What shops will tattoo me under the age of 18?

Occasionally, I spend some time answering questions on Quora. One young person asked which tattoo shops would tattoo him/her in Pennsylvania, since that is a state that allows minors to be tattooed with parental consent.

This was my answer:

WITH consent or a parent present? That’s legal in Pennsylvania. It’s just a matter of researching which shops will actually tattoo minors. Some won’t. What I would do, rather than just searching for places who actually will tattoo you… start looking for artists whose work stands out to you. I mean REALLY stands out to you. You saw something they did that took you to their personal page and had you poring over every image like you couldn’t get enough and even went looking for more. That doesn’t always happen, so when you find someone who’s artistic style really captivates you, you know you’ve found ‘The One’. Or maybe there are a few artists who really pique your interest. Options are a good thing. If there are no artists in your area who really tickle your fancy, travel. When it's going to be on your body for the rest of your life... yes, it's worth it.

Do you know what you want yet? Do you know the type of design you’re looking for? Do you have any ideas about what kind of style you’re interested in? Each artist works differently. The way they work will absolutely impact the way the design is done. Once you have an idea for the design, start narrowing down artists who’ll be able to execute that style. That might help you figure out which artist you want to do the work.

Play to strengths. That way you know you’ll walk out the door after your tattoo totally happy with your decision.

But as for which shops will tattoo you? That should be a personal decision. And it will stick with you for the rest of your life. One thing I’ve learned along the way is that I don’t regret any of my tattoos… I regret the artists I sat with who couldn’t do the job in the way I was imagining. That was a learning experience. And it's nothing against them. It doesn't make them bad artists. I wasn't working with their strengths, I was unknowingly assuming that they had the same vision I did or the skills I was envisioning... and their style was much different than what I was picturing. This is why it's so important to look through portfolios. Don't expect artists to change their style for you unless you know that's something that they do. Not every artist works in a variety of styles. If you go looking for a portrait from an artist who specializes in old school/traditional, expect dark, and quite possibly, thick linework. So, check their portfolio!

You've got one body… unless you can afford laser you’ve got one chance to get it right. There are a lot of people who assume that everything can be covered by something else. Not everything can be covered, let alone covered well/aesthetically without serious compromise. What you really want might not be possible in the way you're hoping.

If you really like the work of an artist who will only tattoo you once you’re 18… wait and be happy with your decision. If you rush just to get it now, just remember, you get the tattoo you deserve. Put in the time, do the research, and make a good decision and you’ll never regret it.

It’s a tattoo. Don’t shop by price. Don’t shop by impulse - for now is forever. Take as much time as you need to get the best work you can.