I like to joke that being an adult is hard, and for this we deserve stickers. Tattoos are simply the grown-up version—and travel tattoos make especially good ones because each comes with a story.

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For me, getting tattooed overseas is about more than bringing home a souvenir. It is a way of claiming an experience as my own. Women are often encouraged to be cautious, take up less space, and avoid doing anything we might regret. I believe we can be careful without being fearful. We can make informed decisions, trust ourselves, and decorate the bodies carrying us through all these adventures.

The Puffin and the Horse

My first overseas tattoo began with a general idea, but the adventure gave it a story I never could have planned.

During my second trip to Iceland, I knew it was time to get a tattoo to remember the country. The Icelandic horses were the most beautiful part of it to me, so before leaving home, I found an artist and planned a horse tattoo with a cute little puffin sitting happily on its head.

Then Iceland introduced us to wind. So much wind.

People compliment it because it is cute, but they love it even more once they hear the story.

By the time I met with the artist, that calm little puffin no longer represented the trip. We changed the design so the puffin was clinging to the horse’s mane for dear life, swinging sideways in the wind.

That tattoo still makes me smile. People compliment it because it is cute, but they love it even more once they hear the story. It taught me to begin with an idea while leaving room for the adventure to improve it.

Since then I’ve gotten 9 other travel tattoos and have made plans for my 11th, when I trek in Nepal in November. From Morocco, she has an image of the flag of the Berber people. From her time in Brazil, a realistic capybara. To represent Barcelona, she chose a very colorful cup of cocoa. An artistic version of the astronomical clock reminds her of Prague and three Xs on her arm symbolize the flag of Amsterdam.

Save It for the End

Schedule your tattoo as close to the end of the trip as possible—literally the last day, if you can manage it. A fresh tattoo is a needy little travel companion. It dislikes swimming, direct sun, excessive sweating, friction, and nearly everything else you had planned for vacation.

Consider placement carefully. Think about what you will wear and carry during the trip home.

Size and complexity matter, too. Large or intricate artwork requires more time from the artist and more healing afterward. Your final afternoon abroad may not be the ideal moment to commission the Sistine Chapel on your thigh. A simple design can still hold an entire adventure inside it.

Consider placement carefully. Think about what you will wear and carry during the trip home. You don’t want a new tattoo underneath a backpack strap or where a waistband, shoe, or sock will continually rub against it. Second skin can help, but it is not armor.

Choose Your Artist Carefully

Begin with an internet search, but expect to find most tattoo portfolios on Instagram. Compare styles and look for someone whose work matches your idea. A talented artist is not necessarily the right artist for every design.

Instagram will often lead you to a phone number you can message through WhatsApp. You can discuss the design, size, placement, price, and appointment there. WhatsApp is the messaging app of choice throughout much of the world, so install it before you find yourself attempting international tattoo negotiations through interpretive dance.

Confirm the payment method beforehand. Many shops in the United States and abroad require cash—and overseas that often means cash in the local currency. Some accept neither credit cards nor payment apps. Discovering that after the tattoo is finished adds entirely the wrong kind of excitement to the experience.

Once you arrive, pay attention to the cleanliness of the shop and your instincts.

Read reviews, especially comments about cleanliness and how the shop handled questions or problems. Once you arrive, pay attention to the shop and your instincts. Needles should be new and single-use. Ink should go into disposable cups, and the artist should use fresh gloves, paper towels, and other one-use supplies.

You should feel comfortable asking questions, changing the design, checking the placement, or walking away. Women are often taught to remain polite even when something feels wrong. This is not the time for that. You do not owe anyone access to your body because you made an appointment. Trusting your instincts is not rude; it is smart.

Plan for Aftercare

Before the appointment, understand the artist’s aftercare process and have your supplies ready.

Two products you may use are second skin and Aquaphor. Second skin is a thin, transparent adhesive bandage that protects a new tattoo. Aquaphor is a thick, fragrance-free ointment that helps prevent the healing skin from becoming too dry.

Second skin can be difficult to find in a local pharmacy. Order it from Amazon before leaving home. The tattoo artist will apply a second skin when finished with the work, but you’ll want to have more on hand.

Right after the tattoo—and possibly for the first 24 hours—the area may be swollen, red, warm, and tender. That is your body responding to what is essentially a zillion tiny scratches. It should begin calming down by the next day, although it may remain tender. If those symptoms spread or worsen instead, seek medical advice.

Tattoos are visible proof of where I have been and what I can do.

Leave the original second skin in place for about 24 hours. By then, the tattoo underneath may look pretty terrible. Don’t panic and begin composing its obituary.

Tattoo ink is placed in a deeper layer of your skin, which is why the design remains after the surface heals. Your body will still remove excess ink left in the upper layers. That ink collects beneath the second skin, making the tattoo look dark, blurry, or goopy.

Remove the second skin in the shower. The alarming-looking excess ink should rinse away easily—and then you get to meet your new tattoo properly for the first time.

After gently cleaning it, decide whether it needs another piece of second skin. A small tattoo in a protected location may not need it after the first 24 hours. Under a loose shirt sleeve, for example, it may be fine uncovered as long as you keep it clean and apply a very thin layer of Aquaphor several times a day to prevent drying. Remember that a tattoo is an open wound, even when it is an extremely cute one.

For a larger tattoo—or one exposed to friction, dirt, or debris—you may apply a tiny amount of Aquaphor over the clean tattoo and cover it with fresh second skin. Repeat daily for up to three days, depending on your artist’s instructions.

More Than Decoration

My travel tattoos have become talismans. They carry the strength, confidence, and joy I found during those adventures.

I literally feel empowered when I see them in the mirror. They remind me that I went to those places, handled the unexpected, and came home with stories worth keeping. On days when I don’t feel particularly brave, they remind me that I have already done brave things.

I literally feel empowered when I see them in the mirror.

They make me stronger because they keep my amazing adventures right there with me—visible proof of where I have been and what I can do.

Passport stamps are nice, but they spend most of their lives closed in a drawer. My adventures look back at me from the mirror—bright, colorful, permanent proof that I went, I wandered, I did something a little crazy, and I’m nowhere near finished.