Body art (body piercing and tattooing) among undergraduate university students: Then and now

Purpose: To survey the prevalence of body art and incidence of medical complications among university students comparing results in 2001 and 2006. Methods: Students reported body piercings and tattoos and occurrence of medical complications. Results: Prevalence of body piercing was 51% and tattooing 22%. Piercing medical complication incidence was 19%. No tattooing medical complications occurred. Conclusions: Body art is prevalent among undergraduate university students, with prevalence essentially unchanged during two consecutive 5-year samples. Medical complications occur frequently among those with piercings. (C) 2008 Society for Adolescent Medicine. All rights reserved.