PERMANENT MAKEUP

:''For long-lasting but removable makeup, see semi-permanent makeup.''
'Permanent makeup' is a cosmetic technique which employs tattoos (permanent pigmentation of the dermis) as a means of producing designs that resemble makeup, such as eyelining (eye shadows) and other permanent enhancing colors to the skin of the face, lips and eyelids. It is also used to produce artificial eyebrows, particularly in people who have lost it as a consequence of old age, disease, such as alopecia, chemotherapy or a genetic disturbance, and to disguise scars and white spots in the skin such as in vitiligo. It is also used to restore or enhance the breast's areola, such as after breast surgery.
Other names used are 'dermapigmentation', 'micropigmentation', 'permanent cosmetics' and 'cosmetic tattooing'. These procedures are regulated in many countries and states, some of them requiring a registered professional, such as an esthetician, dermatologist or plastic surgeon to perform it. In the United States and other countries, the inks used in permanent makeup and the pigments in these inks are subject to FDA regulation as cosmetics and color additives.

Contents

History

Results

Removal

Adverse effects and complications

Examples

References

External links

History

Permanent makeup dates back at least to the start of the 20th century, though its nature was often concealed in its early days. The tattooist Mollie Forster, a major developer of the technique when it become fashionable in the 1910s and 1920s, described in his memoirs how beauty salons tattooed many women without their knowledge, offering it as a "complexion treatment ... of injecting vegetable dyes under the top layer of the skin (the dermis)".^[1]

Results

Results are usually good, and often mimic topically applied cosmetics, such as in complete alopecia of the eyebrows. The skill and the experience of the tattoo artist are fundamental. Before committing to permanent makeup, particularly if for convenience only, clients should be aware of the potential problems of later removal and complications that may ensue. As with tattooing, permanent makeup may take several sessions and may present some minor discomfort (although many technicians will use a topical anesthetic to help reduce any discomfort)
Result looks "hard" just after application, but become somewhat more natural (as natural as makeup can be) after a few weeks.
Permanent makeup can be useful for women who wish to wear makeup, but cannot apply it easily because they have allergic reactions to makeup materials, have vision deficits, tremors or restrictions of precise movements of the fingers and hands (such as in arthritis, stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or other conditions). Permanent makeup may also be used to camouflage scarring on the face or other parts of the body.
The pigmentation of permanent makeup may fade over time, particularly under the effects of sunlight. It usually lasts for a decade or more before fading significantly. Touching up the makeup may be required to restore the original color.

Removal

As with tattoos, permanent makeup can be difficult to remove. Common techniques used for this are laser resurfacing, dermabrasion (physical or chemical peeling), scarification and surgical removal. Another interesting technique is camouflaging-- adding a new pigment which counteracts the tattoo color and emulates normal skin color. Removal is often even more painful and laborious than the tattooing itself.

Adverse effects and complications

As with tattoos, permanent makeup may have complications, such as allergies to the pigments, formation of scars, granulomas and keloids, skin cracking, peeling, blistering and local infection. The use of unsterilized tattooing instruments may infect the patient with serious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Removal problems may also ensue, due to patient dissatisfaction or regret, and they may be particularly difficult to remove in places such as eyelids and lips without leaving permanent sequelae. Recently (2004), FDA has reported more than 50
adverse effects associated to a specific brand of ink^[2] that was recalled, and in some cases caused serious disfigurement, resulting in difficulty in eating and talking.
Some people with permanent makeup have reported swelling or burning in the affected areas when they underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The probable cause is magnetic interference with metallic components (iron oxide) of some pigments used in the tattoo.
This highlights the importance of careful consideration prior to having a cosmetic tattoo and ensuring the tattoo is performed by a suitably qualified professional.
Frequently asked questions & answers

Examples

The British politician Teresa Gorman has tattooed eyebrows, replacing those that never grew back after she plucked or shaved them in her youth.^[3]
Detailed information on cosmetic tattooing

References

1. Revolting Bodies: The Monster Beauty of Tattooed Women, Christine Braunberger, NWSA Journal Volume 12, Number 2
2. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2004/ANS01295.html
3. Brief Lives - The Tattoo, Sunday Times, London, July 2, 1995

External links

★ Cosmetic Tattoo Specialist in Melbourne Australia

★ Tattoos and permanent makeup Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

★ Permanent Makeup About.com

★ The Society of Permanent Cosmetics Professionals

★ Article by Dr. Claus Jensen

★ WorldWide Permanent Makeup Directory