Tattoos make women feel more attractive but do not improve sex life
Mar 9th 2026
An online survey of 426 young Polish women found tattoos increased perceived attractiveness but did not reduce body anxiety in the bedroom or improve sexual functioning, while lower situational body anxiety remained the strongest predictor of sexual satisfaction.
- 426 sexually active Polish women completed an online survey between February and May 2023 with an average age of about 29.
- About 76 percent of participants had at least one tattoo and most tattooed women reported feeling more attractive afterward.
- No statistically significant link was found between having tattoos and measures of sexual functioning.
- Greater anxiety about exposing the body during intimacy was strongly associated with lower sexual functioning.
- Being in a committed relationship correlated with higher sexual functioning, while older age and regular medication use related to changes in scores.
- Study limitations include self-selection via social media, an overrepresentation of tattooed participants, reliance on self-reported data, and the observational design that cannot prove causation.