4 Reasons Why Girls Attracted to Guy with Tattoos

By Jacob Pullman

Posted 3 years agoDATING

Let’s face it, most guys out there are continually searching for new ways to impress the ladies. Whether that be hitting the gym to chisel out a six-pack, bragging about how much cash they have, or telling a story at the bar about how they knew Elon Musk before he got famous and gave him the idea for SpaceX. It’s a never-ending game of cat and mouse.
Reasons Why Girls Attracted to Guy with Tattoos

But, what if someone told you the secret to attracting the female population is just as simple as hitting up your local tattoo parlor and getting hooked up with some fresh new ink? No more cheesy chat up lines required. 

Tattooing: A Short History

Tattooing is by no means a new fad. In fact, historians have traced the origins of this fascinating art way back to around 12,000 years ago during the Neolithic ages, finding evidence on mummified preserved skin.

However, despite their ancient origins, tattoos were considered taboo by many people in society, assumed to be donned by criminals and social deviants alike. Thankfully, times have moved on since then, and even now the social stigmas continue to be lifted. Nowadays, people from all walks of life proudly brandish their tattoos on a daily basis, with a staggering 35% of the US population adorning at least one tattoo. 

So what is the reason behind the sudden rise in the popularity of inked body art? Well, nobody really knows for sure, but we can safely assume that celebrities, sports stars, and the mainstream media have something to do with it. Or maybe it’s more to do with the fact that laser removal services are more available which make tattoos less permanent than what they once were; who knows?

Why do girls like guys with tattoos? 

If you wonder what do women find attractive in men, a few things are certain there. Let’s take a look at some of the main reasons why women tend to look more favourably upon men with tattoos:

1.The bad boy look

Everybody knows a girl that loves to date guys who are clearly bad news—the bad boys. Harsh beauty is attractive! No matter how hard they resist, they just keep getting drawn to them despite all of the red flags and warning signs. Well, according to some people, tattoos epitomize the “bad boy image.”

If you are covered in tattoos, it signals that you don’t really care about the status quo or put too much thought into what people think. It’s rebellious, and for a lot of women, that’s attractive. 

So why is that? Well, psychologists put it down to a few different reasons. Firstly, being with a bad boy means that they don’t have to feel the pressure of being a “good girl.” As Robyn McKay, Ph.D., explains, “if a girl’s inner life is unexpressed, she may be drawn to a bad boy as a way of vicariously expressing her own inner rebel.”

Secondly, hooking up with someone who is considered to be a bad boy may feel taboo, and as you know, we always want something more if we know we shouldn’t have it, or if it feels forbidden. 

And lastly, girls don’t always want a good guy, and they aren’t always looking for a long term/serious relationship. If they are seeking a “one-night” thing with someone who is exciting and different, the chances are it’s going to be with the guy with the tattoos. 

2. Tattoos make men look more masculine and dominant

Studies have shown that both men and women agree that a man with a tattoo looks more masculine. In other words, they embody the stereotype of the machismo man who says what he thinks and gets his own way. Of course, these are very, very broad strokes and should be taken with a pinch of salt. 

Needless to say, a high proportion of the female population is attracted to masculine, self-confident men. According to relationship researcher Marisa T. Cohen, Ph.D., CPLC, “men with very masculine traits may have better quality genes, so it could be attractive to women on an unconscious evolutionary level.”

From the female perspective, the guys who walk around with tattoos may appear to exude an air of health and masculinity, which makes them appear more attractive. Additionally, this signal of confidence and dominance can intimidate other men, so it cuts out some of the competition indirectly.

3. It shows he can endure pain

One study hypothesized that having a tattoo may signal that a man has higher testosterone due to their ability to seek and withstand pain at will. So why would that make a man appear more attractive, you may ask? Well, it all goes back to the masculinity point. 

Women are generally attracted to men who have a higher threshold of pain as they are more likely to have higher testosterone levels. You know, the alpha male type guys who never admit that anything hurts them. So there is a suggestion that women may look at men with tattoos in the same way. Although the truth is, nobody really knows if the guy who has a full sleeve tattoo didn’t spend the entire time screaming and crying while he was on the chair.  

4. Shows an artistic flair

Some tattoos are simply beautiful. If they are designed well, are tasteful, and are carried out by a highly skilled tattooist, they can turn out to look like the real work of art.

Not only that, but tattoos define individuality. They are a way of expressing your uniqueness, artistic flair, and creativity. After all, it’s body art. What you decide to etch on your body permanently says a lot about your character and who you are as a person, and for some women, this is highly attractive. 

In fact, studies show that some women consider creative men to be just as attractive as handsome men. Something to keep in mind, gents, just make sure you choose your tattoo wisely!

So, do tattoos make men appear more attractive to women?

In a study, 2,369 women and 215 men were gathered and shown pictures of men, both with and without tattoos. They were then asked to rate them on several factors, including:

  • Physical attractiveness
  • Masculinity
  • Agession
  • How dominant they are
  • Potential for being a good partner
  • Potential for being a good father
  • Their overall state of health

The results showed that women tended to rate the men with tattoos to be more healthy, masucline, dominant, and aggressive, all of which are considered attractive qualities to most females. 

One of the reasons these features are considered attractive to females is that they are most prevalent in men with a high testosterone count, which reiterates the points made earlier on. In other words, a man with tattoos signals the same traits that you would typically expect from a man with high levels of testosterone.

As science points out, women who are in the fertile phase of their menstrual cycle prefer the more masculine traits and characteristics associated with testosterone. Men with higher testosterone levels generally have higher fertility, which is one of the main precursors for sexual attraction between both sexes. 

Should you get a tattoo to attract more girls?

So after reading all of this, you might already have your shoes on ready to head out to the nearest tattoo parlor, but before you do, make sure you know what you’re getting yourself in for.

Interestingly, in the same study that found tattooed men to appear more masculine, dominant, and aggressive, the results also showed they scored lower on the potential for being a good partner and a good father. In other words, the guys with tattoos are generally more attractive to the women who are looking for a quick hookup or a no strings attached relationship. They aren’t exactly the kind of guys that give off the vibes for a serious, stable, long-term relationship.

Once again, these are all overly generalized points, and you cannot judge a person by merely looking at their tattoos. After all, we all change as people as we grow older, and life takes us in different directions. Even if someone has an intimidating tribal sleeve tattoo that makes them appear aggressive, who knows that they aren’t the most gentle and caring person you might meet that day?

Finally, it’s never a good idea to try and change yourself radically in order to appeal to the opposite sex. If anything, it will appear desperate and inauthentic if you go out and get a tattoo just for the sake of getting more attention from the females, which could even lead to it having the exact opposite effect you hoped for.

About the author Jacob Pullman

Jacob Pullman is an enthusiastic writer and educator, who also handles content marketing at Skin Design Tattoo by day and a movie fan by night. Jacob’s ultimate goal is to spread knowledge about relationships (but only theoretically, he is still single), body art and healthy lifestyle, and of course everything related to tattoo art.