title: Attitude to facial marks in South Western Nigeria.
abstract: A survey was conducted in three communities. A total of 1800 respondents of equal sexes were randomly selected, and their attitudes to facial marks were analysed. Of this number, 31.39% dislike facial marks and were unhappy or embarrassed by the scar, 36.56% were happy with the marks, while 32.06% were indifferent. The study revealed that those who were unhappy and embarrassed were predominantly within the age groups of 10-29 years representing 66.52% within the age groups. Those aged 40-49 years were largely indifferent (52.23%), while most of those aged 50 years and above were happy with facial marks (81.29%). Of the 565 respondents that would like to remove facial marks, 54.16% were males while 45.84% were females. Among the 577 that were indifferent to facial marks, 47.31% were males while 52.69% were females. The relationship between the age groups and response on facial marks was significant (p < 0.01), while the relationship between gender and response on facial marks, was not. This study suggests that facial marking is becoming less fashionable, and that there is a relatively high level of ignorance about the treatment for the removal of facial marks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Obiechina
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Olutayo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001290:Attitude; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000523:psychology*; D003469:Culture; D004644:Emotions; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors