Exploring the Psychosocial Impact of Tattooing as a Method of Scar Camouflage and Decoration in Individuals with Visible Differences

在英国，大约有130万人目前生活在影响他们面部和/或身体的“明显差异”(毁容)中(沃勒施泰纳，2020)。明显的差异可能是先天性的，例如，唇裂的胎记。它们也可以在生命的后期，例如，由于医疗事故而获得(沃勒施泰纳，2020)。有证据表明，医学纹身和皮肤伪装对心理社会健康有好处。这项研究旨在扩大有限的研究，围绕非医疗专业纹身师使用装饰性纹身作为一种疤痕伪装，以及它对有明显差异的个人的心理社会影响，例如烧伤后的疤痕。它试图确定：驱使个人在可见伤疤周围从事装饰性纹身的动机--以及这种装饰性纹身的应用如何改变一个人与自己和他们的环境的关系。特别是，这项研究将揭示装饰性纹身和医用纹身之间的差异，以及驱动个人选择的影响因素。这项研究从社会文化的角度研究了装饰纹身及其对当前关于装饰纹身作为一种疤痕伪装形式的认识的影响。这将通过跨学科的心理社会方法进行，通过对比在疤痕上放置装饰性纹身的心理影响，以及社会学结果和影响因素进行比较。例如，装饰性纹身使个人能够找回自己身体的潜力，以及与个人经历相关的社会文化利益和风险。研究的主要焦点和重点领域如下：主要研究问题：与健康和福祉相关的非医疗专业装饰纹身的个人观点和体验是什么？次要研究问题：如何更深入地了解使用者和艺术家的观点，以提高对该行业的认识、培训和监管？

Approximately 1.3 million people in the UK are currently living with a 'visible difference' (disfigurement) affecting their face and/or body (Wallersteiner, 2020). A visible difference can be congenital, for example, cleft lip's birth marks. They can also be acquired later in life, for example, due to medical accidents (Wallersteiner, 2020). Evidence suggests that medical tattooing and skin camouflage can be beneficial for psychosocial wellbeing.This study aims to expand on limited research surrounding the use of decorative tattooing by non-medical professional tattooists as a form of scar camouflage, and its psychosocial impact on individuals with visible differences, for example, scars after burn injuries. It seeks to identify: the motives that drive individuals to engage with decorative tattooing surrounding visible scars-; and how this application of decorative tattooing changes an individual's relationship with themselves and their environment. In particular, the research will unpack the differences between decorative and medical tattooing, and the influencing factors that drive individual choices. This research draws upon sociocultural perspectives surrounding decorative tattooing and its impact on current knowledge surrounding decorative tattooing as a form of scar camouflage. This will be conducted through an interdisciplinary psychosocial approach, whereby a contrast of the psychological implications of placing a decorative tattoo over a scar, and the sociological outcomes and influencers are compared. For example, the potential for decorative tattoos to enable an individual to reclaim their body, and the sociocultural benefits and risks in relation to the individual's experience. The main focus and key areas of the study are as follows:Primary Research Question: What are the individual perspectives and experiences surrounding non-medical professional decorative tattooing in relation to health and wellbeing?Secondary Research Question: How can a deeper understanding of both user's and artist's perspectives be used to improve awareness, training, and regulation of the industry?