PERMANENT MAKEUP WILL FADE OFF OVER THE YEARS. WHILE THIS MAY BE DISAPPOINTING TO SOME, OTHERS MAY BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE. THE NATIONAL AVERAGE LIFE SPAN BETWEEN TOUCH UPS IS SAID TO BE 2-4 YEARS FOR EYEBROWS, AND 2-3 YEARS FOR LIPS. SOMETIMES THERE ARE CLIENTS WHERE THEIR PERMANENT MAKE UP CAN LAST LONGER THAN 5 YEARS, WHILE OTHERS CAN FADE AFTER A YEAR.

UV RAYS, OILY SKIN , ANTI-AGING PRODUCTS APPLIED, TO THE FACE, REJUVENATION OR CELLULAR TURNOVER, IRON DEFICIENCY, STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEMS, EXPOSURE TO SALT WATER, PIGMENT REMOVAL BY THE BODY DEPENDING ON THE CHEMISTRY OF YOUR BODY.

A FULL AND IN DEPTH CONSULTATION IS CARRIED OUT AT THE TIME OF YOUR APPOINTMENT TO UNDERSTAND YOUR SKINS SUITABILITY AND REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS OF PERMANENT MAKE-UP. THE TREATMENT THAT YOU RECEIVE IS COMPLETELY CUSTOM DESIGNED IN ACCORDANCE TO YOUR FACIAL PROPORTIONS. I WILL ALWAYS DRAW ON FIRST TO MAKE SURE THE DESIGN IS TO YOUR LIKING AND GET YOUR APPROVAL BEFORE WE START. YOUR PHOTO WILL BE TAKEN AND WE WILL APPLY A TOPICAL ANESTHETIC CREAM TO START YOUR NUMBING PROCESS SO YOU WILL BE COMFORTABLE DURING YOUR PROCEDURE.

YOU ARE UNDER 18 (WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT), GET KELOID SCARS, PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING, BEEN ON ACCUTANE WITHIN 1 YEAR, HAVE IRRITATION OF THE SKIN OF ANY KIND SUCH AS BLEMISHES (PIMPLES, RASH, PSORIOSIS, ECZEMA, ROSACEA, SUNBURN) ON THE AREA OF PROCEDURE, ON RETIN-A OR RETINOLS (BE OFF 7 DAYS BEFORE APPOINTMENT AND AVOID 30 DAYS AFTER PROCEDURE.), DIABETIC (CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR), HAVE HIV OR HEPATITIS OR ANY OTHER VIRAL INFECTIONS AND/OR DISEASES, UNDERGOING CHEMOTHERAPY (CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR), EPILEPSY, A PACEMAKER OR MAJOR HEART PROBLEMS, HAD AN ORGAN TRANSPLANT, SICK (COLD, FLU, ETC. WILL AFFECT THE HEALING PROCESS, PLEASE RESCHEDULE), YOU GENERALLY DON’T HEAL WELL AND DEVELOP INFECTIONS EASILY

PLEASE BE AWARE: DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL OR CAFFEINE BEFORE THE PROCEDURE (AT LEAST 24HRS FOR ALCOHOL), DO NOT TAKE ADVIL OR OTHER BLOOD THINNERS SUCH A ASPIRIN, NIACIN, VITAMIN E AND/OR IBUPROFEN UNLESS MEDICALLY NECESSARY, 48-72 HRS PRIOR TO YOUR PROCEDURE. EXTRA STRENGTH TYLENOL CAN BE TAKEN IF YOU HAVE LOW PAIN TOLERANCE. IF YOU HAVE RECENTLY TANNED THIS WILL AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF THE HEALED COLOR. IF YOU’VE HAD LASER REMOVAL OF PREVIOUS WORK DONE BY SOMEONE ELSE, THE TREATED AREA HAS NOW MORE SCAR TISSUE AND CAN AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF THE RESULT. MORE TREATMENTS MAY BE NECESSARY TO HAVE THE SKIN TAKE THE COLOR. BOTOX SHOULD BE DONE 2 WEEKS BEFORE OR 2 WEEKS AFTER THE PROCEDURE. AVOID EXERCISING THE DAY OF PROCEDURE AS THIS WILL OPEN UP THE PORES. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL BE MORE SENSITIVE DURING YOUR MENSTRUAL CYCLE. NO WAXING OR TINTING 3 DAYS BEFORE. THE FIRST APPOINTMENT IS ABOUT DESIGN, AND BUILDING HAIRSTROKES. THE TOUCHUP IS ABOUT SEEING HOW THE SKIN HEALS AND RETAINS PIGMENT, AS WELL AS MAKING ANY NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS TO ACHIEVE MORE DEFINITION AND VOLUME. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING YOUR PROCEDURE, THE TATTOOED AREA WILL APPEAR TO BE DARKER AND BOLDER IN COLOR AND MORE SHARPLY DEFINED. OVER THE NEXT 3 DAYS IT WILL APPEAR EVEN DARKER AND THICKER AS SCABS BEGIN TO FORM. LET THE SCABS NATURALLY FLAKE OFF BIT BY BIT. IT WILL TAKE UP TO 14 DAYS FOR SCABBING TO BE OVER. YOU MAY NOT GET THE AREA WET OR APPLY ANY KIND OF PRODUCTS (EXCEPT WHAT I PROVIDE FOR YOUR AFTERCARE) FOR AT LEAST 10 DAYS AFTER. NO MAKEUP ON THE AREA FOR 2 WEEKS.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER, THE AREA WILL BE EXTREMELY DARK AND GET DARKER OVER THE NEXT 2 DAYS AS A SCAB FORMS IN THE AREA. 30-50% OF YOUR PIGMENT WILL BE IN THE SCABS. OVER THE NEXT 7-14 DAYS YOUR SCABS SHOULD FLAKE OFF BIT BY BIT. SOME PEOPLE SCAB LIGHTLY AND SOME DEVELOP A THICK SCAB. EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT, BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT PICK AT THE SCABS AND MAKE SURE YOU READ THROUGH AND FOLLOW THE AFTERCARE INSTUCTIONS PROPERLY TO OBTAIN THE BEST RESULTS. IF THE SCABBING PHASE IS NOT OVER BY 14 DAYS, PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS UNTIL SCABS ARE COMPLETELY GONE. AFTER THE SCABBING PHASE IS OVER, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE COLOR OF YOUR PIGMENT APPEARS FOGGY AND MUTED IN COLOR BECAUSE A LAYER OF SKIN HAS GROWN OVER THE PIGMENT TO SEAL IT IN. NOT TO WORRY, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS YOUR SKIN WILL REGENERATE AND THE PIGMENT WILL BE MORE VIBRANT IN COLOR. THE COMPLETE HEALING PROCESS TAKES AT LEAST 6 WEEKS WHICH IS WHEN THE TRUE ORIENTATION OF THE PIGMENT WILL SHOW. FOR MOST PEOPLE, THERE SHOULDN’T BE TOO MUCH OF A PROBLEM GOING TO WORK OR BEING OUT IN PUBLIC, AS LONG AS YOU’RE GOOD AT FOLLOWING AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS. HOWEVER, SOME PEOPLE MAY DEVELOP THICKER SCABS AND HAVE MINOR SWELLING. YOU MAY TAKE AN ADVIL OR APPLY AN ICEPACK AFTER YOUR TREATMENT TO REDUCE SWELLING AND DISCOMFORT.

DO NOT GET THEM WET FOR AT LEAST 10 DAYS. GETTING THEM WET MAY CAUSE PREMATURE LIFTING OF YOUR SCABS AND INCREASE THE CHANCE OF INFECTIONS AND LOSS OF PIGMENT. YOU MUST KEEP THEM DRY TO AVOID COMPLICATIONS AND UNDESIRED RESULTS SUCH AS SMUDGY BLURRED LINES, SCAR TISSUE, AND UNEVEN PIGMENT.

NOT ON THE BROWS FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS BUT EVERYWHERE ELSE IS FINE. CHEMICALS FOUND IN MAKEUP AND CLEANSERS MAY ALTER THE COLOR OF THE PIGMENT AND AFFECT THE HEALING PROCESS.

I USE A STRONG TOPICAL ANESTHETIC CREAM, LIQUID AND GEL WITH 5% LIDOCAINE FOR NUMBING BEFORE AND THROUGHOUT THE PROCEDURE FOR MAXIMUM COMFORT AS PAIN TOLERANCE WILL VARY FROM PERSON TO PERSON.

THE FIRST APPOINTMENT IS ABOUT DESIGN, AND BUILDING HAIR STROKES. THE TOUCHUP IS ABOUT SEEING HOW THE SKIN HEALS AND RETAINS PIGMENT, AS WELL AS MAKING ANY NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS TO ACHIEVE BETTER SYMMETRY, DEFINITION, OR VOLUME

SOME MAY NEED A 3RD SESSION TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS. ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE LITTLE TO NO HAIR TO BEGIN WITH, HAVE SCAR TISSUE, OILY SKIN TYPE, OR WE ARE TRYING TO COVER UP AN OLD TATTOO.

I USE KOSHER IRON OXIDE PIGMENTS. THESE PIGMENTS FADE OVER TIME AS YOUR BODY WILL NATURALLY ABSORB IT. THEY ARE CONSIDERED THE SAFEST SEMI-PERMANENT PIGMENTS TO USE FOR SKIN.

ALL NEEDLES ARE SINGLE-USE, COME IN A STERILIZED PACKAGE AND ARE DISPOSED OF AFTER EACH CLIENT. IMPLEMENTS SUCH AS GAUZE, COTTON PADS, COTTON SWABS, ETC. ARE SINGLE-USE AND DISPOSED OF AFTER EACH CLIENT. GLOVES AND MASKS ARE WORN AT ALL TIMES DURING THE PROCEDURE AND DISPOSED OF AFTER EACH CLIENT. ALL STATIONS ARE THOROUGHLY DISINFECTED WITH CAVIWIPES AFTER EACH CLIENT.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER:

FIRST DAY OF TREATMENT: YOU MUST DO THESE STEPS 3 HOURS AFTER YOUR APPOINTMENT AND RIGHT BEFORE YOU GO TO BED. BE SURE TO BLOT OFF ANY LYMPHATIC FLUIDS THAT MAY BUILD UP IN BETWEEN CLEANING TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE SCABBING. NEXT 10-14 DAYS (AT A MINIMUM OF 10 DAYS AND CONTINUE UNTIL SCABS ARE COMPLETELY GONE): REPEAT THESE STEPS TWICE A DAY, MORNING AND NIGHT. ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY WITH ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAP THOROUGHLY BEFORE TOUCHING THE TATTOOED AREA. YOU DON’T WANT TO GET THE AREA INFECTED! (IF AT ANY POINT YOU GET THE TREATED AREA WET, JUST PAT DRY IMMEDIATELY!) MOISTURIZE* WITH A COTTON SWAP, SPARINGLY WITH THE OINTMENT I PROVIDE TO YOU (ABOUT THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF RICE). DO NOT USE VASELINE! (IF YOU HAVE VERY OILY SKIN, SKIP THIS STEP TO MAINTAIN CRISPER STROKES)

DO NOT ALLOW THE TREATED AREA TO BE WET OR SOAKING IN WATER FOR A LONG AMOUNT OF TIME IN THE SHOWER OR WHILE WASHING YOUR FACE. YOU DO NOT WANT THE SCABS TO GET SOGGY. IF IT GETS WET, DRY THE AREA IMMEDIATELY! NO HARSH CLEANSERS, CREAMS, OR ANY OTHER PRODUCTS ON TREATED AREA FOR AT LEAST 10 DAYS. CHEMICALS AND COLORANTS OF ANY KIND WILL IRRITATE THE AREA AND MAY CAUSE AN INFECTION OR INTERFERE WITH HEALING AND THE COLOR OF YOUR TATTOO. DO NOT APPLY MAKE-UP TO THE TATTOOED AREA FOR THE FIRST 14 DAYS. MAKEUP WILL SUFFOCATE THE AREA AND WON’T ALLOW THE AREA TO BREATHE AND HEAL PROPERLY CAUSING IRRITATION AND EXCESSIVE SCABBING. DO NOT PICK OR SCRATCH AT THE SCABS/DRY SKIN/FLAKINESS!!! LET THE FLAKES FALL OFF NATURALLY. PICKING CAN CAUSE SCARRING, PREMATURE LOSS OF PIGMENT OR HAIR, AND EVEN AN INFECTION. IF YOU HAVE BANGS, YOU MUST CLIP THEM BACK FOR THE FIRST 7 DAYS TO AVOID IRRITATION AND INFECTION. ABSOLUTELY NO SUN EXPOSURE OR TANNING FOR 3-4 WEEKS AFTER PROCEDURE. TANNING WILL EITHER DRAMATICALLY LIGHTEN OR DARKEN YOUR TATTOO DEPENDING ON YOUR SKIN. NO HEAVY SWEATING FOR THE FIRST 10 DAYS. SALT IS YOUR WORST ENEMY AND WILL DRAW OUT THE PIGMENT! NO FACIALS, BOTOX, CHEMICAL TREATMENTS AND MICRODERMABRASION FOR 4 WEEKS. AVOID SLEEPING ON YOUR FACE FOR THE FIRST 10 DAYS AND MAKE SURE YOU’RE SLEEPING ON A CLEAN PILLOWCASE.

ONCE THE FLAKES HAVE FALLEN OFF, A SHINY LAYER OF HEALING SKIN WILL COMPLETELY COVER THE HAIR STROKES. THE PIGMENT MAY LOOK FOGGY AND MILKY AS IF THE TATTOOED AREA HAS COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, THE HAIR STROKES WILL SLOWLY REAPPEAR AND BECOME MORE VIBRANT SO PLEASE BE PATIENT. YOU MAY APPLY MAKEUP OVER THE AREA DURING THIS PHASE. THE COMPLETE HEALING PROCESS TAKES ABOUT 6 WEEKS, AT WHICH TIME THE TRUE COLOR OF THE TATTOO IS EVIDENT. IT IS ONLY AFTER 5 WEEKS THAT YOUR TOUCH-UP/ADJUSTMENT CAN BE DONE. ANY EARLIER CAN DAMAGE THE SKIN AND CAUSE SCARRING. ONCE THE TREATED AREA IS COMPLETELY HEALED, ANY CHANGES OR ADDITIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE CAN BE DONE AT YOUR FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT NO SOONER THAN 5 WEEKS LATER. THE FIRST APPOINTMENT IS ABOUT BUILDING HAIR STROKES, STRUCTURE, AND DESIGN. ONE SESSION WILL GIVE YOU A MORE NATURAL LOOK AND A PERFECT GUIDELINE FOR FILLING IN WITH MAKEUP IF NECESSARY. YOUR TOUCH-UPS ARE ABOUT SEEING HOW THE SKIN HEALS AND RETAINS PIGMENT AS WELL AS MAKING ANY NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS SUCH AS; SHAPE, SYMMETRY, DENSITY, COLOR, OR FILLING IN GAPS. YOUR FREE TOUCH-UP CANNOT BE BOOKED ANY SOONER THAN 5 WEEKS OR ANY LATER THAN 10 WEEKS.

WEAR SUNSCREEN!!! EXPOSURE TO THE SUN OVER TIME CAN CAUSE PREMATURE FADING AND DISCOLORATION OF THE PIGMENT. YOU CAN WEAR LARGE SUNGLASSES AND A HAT FOR FURTHER PROTECTION. RINSE AND DRY THE AREA THOROUGHLY WHEN IN CONTACT WITH CHLORINE OR SALT WATER. GLYCOLIC ACID AND FACE PEEL PRODUCTS MUST BE KEPT AWAY FROM THE TATTOOED AREA AS CONTINUED USE COULD LIGHTEN THE PIGMENT. IF YOU ARE HAVING LASER RESURFACING OR LASER HAIR REMOVAL AFTER YOUR TATTOO HAS HEALED, PLEASE INFORM THE LASER TECHNICIAN. CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION. LASER PROCEDURES MAY DARKEN, LIGHTEN, OR DISCOLOR THE TATTOOED AREA. THIS TREATMENT IS ONLY MEANT TO LAST 2-5 YEARS DEPENDING ON YOUR SKIN AND LIFESTYLE. TOUCH-UPS WILL BE NECESSARY. IF YOU HAVE OILY SKIN, AN IRON DEFICIENCY, OR A VERY STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM, YOUR PIGMENT WILL NOT LAST AS LONG AS OTHERS. IF THIS IS YOUR CASE, YOU MAY HAVE TO COME BACK EARLIER FOR TOUCH-UPS. OILY SKIN WILL NOT HEAL AS CRISP AS DRY SKIN. IF YOU ARE TRYING TO FIX A TATTOO DONE PREVIOUSLY BY ANOTHER ARTIST, THE FINAL RESULTS MAY NOT COMPLETELY HIDE THE PREVIOUS WORK. YOU MAY NEED ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENTS TO HAVE BETTER RESULTS. IF HAVING AN MRI IN THE FUTURE, YOU MUST LET THE TECHNICIAN KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TATTOOED WITH IRON OXIDE PIGMENTS.