Teardrop tattoo

It can signify that the wearer has spent time in prison,[2][3] or more specifically that the wearer was raped while incarcerated and tattooed by the rapist as a "property" mark and for humiliation, since facial tattoos cannot be concealed.

[4][5][6][7] The tattoo is sometimes worn by the female companions of prisoners in solidarity with their loved ones.

[8] Amy Winehouse had a teardrop drawn on her face in eyeliner after her husband Blake entered the Pentonville prison hospital following a suspected drug overdose.

[9] It can acknowledge the loss of a friend or family member: Basketball player Amar'e Stoudemire has had a teardrop tattoo since 2012 honouring his older brother Hazell Jr., who died in a car accident.

[10] In West Coast United States gang culture, the tattoo may signify that the wearer has killed someone[11][12] and in some of those circles, the tattoo's meaning can change: an empty outline meaning the wearer attempted murder.