Micropigmentation (Permanent Makeup)

Another guide to refresh your knowledge or share with your potential client...

Applying some cosmetics can be bothersome, especially if you have a physical condition that makes it difficult (cataracts, severe arthritis, etc.) There's help in a procedure known as micropigmentation, or permanent makeup.

With this procedure, a trained doctor or specialist can inject iron oxide pigment into the middle layer of your skin (the dermis) for results that last longer than the eyeliner you have in your bathroom drawer. It has many monikers, including "dermagraphics" or "permanent makeup."

Who's a Candidate for Permanent Makeup?

We mentioned that anyone with physical limitations may seek out permanent makeup, but anyone (male or female) can have it done.

Do you want to improve the appearance of thin eyebrows or lips? Do you have an uneven hairline or allergies to make-up that create a problem? Micropigmentation may be a viable solution. It's not going to provide a perfect world, but it can help enhance certain features.

How Do I Find Someone to Apply Permanent Makeup?

Do your homework when looking for someone to apply permanent makeup. This is not school, but it is your appearance. You should make sure to find a doctor or specialist who has experience in this procedure.

Be warned. There are a lot of people out there performing these services who do not have your best interests in mind. When you visit the office, you should examine the area for cleanliness and professionalism.

A dedicated, involved specialist should be able to answer any and all of your questions. Make sure you feel comfortable communicating with your doctor or specialist and that you feel open to ask anything that's on your mind.

You should have a consultation with your chosen doctor or specialist before the procedure, during which time you discuss your expectations with him or her. At this time, he or she also will determine if you should receive anesthesia (usually local).

During the consultation, he or she may take a medical history. It's important that you are completely honest. Additionally, you should be honest for why you want permanent makeup so your doctor or specialist understands all of your concerns. He or she will evaluate your skin for tone, texture and complexion in order to best match your natural colors with the proper pigment. He or she also may take photos.

How Is Permanent Makeup Applied?

Typically, permanent makeup can be applied in an office setting. The procedure will be performed with a pen-like instrument or standard tattoo gun. Your doctor or specialist will wear medical gloves when performing the procedure. The procedure itself will take a short amount of time, perhaps 20 minutes to a half hour at most.

If you are receiving anesthesia, you will be required to arrive earlier in order to let the anesthesia take effect. After the procedure, your specialist or doctor will provide you with an antiseptic to cleanse the treated region.

What Should I Expect After Getting Permanent Makeup?

You will be sent home the same day you get permanent makeup. You should expect swelling in the treated region. Your doctor or specialist will instruct you on how often you should ice the area and what type of ointment you can apply to the area.

If you are having the procedure performed in your eye region, you should plan to have someone drive you to the office and home again. You may experience watery eyes, which is normal.

The pigmentation typically will appear darker in the weeks following the procedure, but will fade over time.

Follow your doctor's instructions on what to avoid such as peroxide and sunlight. Either of these can damage your new look.

After Getting Permanent Makeup, Contact Your Doctor Immediately If:

• You experience excessive swelling
• You develop a fever or rash
• The area feels excessively hot or burns

Follow-Up Care for Permanent Makeup

Your new look requires maintenance. Some people have to undergo two or more treatments with permanent makeup. Make sure you understand exactly how many session you will need. As the pigment fades over the years, you also may have to undergo additional treatments to maintain the look.

Does Insurance Cover Permanent Makeup?

No. This is an elective, cosmetic procedure that you will have to pay for on your own.

Original article, click here.

Shelf Life/Expiration Date

There are no regulations or requirements under current United States law that require cosmetic manufacturers to print expiration dates on the labels of cosmetic products. Manufacturers have the responsibility to determine shelf life for products, as part of their responsibility to substantiate product safety. FDA believes that failure to do so may cause a product to be adulterated or misbranded.

Voluntary shelf-life guidelines developed by the cosmetic industry vary, depending on the product and its intended use. For instance, a 1980 article by David Pope in Drug and Cosmetic Industry suggested a minimum shelf life of 18 to 24 months "to maximize cost efficiency in warehousing, distribution, and marketing."

The 1984 text Cosmetic and Drug Preservation: Principles and Practice, edited by Jon J. Kabara, recommends testing product stability by evaluating samples at regular intervals for 3 years or longer, depending upon the product.

The European Union's Cosmetic Directive, as amended in 1993, requires expiration dating only for products whose "minimum durability" is less than 30 months.

Conventional Cosmetics

The shelf life for eye-area cosmetics is more limited than for other products. Because of repeated microbial exposure during use by the consumer and the risk of eye infections, manufacturers usually recommend discarding mascara two to four months after purchase. If mascara becomes dry, discard it. Do not add water or, even worse, saliva to moisten it, because that will introduce bacteria into the product. If you have an eye infection, consult a physician immediately, stop using all eye-area cosmetics, and discard those you were using when the infection occurred.

Among other cosmetics that are likely to have an unusually short shelf life are certain "all natural" products that may contain plant-derived substances conducive to microbial growth. It also is important for consumers and manufacturers to consider the increased risk of contamination in products that contain non-traditional preservatives, or no preservatives at all.

Consumers should be aware that expiration dates are simply "rules of thumb," and that a product's safety may expire long before the expiration date if the product has not been properly stored. Cosmetics that have been improperly stored - for example, exposed to high temperatures or sunlight, or opened and examined by consumers prior to final sale - may deteriorate substantially before the expiration date. On the other hand, products stored under ideal conditions may be acceptable long after the expiration date has been reached.

Sharing makeup increases the risk of contamination. "Testers" commonly found at department store cosmetic counters are even more likely to become contaminated than the same products in an individual's home. If you feel you must test a cosmetic before purchasing it, apply it with a new, unused applicator, such as a fresh cotton swab.

Original article published in FDA.gov

Get the most "wow" from your permanent makeup

What are women asking about?

How can I get the most “wow” without ending up with a “botched-job”?

During personal consultations I get many questions just like that, it’s a safe place to ask. These are the questions that they may even be discussing with their friends and just don’t know where to begin.

What are men and women wanting to achieve? They want this to look like that or these lines to go away, they don’t want to erase everything… more often than not I hear “I look mad. Friends or family say I look tired. What can I do?”

My answer is usually permanent makeup for the lip and brow.
We have been educated in the signs of aging, lines, wrinkles, sun damage, thinning skin...

Many of us have dabbled in and/or maintain a schedule of injectibles like Radiesse, BOTOX@Cosmetic, and Juvederm. Personally, I really like the results.

As an artist using cosmetic tattooing I bring about a more youthful look because I can replace color that has naturally faded. Yes, as we age we loose color, we also get color that we don’t want, like brown spots and visible capillaries from the sun. Each of which distort our facial features.

Permanent makeup can restore definition in our eyebrows because loss of hair is loss of color. Using feather-like hair strokes of color I can create a natural looking brow that frames your eyes with a “brow-lift” effect. Eyebrows make a difference!

The other big “wow” --- the mouth, another area that shows the signs of aging. I don’t just add color to lips, I can redefine and correct the shape. The mouth goes as the upper lip goes. As we age it flattens out and curls under in some cases. Have you lost your lip? It happens. Restoring the contour of your lips begins with color and shape correction.

My recommendation is to add volume and fill lines after restoring color and shape. The doctor can be more specific treating the lines and loss of volume, giving you the best result because the color will define the area to be treated. The doctor’s treatment will be precise, combined to give you the best overall result.

Original article from Sarah Oliver, Licensed Esthetician