A mixed methods evaluation of medical tattooing for people who have experienced a burn injury

Abstract

Lay summaryAs part of their support ’for’ individuals who have experienced burn injuries, The Katie Piper Foundation has offered to support medical tattooing (MT), a procedure which can enhance and restore the appearance of individuals’ eyebrows, eyes and lips following a burn injury. There are no known studies examining the psychological impact of MT for individuals with burn injuries. This evaluation asked its service-users (35 people) about their levels of satisfaction with the referral and assessment procedures, the procedure itself and its results, and whether medical tattooing had led to perceived improvements in quality of life.Twenty-five people agreed to complete a survey and five people agreed to be interviewed by telephone. Almost all respondents considered the service easy to access and convenient. Staff were perceived to be warm and friendly. Most respondents were satisfied with the results. Some areas of dissatisfaction were described, by a minority of respondents, including: the procedure being painful; the tattoo being contrary to expectation or fading over time. Large proportions of respondents reported that MT had improved their confidence, mood and ability to socialise. A small number of respondents reported functional benefits (e.g. ability to carry out essential daily tasks). All respondents reported finding the procedure helpful to their adjustment and that it had helped restore a sense of normality. The results of this evaluation suggest that medical tattooing has the potential to have a positive impact on emotional wellbeing of people who have experienced a burn injury. Providers of MT services could now consider ways to improve access to the the procedure and look to measure psychosocial outcomes in routine practice.