Permanent Makeup

Permanent makeup allows busy people to look their best all the time! You can maintain a flawless face during workouts at the gym, swimming, or in South Florida’s hot and humid weather that cause ordinary makeup to smear or run. Permanent makeup also provides an alternative to daily makeup application for individuals with poor eyesight, physical disabilities such as arthritis, or people with thinning eyelashes or eyebrows. Permanent makeup will enhance your natural beauty in a way that traditional makeup can’t because it lasts not for a day but for several years. This is the answer for those that want to wake up looking beautiful!

Permanent makeup (also known as micropigmentation) is a simple, non-surgical medical procedure that involves placing pigment into the epidermis layer of the skin, using a multiple pronged probe. It causes little discomfort and some clients describe the sensation as being similar to tweezing their eyebrows. Topical anesthetizing agents as well as local anesthetic administered by one of our surgeons, are available for clients that would like to eliminate discomfort altogether.

Q. What is micropigmentation and how long will it last?

A. This is the name of the process used to implant color in permanent makeup. All pigments eventually fade, some at 8-10 years, it truly depends on each person’s chemistry and these results cannot be accurately predicted or guaranteed. It is highly recommended to use sun screen at all times on treated areas to prevent fading.

Q. Is it the same as a tattoo?

A. It is a form of tattoo, although different techniques and pigments are used instead of tattoo ink. Micropigmentation is placed only into the epidermis while a tattoo is placed four layers deep into the skin. Also tattoo ink tends to pull the color blue after a few years and pigments won’t change in color.

Q. Is the procedure safe?

A. I use new sterilized needles, casings, and tubing for each client. After the procedure everything is disposed of in a biohazard container.

Q Are there other health concerns?

A. People taking blood thinners like Coumadin, Plavix, or Aspirin daily need to speak with their physician before getting a procedure done because they can have prolonged bleeding. People who have a tendency to get cold sores may get a break out after a lip procedure, therefore clients should pre-medicate with their cold-sore medication in advance. Also diabetics may have slower healing times and need to take precautions.

Q. Can I have eyeliner, lips, and eyebrows all done at once?

A. Yes, a full face procedure will take 2-4 hours. In fact, one advantage is that your aftercare for all the areas is all done at once, but if there is any discomfort after the second procedure, you should consider postponing the last procedure for a few days or until your touch-up appointment.

Q. Can I have permanent makeup if I am allergic to regular facial make-up?

A. I have applied permanent makeup to patients that have allergies to regular makeup without any complication, but I would highly recommend a patch and sensitivity test prior to the permanent makeup. This is done on the back of the neck in the hairline.

Q. How will I look immediately after the procedure?

A. You may experience minor swelling and redness on procedure day. Ice should be placed on treated areas for twenty minutes on and twenty minutes off for 24-48 hours to minimize swelling and discomfort.

Q. How long does a procedure take?

A. Each procedure appointment varies in length of time. The majority of the time is spent in selecting the appropriate color for your skin, measuring, and artistically drawing the planned procedure on the face prior to implanting the color.

Q. When will I see the final result?

A. At first the pigment will appear dark and blotchy, but this shouldn’t cause distress. After approximately one week, skin begins to shed, the makeup will start to look smooth, and the line will become more defined. After one week the lips may appear much too light. They will gradually darken over a period of approximately three weeks to reveal the final result. At four weeks, you will have a follow-up visit to review the results. If you find that you were initially cautious in choosing the color, and now would like your color darker, it can be done at this time.

Q. What factors affect how long the color lasts?

A. The skill of the technician, the quality of the pigments used, the individual's skin type, how dark the original color is, sun exposure, and use of exfoliating skin-care products.

Q. I am nervous about the fact that it is permanent. How can I know what to expect before I have it done?

A. Makeup pencils are used to draw the procedure on the skin before implanting the pigment. During the procedure I am always cautious to err on the side of light and natural, since I can always add more color during your follow-up visit.

Q. Can permanent makeup be removed?

A. Yes, laser treatment can remove it, however this is rarely done.

Q. My lips have no color, and I want daily natural color without appearing to be made up. Can this be done?

A. Yes, this can be achieved. It is extremely important to choose a color that is lighter and close to your skin tone. You can always darken the color later.

Q. Can I have lip liner only, and leave the lips natural?

A. This is not stylistically recommended but the decision is completely up to you. It is recommended that the lip liner and lip fill-in color be the same.

Q. What is eyelash enhancement?

A. Eyelash enhancement produces a more natural, less dramatic effect than eyeliner enhancement. Small amounts of pigment are inserted at the base of the lash line to subtly define lashes. For a more natural, less dramatic effect than eyeliner enhancement, eyelash enhancement can be done as the color is enhanced at the base of the lash line.

Q. I am planning a cosmetic facial procedure. Should I wait until after that for my permanent makeup?

A. People planning any face lift procedures need to allow adequate healing time, but otherwise should not have a conflict.