For a split moment, feminine energy met frontal lobe development, and the internet united women in the act of tattoo removal. Social media has always been a major factor in popular trends, and for a while, tattoos seemed to be the exception. The scary procedure started to look less intimidating, with safer equipment and cuter tattoos, but 2025 unleashed a surge of popularity in removing regrettable tattoos. That popularity seems to be still taking effect.
Defining Feminine and Tattoo Removal
The question asks itself: is this removal just another trend placed on women’s bodies?
Social media micro trends and so-called “eras,” made things like giant bows, pink and white colour schemes, and minimalist capsule wardrobes, more than just the desire to fit into a feminine aesthetic. These trends reflect the constantly changing body and social perception women face in modern society — tattoo removal is only a fraction behind these perceptions and reflects a larger trend of defining the feminine.
Rather than these trends being something fun to pursue, it becomes a deeper reflection of how women are expected to fulfill these designated roles of being a woman. Entering terms like The Divine Feminine — a new one-size all solution to help women seek refuge in their sense of self and call it “stepping into your feminine.” A circulating buzz word that, on one hand, is just a continuation of the manifestation advice side of TikTok, but there is still reason to believe it’s more than just aesthetic mood boards and “girly” advice.
What does the divine feminine have to do with tattoo removal?
Though the correlation isn’t direct, research suggests perceived assumptions about “body modifications” (like tattoos, piercings, and cosmetic surgery) are related to the emphasis placed on femininity in the given culture. Additionally, according to a research article by Weldemariam et. Al., analysis of body modification tattoos on women showed how different contexts impact how people judged these body mods — men in the study generally viewed women with tattoos negatively, and people with face tattoos in some western societies struggle to get jobs.
The media seems to be slowly advertising a rebrand from the grunge era, insinuating that things like bold tattoo art or the “tramp stamp” feels outdated and maybe even embarrassing. Rising public figures push these trends. Online influencers, like Nara Smith (among others), shows herself as soft and “demure,” and encourages these trends. Even artists have started to leverage this, like Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet, who shows a vintage and polished look. Which further pushes the idea that to be demure or polished is to have no tattoos, or at least that’s the implication.
“Frontal Lobe Development.”
For some, this ongoing tattoo removal trend seems to be striking mostly in the West. With this action taken by mostly people in their early 20s to 30s. About a quarter fraction of the population of tattoo wearers have been getting theirs removed in the West. The biggest reason for removal revolves around change. In an Article by Pat Foran, the removal has to do with getting older and the perception of the tattoo changing: A new relationship, career change or stepping into or out of big things can be contributing factors to the need to remove a tattoo.
Social Expectations
The regrettable tattoo trope slowly impacts people’s perceptions of tattoos. For example, “How Far is Tattoo Far,” was a television show where the contestants would blind-react to a tattoo picked by a loved one, causing lots of emotional chaos. This television show demonstrated that tattoos have been used as a method of communication or exposure to point out the socially unacceptable.
Social expectations expand into how to be feminine or masculine in online spheres, and extends into whether or not tattoos are deemed appropriate. It seems everyone online these days is sharing newsletters, tips and podcast episodes about how to socially perform for femininity and masculinity. Aside from the fact that the advice is often very vague and questionable advice, it’s also fairly motivating.
Scratching that itch
Whether it’s tattoos or some other popular trend, people will always be searching for something to shake up the hustle of life.
Tattoo trends will come and go, but it’s ultimately important to remember that they are a (mostly) permanent decision.
When it comes to tattoos, media influence may have to take the wraps on this one for being the most influential aspect — apart from age and maturity. Women’s body image was made time and time again to be the societal scapegoat. This time the trend of the minimalist looks has taken over every space and now bodies. Repackaging old beliefs into new boxes, this surge could be a reflection of deeper issues going on with feminine identities.
