(PI-026) The Humanization of Applying a Decorative Tattoo on Healed Wounds and Its Contribution to the Body Image of Women with Mastectomies: A Phenomenological Study

Sylvain Brousseau, Ph.D., RN, FFNMRSCI, FAAN – Professor, Nursing Science, Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO)

Introduction: Breast cancer is a major health issue in all industrialized societies. The surgical procedure of mastectomy inevitably leaves a more or less significant scar on the body, which can have adverse impacts on the body image of women with mastectomies. In post-mastectomy and with or without breast reconstruction, the healed wound can be left integral on the skin or modified based on decisions made by the woman. The scar can then be covered with a tattoo for functional purposes, using a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the areola-nipple complex, or for aesthetic purposes by applying a decorative tattoo performed by artistic tattooist. The covering of the healed post-mastectomy wound with a decorative tattoo is an emerging phenomenon in the province of Quebec and an option scarcely addressed by nurses.

Methods: Based on Jean Watson's human caring lens, the Relational Caring Inquiry (RCI), a descriptive phenomenological research method developed by Cara (1997) was used to conduct a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews among 14 women with mastectomies who covered their wounds with a decorative tattoo.

Results: Phenomenological data analysis discovered 26 themes, 6 eidos themes, and the rise of the essential structure of the phenomenon. Specifically, these 26 themes made it possible to identify the following six eidos-themes: (a) Awareness of women's body image; (b) Societal representation of women inherent in the presence of their breasts; (c) Coexistence of positive and negative feelings about their body; (d) Self-fulfilment of women through decorative tattooing; (e) Humanization of women's experience of breast cancer through decorative tattooing; and (f) Presence of barriers to the application of decorative tattooing following breast cancer will also be discussed.

Discussion: This presentation therefore aims to assess the option of decorative tattoos in post-mastectomy and illustrate the benefits of such a process for woman’s body image with mastectomies.From the research findings, some innovative recommendations and strategies are proposed for nurses working in wound care and oncology practice.