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Permanent Cosmetics (including Eyeliner, Eyelash Enhancement, Eyebrow Shading, Eyebrow Hairstrokes, Lipliner, Blended Lipliner, Full Lip Colour, Full Facial Procedures, Scar Camouflage, Paramedical Procedures, and Areola Procedures) have become incredibly popular in the last five to ten years. In fact it has become so popular, even Vogue magazine has published an article about it. Since it is so convenient to have, busy women in all walks of life are getting permanent makeup, including many famous women. However, some women are better candidates than others. This article will outline who should and should not have it done.

Permanent makeup is suitable to the following:

• There is no upper age limit on permanent makeup.
• Women in their eighties can be good candidates for it if their skin is in good condition.
• Women who have a hard time getting a straight eye line or brow or who have eyesight problems are excellent candidates.
• Women who are active in sports should consider permanent makeup as it won’t run off or sweat off during exercise.
• Women who are in the public spotlight or work under the harsh glare of spotlights see the advantages of not having to worry about their makeup.
• Busy career women love permanent makeup since they can save five to fifteen minutes each day by not having to apply as much makeup.
• Women who don’t want to worry about their makeup in general should seriously consider having permanent makeup applied. The freedom from the life long hassle of applying makeup is indescribable.

NB: Those people who are good candidates for permanent makeup should spend time with their technician to determine if they are compatible with the person doing the work. Interview them as much as they interview you. This is a permanent change to your appearance and should carefully be considered.

When done properly and on the right candidate, permanent makeup is wonderful because it gives women freedom from constantly having to apply topical makeup. Most people are thrilled to find it reduces stress!

Permanent makeup is NOT suitable to the following:

• Patients under 18 are often NOT good candidates for permanent makeup, since generally they like to follow trends, change their make-up and are not as comfortable with a life long permanent look. The skin is young and delicate and although scarring can be treated on a young patient, parental consent is required for those under 18 years of age.
• Women who tend to easily hyper-pigment may NOT be good candidates for permanent makeup.
• Permanent lip colour does NOT always work well on people with ethnic skin as the melanocytes (darker pigmentation) in the lips do not allow for the pigment to show up properly when healed under this darker skin tone.
• If a person has a tendency to cold sores/herpes, an anti-viral prescription is needed prior to getting permanent lip colour applied.
• A person who spends a lot of time in the sun or in tanning booths will not enjoy their permanent make-up for as long a period as those who protect themselves from UV Rays, due to the fact that sunlight will fade their colour.
• A person who is undergoing a major life trauma should NOT get permanent makeup. It is not wise to alter one’s physical appearance, while undergoing major stress in life. Best to wait until the issues causing the trauma are resolved.
• A person on certain forms of prescription medication or with an existing medical condition may NOT be able to get permanent makeup. If considering it, consult with our Aesthetic Nurse.

Why Permanent Cosmetics?

Permanent Makeup is the perfect solution for those with eyesight impairment or unsteady hands due to medical conditions such as Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, paralysis, or a host of other problems causing physical restriction.

The uses for permanent makeup expand beyond eyebrows, eyeliner and lips. For those who are convinced that permanent makeup serves only the daily face makeup user, this column will bring new light. There are many medically related reasons for having permanent makeup applied.

Areola Repigmentation is an option. Patients who have had mastectomy surgery and breast reconstruction have two choices when it comes to reconstructing the areola. One option would be a skin graft which requires further plastic surgery. The other option is to simulate the areola through permanent makeup. In this procedure colour and shape are matched to the intact side, or a new colour and shape are chosen for both breasts, blending with the shape of the new breast and the client’s skin tone. Permanent makeup thus offers a less costly option with a shorter healing time and fewer traumas to the body.

Alopecia is a medical condition, which causes hair loss either in patches or it can affect the entire body. Head hair, brows, lashes and body hair can be lost, causing a great deal of psychological trauma for the patient. Permanent makeup can help bring back self-esteem and confidence to the Alopecia patient. In the hands of a skilled technician, brows can be applied in a natural manner and eyelash enhancement or full eyeliner can be used, either alone or as an adjunct to false eyelashes, creating restored facial features. Patients who are undergoing chemotherapy can benefit in the same way as the alopecia patient when hair loss of brows and lashes occurs from cancer treatment.

Scar Camouflage is an option in several cases. Plastic surgery, even by the best of surgeons can leave some scarring along the perimeter of the surgery site. Accidents or burns may cause scarring. The most successful type of scar to work with is flat, not raised and a lighter color than the intact skin surrounding it. Scars which are located within the hairline, from facelifts or sparse areas after hair transplantation can be camouflaged. The same is true for stabilized male pattern baldness. The technician uses a subtle technique to fill in the sparse area, matching the colour to the clients’ existing hair.

Cleft Lip Correction is done surgically but the patient will normally be left with a lip, which appears incomplete. Permanent makeup is ideal for reconstructing the lip line, normally by applying full lip colour either in a natural tone or cosmetic colour, whichever is preferred by the client.

Vitiligo involves the progressive loss of pigmentation in the skin, sometimes affecting the entire body over many years. Loss of pigment can occur in patches, as well, with the disease eventually ceasing to progress. Since vitiligo is a progressive condition, careful consideration should be taken before undergoing repigmentation with permanent makeup. If the affected area has not changed in a long time, permanent makeup can be an option to blend the affected area with the original skin tone. However, if pigment loss continues after the permanent makeup has been done, further blending would be difficult.

When choosing permanent makeup for any of these procedures, it is important to find a technician experienced in these procedures and prepared to spend a good deal of time on follow up treatments. Scar tissue is more difficult to penetrate than intact skin. Blending colour to match surrounding tissue also requires several treatments. Progressive revisions are necessary to create the best result. The skin must heal completely in order to reveal the outcome of the colour as it blends with the skin’s natural undertones. This healing time usually ranges between six to eight weeks.