Purpose: To assess the prevalence and motivations for obtaining tattoos among transgender persons.
Methods: A survey of 696 transgender persons recruited from the Study of Transition, Outcomes, and Gender (STRONG) cohort evaluated the prevalence of tattoos and motivations for acquiring tattoos.
Results: Transmasculine persons were more likely than transfeminine persons to have tattoos (66.5% versus 24.0%, P<0.05). Most commonly reported motivators were personal preference, aesthetics, and/or symbolism (61.8%). Scar coverage and replacement of anatomic features accounted for 10.2% of responses.
Conclusion: Future studies should look into the relationship between tattoos and health status in the transgender population.