74%). Local itching (32%), pain (22.7%), and infection (10.5%) were reported and associated with tattoo regret (P<0.05). Itching was significant in 65.4% of head and neck tattoos and 41.5% of upper extremity tattoos (P<0.05). Participants were aware that laser is the best method for tattoo removal. Conclusion. Among tattooed individuals in Saudi Arabia, the rate of tattoo regret and removal is high, and the most reported complication is pruritus.
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spelling doaj-art-a125456665554d6990164200c5bdfabc2025-02-03T07:23:36ZengWileyDermatology Research and Practice1687-61132024-01-01202410.1155/2024/5673785Tattoo Regret, Complications, and Removal: A Cross-Sectional Study among Tattooed Individuals in Saudi ArabiaHadeel Mitwalli0Nuha Alfurayh1Department of DermatologyDepartment of DermatologyBackground. A tattoo is a pigment permanently deposited into the skin to create different patterns. The worldwide percentage of tattooed individuals, as well as the level of tattoo regret, complications, and removal, has increased. However, data from Saudi Arabia are lacking. Objective. To determine the rates of tattoo regret, complications, and removal among tattooed individuals in Saudi Arabia. Methods. A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A link to the survey was distributed through social media and contained twenty questions about participants’ demographics, tattoo practices, regret, removal, and complications. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. A total of 181 tattooed individuals participated in the study. Most of them were females (95.6%), and 76.7% had their first tattoo at an age over eighteen years. A total of 47.5% had one tattoo session, and the most common body site was the eyebrows (57.5%). Fifty-eight percent regretted their tattoo, and 42.5% attempted to remove it. Upper extremity tattoos were significantly associated with regret (72.3%) (P=0.004) and removal (56.9%) (P=0.003). Tattoo removal was mostly due to cultural reasons (74%). Local itching (32%), pain (22.7%), and infection (10.5%) were reported and associated with tattoo regret (P<0.05). Itching was significant in 65.4% of head and neck tattoos and 41.5% of upper extremity tattoos (P<0.05). Participants were aware that laser is the best method for tattoo removal. Conclusion. Among tattooed individuals in Saudi Arabia, the rate of tattoo regret and removal is high, and the most reported complication is pruritus.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5673785
spellingShingle Hadeel Mitwalli
Nuha Alfurayh
Tattoo Regret, Complications, and Removal: A Cross-Sectional Study among Tattooed Individuals in Saudi Arabia
Dermatology Research and Practice
title Tattoo Regret, Complications, and Removal: A Cross-Sectional Study among Tattooed Individuals in Saudi Arabia
title_full Tattoo Regret, Complications, and Removal: A Cross-Sectional Study among Tattooed Individuals in Saudi Arabia
title_fullStr Tattoo Regret, Complications, and Removal: A Cross-Sectional Study among Tattooed Individuals in Saudi Arabia
title_full_unstemmed Tattoo Regret, Complications, and Removal: A Cross-Sectional Study among Tattooed Individuals in Saudi Arabia
title_short Tattoo Regret, Complications, and Removal: A Cross-Sectional Study among Tattooed Individuals in Saudi Arabia
title_sort tattoo regret complications and removal a cross sectional study among tattooed individuals in saudi arabia
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5673785
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AT nuhaalfurayh tattooregretcomplicationsandremovalacrosssectionalstudyamongtattooedindividualsinsaudiarabia