For generations, tattoos have been seen as a taboo, and people were often quick to dismiss someone who was inked. We rarely ever went into depths of a tattoo and their significance for the person sporting it.

But it is all changing now, and in today’s world, tattoos are more than just socially acceptable. They are also seen as a way to enhance one’s appeal, and a unique way to express oneself through art and symbolism.

It is perhaps not surprising that according to the findings of a decade old report, 40 percent of millennials in the US had a tattoo, and it may be much higher as of today.

Although I personally would love getting inked someday, the permanence is what has been discouraging me the most. I’m also not one to pinpoint one particular thing about my life I would love enough to give an ode to it on my skin. But I do admire those who can be so sure of what they admire enough to make a permanent part of their lives or have zeroed down on what truly inspires them.

Oftentimes I have wondered what is so endearing about a tattoo, that I am drawn to it so organically. The answer lies in the basics — the pain one endures when one goes under the needle.

Getting inked is a painful process. Not only is the process of going under the needle painful, it also exposes one’s skin to infection. Only someone with a high threshold of pain can withstand being pinched by a needle for hours. And only a person with a good immune system can dodge the impending infections that come with it if at all something goes wrong.

Source

A research conducted by scientists in Poland, the researchers photographed nine shirtless men without tattoos. They were then each given a professional tattoo and photographed with it. And these pictures were analyzed by hundreds of women and men.

The study found that men with a tattoo were ranked highly on the healthy scale but scored poorly when it came to being a potential partner or father. This may have been due to the connotation of tattoos being a sign of an impulsive person or risk-taker. The study also found that men with tattoos seemed more dominant, aggressive, and masculine.

While the results were clear about what women preferred about tattoos, the participants could also have been influenced by other factors such as the volunteer men’s age, looks, physique, ethnicity, etc. Oftentimes, even the same tattoo can have a different meaning when adorned by someone of a different age, background, and cultural ethnicity.

There are several other factors that determine the attractiveness of the body art as well. Tattoos thrive on symbolism and often certain aspects of it catch the imagination of someone who genuinely gets attracted to what it signifies.
While women do find tattooed men endearing, it is clear that tattoos don’t score well for women in pursuit of a long-term partner or a potential father to their child.

Souces:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/attraction-evolved/201702/are-women-more-attracted-men-tattoos
https://thoughtcatalog.com/madison-moore/2014/02/15-reasons-guys-with-tattoos-are-the-hottest/