It is increasingly common to see people tattooed or pierced. It is even strange not to find someone with this ‘decoration’ in the body in a family or group of friends. But this time we will devote ourselves to that attraction for tattoos or piercings: a syndrome known as Stigmatophilia.
Tattoos and piercings: ancestral fashion
Especially when summer comes, we are struck by the number of people with tattoos and piercings. That pass by our side wearing their designs and drawings. In recent times, the tendency to tattoo a large part of the body. Such as a full arm, has increased.
But while we can think that the ‘tattoos’ are something new. The truth is that along with the perforations have existed hundreds of years ago.
There are many examples: the Egyptian kings pierced the navel to distinguish themselves from the people. In the Roman Empire the centurions put rings on their nipples to show courage. The Mayans pierced the ears, lips and nose to demonstrate social status and the Polynesians were tattooed as a symbol of wealth, strength and power.
What happens is that today these practices have spread throughout the world. And have nothing to do with religious or cultural issues. But rather for taste, aesthetics and why not, as a way to attract others.
As it happens with certain animal species -like the peacock- where certain attributes and colors are used for sexual courtship. In people we could not only use clothes, but also tattoos and piercings.
Until a few decades ago, a person with tattoos did not seem attractive to us – they evoked inmates, sailors and foreigners – and today that has changed. It draws our attention and we also like to see someone with certain drawings or perforations in their body.
Stigmatophilia: attraction and fetishism
We can attract different aspects of someone, but without doubt the aesthetic factor has an additional ‘weight’. In the case of tattoos and piercings, this attraction is known as stigmatophilia. And is increasingly studied by psychologists.
Basically, it is the excitement that a person can feel when they see another person who is tattooed or wearing earrings in different parts of the body. This means that beyond the face, personality or sex. They are attracted to having their skin with tattoos or piercings.
The term goes beyond that we choose as a couple tattooed people or that we think that someone with a piercing is sensual… because stigmatophilia also harbors the attraction towards marks, wounds or scars caused by an accident, an operation or an intentional cut.
Stigmatophilia tattoos or piercings
In addition, it is not just that we like tattoos or piercings (and scars). Because to diagnose stigmatophilia we should only feel attracted to individuals with such characteristics. This means that beings who do not show or do not have drawings on their skin do not arouse any interest.
This type of sexual behavior is more frequent in people under 40. And appears when they see people with piercings in areas related to sex: tongue, nipples, lips or genitals. As for the tattoos, they ‘choose’ those who have many areas of the body drawn: arms, legs, back, neck, etc.
This paraphilia is a sexual behavior in which there is no pleasure in the act itself -with kissing or penetration- but the excitement is achieved by finding someone who meets the requirements: to be tattooed (in a large part of your body) or carry piercings.
There are even cases in which the attraction is linked to the thought of suffering. Or pain that is experienced with needles or any other cutting element. Of course, there stigmaphilia is a pathology based on problems or traumas of the past.
Many label this disorder as a fetish: erotic excitement and the extent of orgasm when certain elements or situations are present. For those who suffer stigmatophilia, the only way to enjoy sex is if they are with someone very tattooed or full of piercings.
How to know if I have stigmatophilia?
As we have said before, it is not about feeling a certain taste or fascination for tattoos and piercings. On the contrary, that may be completely normal due to an appreciation of art, design or culture.
Stigmatophilia appears when the only ‘requirement’ to choose someone is to have tattoos or piercings. It does not matter how you dress. What your activities or personal tastes are and even if you have a pretty face.
In addition, we can determine that there is this disorder if we are not interested in anyone who does not have tattoos. Or if simply looking at a tattooed individual is experiencing sexual arousal.
We must pay close attention when stigmatophilia manifests as an attraction to scars and skin marks. Because it may be related to a childhood problem (for example, an abusive parent or someone in the family who has committed suicide). Especially in this case is when we should seek professional help.