The pain is worth the ensuring awesomeness.

Tattoos are one of the oldest forms of self-expression in human history. Seriously, not too long ago, they uncovered ancient Egyptian mummies with hieroglyphic tattoos. That’s how long people have had respect for the ink, and honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if it were longer than that. If the idea of getting a tattoo sounds appealing to you, by all means, you should do it. Remember, though, that tearing up your skin is a semi-permanent process. You want to make sure you have all the facts before you commit to it.

Credit: Tattoodoo

The first thing you’ll want to do is find a reputable tattoo parlor. Contrary to what television may have taught you, they’re not all scary, rusty dives. Tattoo artists (at least the good ones) are known for maintaining very clean, welcoming environments. Search for your local parlors, and make sure to read some reviews too.

Next, you’ll want to decide what design you want. This is probably the most important part of the process; the design you get will determine how difficult it is for the artist, how long it’ll take, and how much money it’ll cost you. Would I love to have the Megazord from the original Power Rangers tattooed in its entirety on my back? Of course I would, but it’d take days, possibly weeks to finish, and would cost a bundle. You gotta weigh coolness versus practicality and find your middle ground.

Credit: PinsNneedles/Reddit

When the design is decided and the artist confirms, then it’s just a matter of getting it done. When you’re going in for a tattoo appointment, you’re gonna want to eat a proper meal beforehand and show up in something comfortable. There’s two reasons for this: the first is that you’re going to be sitting still for a very long time, so you can’t get up to have a snack. The second reason is that you’re almost definitely going to bleed during this process, so you want to have food in your stomach to prevent anemia.

Credit: Tattoodoo

A tattoo appointment is not unlike a doctor’s appointment. You go in, sit around for a long time, get jabbed a bunch, and walk out with something better. Except instead of better health, you have awesome skin art. Pretty much the same, really.