# Are tattoos a deal-breaker for you in a relationship? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 28, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777 "2015-09-28T00:17:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/1 "2015-09-28T00:17:32Z")
Personally, I would prefer no tattoos. The human body is great as is; I don’t see a need to draw on it. But I have gone out with a couple people who had them. _Sometimes_ a tattoo, well placed and in very good taste and done with excellent execution can be attractive (there was a woman I had a big crush on who had a perfect and simple tattoo on the back of her neck–it was cool). Small tattoos, even if they aren’t great, can be OK if they are out of the way. But the following are dealbreakers for me in being attracted to someone (thus rendering me unable to be in a relationship with her): • Chest tattoos. Jesus, why do pretty women get these?! They are awful awful awful. They are also inexplicably common in women who don’t have a lot of ink otherwise. And they are almost always tasteless and ugly. But even if it were well done, I don’t think I could be into seeing one while having sex, etc. • Neck and face tattoos, needless to say. • Anything big, especially if it is ugly. Lord, on dating sites, soooo many chicks flaunt their awful white trash “masterpieces.” Scary. • Too many, all over the place. The exception to the above is a chick who is _totally_ inked and punk and just does it all well. In such a case, it’s possible for me to be attracted, since the style is consistent and complete. I’m not sure I would want that look forever and aye, but it could at least be attractive to me in the short term. So those are my thoughts. How about you? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/2 "2015-09-28T00:21:41Z")
I love an inked up girl. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/3 "2015-09-28T00:36:40Z")
Nope, and neither is race. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/4 "2015-09-28T00:42:32Z")
Short answer, no. I love well executed and well thought out tattoos on a woman. Sadly, I rarely see good ink. The place I work hires a lot of short term temps, many of them young and female. They almost all have some tats and almost always they are crappy. Even the women closer to my age usually have at least one or two visible tattoos. I am shocked at how much ink some of them have at such a young age. I think the criteria they use for the tattoos they get is to find the closest place and get what’s on sale! I would date a heavily tattooed woman but only if I thought her ink looked good. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/5 "2015-09-28T00:46:32Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > Nope, and neither is race. I think that’s totally unrelated, but OK. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/6 "2015-09-28T01:12:22Z")
Considering I once had some fun times with a young lady on the pretext of seeing her tattoos, I’d say I’m perfectly cool with them. Maybe not 90% of the body covered fun-house style, but up to relatively heavily tattoed is fine with me. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/7 "2015-09-28T01:17:29Z")
One or two is one thing, but I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with heavily tattooed people in my life. Usually they are very vain. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/8 "2015-09-28T01:23:54Z")
I don’t have a lot of deal breakers aside from the “will she boil my rabbit” test. Tattoos are usually a slight negative in my mind. Now tattoos, especially among some of the heavily tattooed, can send messages that the rabbit is in danger. That’s more what’s being expressed than how, though. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/9 "2015-09-28T01:26:41Z")
If it was a Pittsburgh Steelers or U. Michigan tattoo, then yes. I think it’s in the state charter that we are not allowed to co-mingle. Any other ink is a-go. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/10 "2015-09-28T01:30:22Z")
I can’t imagine caring, unless we were talking about racist gang tattoos or a massive facial tattoo or something else really “out there”. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/11 "2015-09-28T01:40:40Z")
If the tattoos become self-animated and begin staging Ray Bradbury stories, I’m outtathere and so should you. In the real world, same reaction will accompany any ink that conveys gang affiliation ID. Otherwise it’s essentially a matter of tastes. Something artistically well accomplished, or significant to the person, can be an enhancement to the interpersonal discourse. Something badly executed or stupid OTOH will be a distraction and may rise to too much of an annoyance. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/12 "2015-09-28T01:47:30Z")
In this area I’m very old fashioned. I can’t abide tattoos in the women I date, and in fact nobody I’ve dated has had any tattoos. I find them very unsexy. Of course it’s all moot because I’ve been married for years. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/13 "2015-09-28T01:54:34Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > Are tattoos a deal-breaker for you in a relationship? Yes: she should _have_ tattoos, [unless it’s like this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8JeeDsBUv4). ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/14 "2015-09-28T01:58:03Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > I think that’s totally unrelated, but OK. Why do you hate coloured people? ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/15 "2015-09-28T02:08:25Z")
Not a deal breaker, unless they’re in such poor taste or in such a poorly thought out location that they call his judgement into question. But also not a positive attracting factor. There’s probably an exception to this. There’s almost certainly an exception to this. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/16 "2015-09-28T02:28:29Z")
I couldn’t get turned on to a chick with large tats. So it would be pointless to pursue a relationship that would be platonic. Something tiny like a flower on an ankle doesn’t count. Anything large is a turn off. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/17 "2015-09-28T03:54:03Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > Nope, and neither is race. How are you doin’? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/18 "2015-09-28T04:04:48Z")
It’s never a positive when it comes to attractiveness but it isn’t a deal breaker. As for relationships I suppose someone who would be into lots of tattoos would probably have a lifestyle that doesn’t match mine and visa versa. ---
**Author:** ![Whatever4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@Whatever4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whatever4)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/19 "2015-09-28T04:14:15Z")
Tattoos on complete strangers make my skin crawl, so definitely a relationship-breaker for me. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777/20 "2015-09-28T11:01:24Z")
The tattoo thing is so ubiquitous that I wonder if it’s gotten to the point where _not_ having tattoos is a turn-off. As I mentioned in [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=644105) thread, we recently hired a young engineer in our lab, and he mentioned he had a tattoo on his back and on his right arm. I asked him why so many young people have tattoos, and he said (my paraphrasing), “Women find tattoos attractive. It’s hard to get laid without them.” I understand this is simply his opinion. But it makes ya wonder if there’s not a grain of truth to this… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tattoos-a-deal-breaker-for-you-in-a-relationship/732777.md?page=2)