Permanent Make Up (PMU) – also known as semi-permanent make up, micro pigmentation or simply cosmetic tattooing – is a great alternative to traditional make up. The goal of the procedure is to bring out the natural beauty of an individual, enhance facial features, and to disguise minor asymmetry and skin imperfections. Thanks to innovative techniques, it is safe and almost completely painless. When precisely performed by a skilful and experienced technician, permanent make up looks natural and tasteful.
PMU is a process during which tiny amounts of non-allergic pigments are infused into the dermal layer of skin with the use of individual sterile micro needles.
In the process of healing, the upper layers of skin slough, which guarantees that the colour softens within a few days from the procedure. The final effect depends on the client’s skin type, the reaction of their immune system, and the appropriate after-care, therefore in some cases a touch up application is required after 4 to 6 weeks.
The treatment is designed to last from 1 to 3 years. During that time the colour will gradually fade, but factors like excessive sun exposure, sun beds use, severely oily or dry skin, use of anti-aging creams, retinA/retinol products, acidic cleansers, or regular chemical peels, may speed up this process. In order to keep the look fresh, a touch up is advisable every 18-24 months.
Permanent make up is ideal for those who have to continually apply make up using brow pencils, powders and lipstick, those who are allergic to conventional cosmetics as well as people who suffer from eyebrow and eyelash hair loss. This can solve your make up nightmare! Sports enthusiasts can forget about smudged eyeliner or smeared eyebrows. A 'must have' for anyone who wants to look good without having to spend hours in front of the mirror, and thus save valuable time.
But it’s more than just beauty enhancement. PMU can be a great alternative for surgical procedures as it helps to disguise skin imperfections for clients who have been in accidents and struggle with scar tissue or suffered from serious illnesses, such as vitiligo or spot baldness. It may even complete breast reconstruction after mastectomy by restoring the appearance of the areola.
And let’s not forget that tattoo make up is not just for women! The treatments are also suitable for men, as they can help cover up baldness, scars and other skin problems.
BEFORE AND AFTER CARE CONSULTATION
There are a few things to consider before you decide to schedule an appointment and you will be asked to complete a health questionnaire.
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have had permanent make-up before (please send us some pictures, as you may first need a laser removal session)
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are pregnant, nursing, trying to get pregnant
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have any scars or suffered a head trauma in the brow/lip area
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have oily or severely oily skin
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have large pores on your forehead and in the brow/lip area
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have moles/birthmarks in or around the brow/lip area
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have or have had a piercing in the brow/lip area
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have deep wrinkles
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have had a hair transplant for your eyebrows
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are currently receiving medications or treatments
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have extremely thin skin
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your lips have been injected with fillers
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are allergic to latex, metals and other substances
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Heart Conditions / Pace Maker / Defibrillator
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Alopecia
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Trichotillomania
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Glaucoma
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Diabetes
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Eczema, Psoriasis or Dermatitis
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Hypo, Hyper Thyroidism, Graves Disease, Hashimotos
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Rosacea
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Fitzpatrick Skin types 1
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Auto Immune Disorder of any kind
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Nasal MRSA
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Blood diseases and bleeding disorders
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Poor general health
If you do struggle with any of these issues, it doesn’t necessarily mean we will not treat you, only that we will be well prepared before we do. Initial consultation will allow us to discuss any indicated conditions and choose the best course of action.
We will first assess your skin undertones, consider your personal preference, and give you our professional advice, to make sure we select the best pigment for your skin type. Next we will suggest the right treatment, shapes, thicknesses and colours for your lips, eyes or brows. We will also draw on your make up with a pencil so you get a good idea of how it will look in the end. After taking a ‘before’ picture for future comparison, we’ll move on to starting the procedure.
To improve your comfort, we’ll start with application of a numbing cream to the treated area. Additionally, a dental block is recommended for lip colour procedures. Treatments take from one to three hours, depending on what you’re having done, and during that time you will only experience a slight vibrating/scratchy sensation that can be compared to tweezing. However, with the new BIOTEK machine, permanent make-up procedures are virtually painless.
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The area where the pigment has been applied must be kept moist for successful healing and to avoid scabbing.
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Scabbing will result in excessive loss of pigment.
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Skin can take anywhere from 7 to 14 days to repair itself with the use of Bepanthen. It will nourish and repair the skin, and protect it from infections.
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NO make-up is to be applied on the eyebrows or eyeliner area for at least 2 days.
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NO picking at any scaling that may occur — let the scales fall off naturally — picking could cause scarring.
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Bath or shower as normal but the treated area must be protected with a little bit of Bepanthen. NO SOAP or CLEANSERS on the area for 7 days, as they can be detrimental to the bonding process that must take place for the pigment to stabilize in the dermis.
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Cold compresses or ice packs will help bring the swelling down (if evident). Don't use ice if lips are still numb.
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Between 2 -14 days after the treatment the colour may appear very pale, dull or light, and you may think the procedure has been unsuccessful. Be patient. This is normal as the skin still heals. The true colour will be evident in 2-4 weeks. If then pigment is missing in some parts a touch-up is needed.
