Abstract

NEGLIA, V; ALOISE, MM; JOFRE, M  and  ABELDANO, A. Tattoos: anthropologic and social review of 193 patients in a public hospital of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Rev. argent. dermatol. [online]. 2021, vol.102, n.2, pp.21-30. ISSN 1851-300X.

Background: the tattoo practice has suffered many changes throughout decades, not only on the techniques used but also on its popularity and significance.

Objective:Evaluate the anthropological and sociological aspects of tattoos in Argentina.

Design: cross-sectional, observational and descriptive

Materials and Methods: A survey was conducted to all tattoo patients who attended the dermatology department from Dr. Cosme Argerich Hospital from July 1st, 2012 to December 1st, 2016.

Results: 193 patients were included (49% women, 51% men), between the ages of 15-72. Forty four percent of the sample got his first tattoo between the ages of 20 and 30, 22.8% did so after age 30 and only 10.8% before the age of 20. The most frequent locations in both sexes were the upper limbs. Fifty percent of the patients had only 1 tattoo at the time of the survey, 87 between 2-5 tattoos, 34 between 6-10, 11 between 10-20, 4 between 20-30 and a single patient reported having more than 60 tattoos.Most patients (132) were tattooed by professional. Thirty percent (59) decided to get the tattoo(s) without knowing the adverse effects.

The most frequently observed reason(85%) for getting a tattoo was “desire” , with phrases/names in 50 patients, 47 of which had names of their loved ones and only 3 their own name. The mystical images (N:29) followed in frequency. Ninety patients evaluated finished high school and 65 middle school; 24 had a university career and 2 didn’t had studies. Eighty eight percent were heterosexual, 1.5% bisexual, 3% homosexual, but 7.5% decided not to answer the question. One hundred and twenty seven patients denied drug use, while 36 reported to have marijuana use, 9 cocaine and 19 more than 1 drug (marijuana, ecstasy, paco, cocaine). Only 10 of the patients evaluated had a prison history and 31 patients had a history of STDs. Only 17 patients were willing to remove their tattoo due principally to pressure in the workplace.

Conclusions: Tattooing has ceased to be a symbolism to become a practice motivated by desire, increasingly accepted in society. Performed mainly by young patients, unrelated to gender, sexual preference, prison or STD history.

Keywords : Tattoos; anthropological aspects; sociological aspects.

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