Science/Tech

Do Tattoos Make An Individual More Attractive?

By Abbie Kraft | Update Date: Feb 15, 2017 10:06 PM EST

Tattoos play a strong role in an individual's culture, beliefs and personality. The stigma in regards to getting inked was already bypassed and researchers finally took the time to shed light on one of the biggest questions concerning a tattooed individual: do tattoos make an individual look more attractive?

More than 20 million people are said to have tattoos in the UK alone.Psychology Today then pointed out that one out of three individuals in Britain is inked. The trend does not only focus on European countries but the United States and other Asian countries have their fair share of tattooed individuals.

Tattoos are symbolic, as for some it represents strength, boldness and it speaks a lot about the individual's personality. Tattoos are not limited to the older generation as a PEW report emerged where it was mentioned that 40 percent of the millennials have tattoos.

As tattoos become more acceptable over the years, evolutionary biologists came up with a theory wherein they strive to understand if tattoos do make the individual look more attractive. A research paper published in the journal Personality and Individual Difference, a group of researchers from Poland came up with the details if tattoos make an individual more attractive, healthy, and dominant.

The research was participated by hundreds of male and female volunteers wherein they were asked to rate the tattooed men (non-tattooed models that were photographed after tattoos were drawn on their bodies) in terms of attractiveness, health, masculinity, dominance, and aggression.

Most of the participants suggest that tattoos do not equate to an individual's attractiveness, but it does make the person look seem healthier, stronger and more aggressive. It also has a downside among women as they mentioned that tattooed guys do not seem to have a father-material, which suggest that they are not ideal for long-term relationships based on their appearance.

"Tattoos may have a dual function: they influence female preference, but also are likely to be important in male-male competition," the researchers wrote as part of their studies conclusion.

As a reader, are more attracted to people with tattoos? Do let us know your thoughts through the comment section below.

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