Department of Health and Social Sciences, The Centre for Appearance Research, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK.
Alopecia UK, Shipley, UK.
Psychol Health Med. 2022 Aug;27(7):1431-1442. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2021.1883688. Epub 2021 Feb 9.
The psychological and social impact of hair loss and its ongoing treatment can be considerable. Medical treatments are not always successful, and alternative treatments, such as medical tattooing, are growing in popularity. The aims of this study were to explore adults' motivations, experiences, and self-perceived outcomes in relation to medical tattooing. Individual telephone interviews were conducted with 22 women from the United Kingdom aged 26-67 years who had undergone medical tattooing in the past 5 years related to hair loss. Interviews were transcribed and inductive thematic analysis was performed. Appearance concerns, loss of self-confidence/identity, and the practicalities of daily upkeep were cited as reasons for seeking a semi-permanent solution. Trust in the practitioner and the ongoing costs of tattoo maintenance were important considerations in participants' decision-making process and their overall satisfaction with treatment outcomes. Participants felt the emotional impact of hair loss and the subsequent need for appearance-restoring treatment remains unrecognised. This study provides insight into participants' perceptions of an under-researched and unregulated but widely accessible treatment. Implications for the decision-making process are discussed, and suggestions for health professionals are offered.
脱发及其持续治疗对心理和社会的影响是相当大的。医疗治疗并不总是成功的，而替代治疗，如医学纹身，越来越受欢迎。本研究的目的是探讨成年人在与医学纹身相关的脱发方面的动机、经验和自我感知的结果。对 22 名来自英国的年龄在 26-67 岁之间的女性进行了个人电话访谈，她们在过去 5 年内因脱发接受过医学纹身。对访谈进行了转录，并进行了归纳主题分析。出现问题、缺乏自信/身份认同以及日常生活的实际问题被认为是寻求半永久性解决方案的原因。参与者在决策过程中考虑到了对从业者的信任和纹身维护的持续成本，以及他们对治疗结果的整体满意度。参与者认为脱发带来的情绪影响以及随后对恢复外貌的治疗需求仍然没有得到认可。本研究深入了解了参与者对一种研究不足且不受监管但广泛可获得的治疗方法的看法。讨论了对决策过程的影响，并为健康专业人员提供了建议。
