Tattoos are one of the oldest forms of cultural expression and are now estimated to adorn one in four people worldwide. While they were previously found mainly in marginalized groups, they experienced a remarkable upswing in the Western world in the 1950s, leading to broader social acceptance until the 1990s. While some studies have examined the effects of body art on our perception of personality, the influence of tattoos on beauty has remained largely unexplored. A study by the Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg now shows how strong tattoos influence aesthetic perception and when they are no longer perceived as beautiful.
487 participants rated images of tattooed models in six categories: no tattoos, lightly tattooed, moderate, severe, extreme, and extreme with a facial tattoo. The results suggest that younger people (under 50 years old) view tattooed models more positively than older people. However, models without tattoos received the best reviews overall. Facial tattoos were rated lowest in all groups.
