Experiences of medical tattooing in women following burn injuries: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Abstract Introduction Physical changes to appearance caused by burn injuries can have significant psychological consequences. Medical tattooing is an intervention aimed at restoring appearance but little is known about the experiences of patients or the psychological impact of medical tattooing following burns. This study aimed to explore burn patients’ psychological experiences of medical tattooing. Method In-depth interviews were conducted with eight adult women who had experienced a burn injury and subsequently undergone medical tattooing. Results Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to analyse the verbatim transcripts of interviews, two subordinate themes (‘Management of Hope’ and ‘The Medical Tattooing Process’) and one superordinate theme (‘Impact of Medical Tattooing: ‘Normal-ish is Fantastic’’) emerged, which were set within a broader context of another superordinate theme: ‘Inner Conflict about Acceptability of Perceived Need’. The findings suggested that medical tattooing is experienced positively, may have positive psychological consequences, and may allow women to regain a sense of normality and an improved sense of being acceptable in society following burn injuries. Findings additionally highlighted a conflicting narrative of a pressure to conform to certain expectations of appearance, alongside a sense that a desire to meet these expectations may also not be viewed as important, acceptable or legitimate. Conclusions Medical tattooing may be a potentially valuable intervention psychologically, although support and information seem important and further research is required.