Tattoo Practices of College Students

This study examined a number of aspects related to the tattoo practices of college students. The subjects consisted of 407 undergraduate college students enrolled in two different mid sized southern institutes of higher education. Subjects completed a survey questionnaire that provided information regarding their tattoo experience. The survey asked questions such as: do you have a permanent tattoo on your body, age of first tattoo, locations of tattoo, description and significance of tattoo image, was alcohol related to the tattoo experience, was it painful, concerns about disease or infection, regrets or having considered removal of tattoo, and will you get another tattoo? If the subject indicated they did not have a permanent tattoo they were asked if they thought they would ever get one. Of the 407 subjects, 31% indicated that they did have a permanent tattoo on their body. Of those subjects with a tattoo, only 7.7% indicated that drinking alcohol was associated with their tattoo experience and 52% of all subjects indicated that getting their tattoo was painful. Drinking did not have an influence on the perception of pain as those drinking were evenly distributed between the pain and no pain groups. Concern about disease or infection was seen in 25% of the subjects while 14% expressed regrets about getting a tattoo. Over 81% of the sujects said that if they could do it over again they would still get their tattoo, while 12% indicated they had considered removal of their tattoo. Over 64% of subjects indicated they planned on getting another tattoo. Of those subjects who did not have a tattoo, 31% indicated that they might get one in the future.