Finger mustache tattoo

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An example of a fingerstache, displayed by Angela Pennington.

The finger mustache tattoo, otherwise known as the "fingerstache", is a tattoo of a stylized mustache on the index finger. The finger is then placed between the nose and the lips, making it appear that the wearer has a mustache. Its particular origin is unknown, however, the recent revival dates to the summer of 2003 in Columbus, Ohio, where a local tattoo artist began tattooing mustaches on friends' fingers as a joke.^[1]. Photos and stories about the tattoos spread to the internet, becoming a minor phenomenon after landing on the forums of popular comedy website Something Awful. This prompted many to procure similar tattoos, eventually culminating in social networking communities such as Fingerstache.com.

The fingerstache tends to be a short lived tattoo, a factor which may have contributed at least somewhat to its popularity. The side skin of the finger is not an optimal area to be tattooed, as it is a joint, which puts a lot of wear on the tattoo. The type of skin there is also prone to fading and blurring. Fingerstaches will have a shorter lifespan compared to other tattoos on less stressed areas of the skin, and should be considered a novelty tattoo.^{[citation needed]}

Finger tattoos have developed past the original mustache motif, and now include designs such as tear drops.^{[citation needed]}