33 Scary Tattoos That Will Make Your Skin Crawl

Horror lovers are aplenty and they are well-represented among those with ink. Scary tattoos are very common as they express a creepy worldview and love of all things dark and twisty. Tattoos are pure forms of self-expression so it’s only natural that those who love scary stuff express that passion in tattoo ink. Scary tattoos come in all shapes and sizes and are inspired by horror films, scary stories, lore, and any other media that highlight the darkness of this world.

We wanted to get a better understanding of the scary tattoos people are getting these days so we turned to social media to discover the tattoos that people are really getting creeped out over. We surveyed a vast array of horror tattoos in many different sizes and styles to bring you a curated list of some of the most spine-tingling ink you will ever see. If you think you’ve got what it takes, scroll through the scary tattoos below.

Ready to Get Freaked Out? Take a Look at These Chilling Scary Tattoos!

Toothy the Clown

Okay, let’s kick things off with this creepy clown. Clown designs are well-represented among scary tattoos and while this is the first it will not be the last on this list.

Spider Lady

There’s something eerily beautiful in this spider lady tattoo that stretches down the arm. The artist has worked the spider’s web into the hair which proves an interesting feature of this design.

‘Dungeon Lord’

The person who shared this design described it as a “dungeon lord” and we must say that we see it! Many scary tattoos are portraits of creepy characters so expect plenty more where this one came from.

Creepy Crawler

If you’re like most, bugs are deeply creepy. Here’s one that climbs the spine and it is such a tingler! Eek!

Behold, the Devil

Every aspect of this design is scary. From the horns to the teeth to the way the skin seems to be torn at the neck. Yikes!

Creature from the Dark

Here’s another one of the creepy-crawly scary tattoos. It is a full sleeve design that covers a lot of real estate.

A Weird One

We don’t know what’s going on with this strange tattoo but we’re inexplicably drawn to it. What is going on with those grapes? Is this some sort of agricultural deity?

Hell’s Nails

Nope! Do these nails make you cringe? It’s the only tattoo like it we saw so points for creativity!

In Your Walls

“I live in your walls,” this ghostly tattoo says in front of an ethereal shadow. This is one of the scary tattoos that feels like a threat.

Number Nine

Here’s one of our favorite scary tattoos we found. Once you get around the subject matter, you can see that the design has been tattooed masterfully. There’s so much detail and depth thanks to all of the magnificent shading. What a creeper!

An American Werewolf In…

Here’s one of the scary tattoos inspired by a horror movie. 1981’s An American Werewolf in London took practical effects to newheights. This tattoo is a celebration of the scary movie.

Eyes’ Cream

A trend among scary tattoos these days is eyes. You’ll find eyes in ice cream cones, in hands, and anywhere else they should not be.

Burning Eye

See? Here’s an eye candle. What an unsettling prospect.

Demon Kitty

Here’s one very scary cat that’s got a dramatic tongue and an additional mouth in its stomach. Gross!

Fallen Angel

Here’s one of the scary tattoos that will haunt and stick with you. It’s beautiful in a macabre manner.

Scary Stories

Did you read Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark when you were younger? Here’s one of the iconic images from the book that’s been translated into ink.

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Hybrid

This is one of the scary tattoos that raises more questions than it offers answers. It’s a mysterious design that finds a sort of cow and human hybrid.

Scream

We find the reflection of Ghostface from Scream in this knife. It’s a sharp today to boot with very clean lines.

Death’s Head Moth

One of the most popular scary tattoos today is the death’s head moth. You see it again and again and it’s such an arresting character that it never gets old.

A Twisted Pin-Up

“Can we do a pin-up ripping her face off?” the artist who shared this image said his client asked. We think the answer is a resounding “Yes.”

Bad News

We find a devilish reading some “Bad News” in this design. Is bad news actually good news for the devil? What a chiller!

Clowning Around

For those who get freaked out by clowns, this is one of the scary tattoos that is pure nightmare fuel. Are the razor-sharp teeth or set of four eyes doing it for you?

Eyes, Eyes, Eyes

See? More eyes! Here’s a blob full of them. This was a choice for the back of the neck, like a play on the saying “eyes in the back of my head.”

Stretch the Baby

Here we find a baby doll figure that’s been transformed into a centipede. Anything with creepy dolls is up for grabs among scary tattoos.

As Above, So Below

There’s some “evil symmetry” in this tattoo that features crows, a creepy tree, and bloody hands. Tattoos that are long like this are ideal for arms, legs, or down your spine.

Feisty Bat

Here’s a neo-traditional bat that radiates color. The glowing eyes are almost too much for us to handle.

Melt

How about a melting face? This is one of our favorite scary tattoos on the list. Take a look at the thick lines paired with thinner ones to give the design movement.

Plague Doctor

Too soon? We found this plague doctor tattoo to be particularly creepy. The figure is framed by these thorny object that helps bring the design depth and dimension.

Haunting

We find pieces of a face on the wings of these moths. How cool did they turn out? The image is definitely creepy but there’s a poetry to it as well.

A Helping Hand

We did not see many scary tattoos done in micro size but here’s a hand with a burning candle in it that makes a big impact even though it is rather small.

Rabid Rat

The person who shared this image captioned it “rabid rat.” This looks more like a mutant rat to us but what do we know? Ick!

Haunted Horse

We’re not entirely sure what is going on in this scene that finds a bloody horse and skull in a lake together. Did the horse commit a crime? Is the horse a zombie? It’s not clear but that just makes us more interested in the design.

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Toxic Twins

Demented Teletubbies? You bet! How creepy are these “toxic twins?” You’ll never have a good night’s sleep again. You’re welcome.

There you go! What did you think of these scary tattoos? We hope they brought the horror vibes you were looking for. There’s nothing wrong with being interested in horror and the macabre. Scary tattoos and tattoos in general are forms of self-expression that share your unique point of view. If that POV is a little bit creepy, let that freak flag fly!