We are absolutely LOVING Tokyo! Two days of the conference have flown by, and everything has been running so smoothly. I’ve been continuously amazed at how friendly and kind everyone is here…all of the technicians are so eager to learn and want to stay up on all the new developments in the industry! We are halfway across the world, but Permanent Cosmetics has proven to be a universal language! The following photos are from day two of the conference. Hope you enjoy them!
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Hello from Japan!!
My friend and colleague Ana Koch and I are in Tokyo to visit the IIPC Japan. We have arrived and are VERY excited about sightseeing, meeting new friends and shopping. We are fully prepared to play tourists…quite the opposite for us, as WE were the ones taking the pictures - not students!
Tokyo is like New York City…there are people everywhere! I have noticed a few differences, though…..the ocean is fantastic, the city is very clean and everyone here is really friendly!
Here are some of things we have been able to do so far:
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Dark spots in the lips can be problematic.
Be wary if there are any purple or blue pigments in your client’s lips from a previous application; these darker colours tend to eventually show through the colour that you have used in the last procedure application.
If you are a beauty or medical professional, you can suggest and perform Microdermabrasion or peels on your client to lighten the dark areas. You may also suggest an ‘at home’ regimen of skin lighteners for 30 days prior to their appointment for permanent makeup.
These remedies will lighten up the darker areas of the previously applied colour. It will also make your new procedure more attractive.
In some cases, laser may be performed to lighten the darker colours as well.
Clients should have a colour refresher as needed, utilizing warm colours to reinforce the corrective procedure and neutralize the cool colours.
If you do not feel qualified to perform a colour correction application, be the professional person that you are and tell the client that this work is beyond your comfort and expertise level and do not work on them.
The client should respect your decision and seek help elsewhere.
You should take refresher classes on a yearly basis to stay current with any new developments in the industry.
Scotti Pre-Cupid’s Bow Surgery 
I was born in 1954 with a mid-cleft lip and a condition known as “Super Numera” which affected the tissue in my upper mouth and lower nose. Read the rest of this entry »
Tattoo You
Allure Magazine, August 2005
It seems like a dream come true, but permanent makeup has nightmare potential. The process is similar to tattooing: Needles inject pigment into the upper layer of skin on the eyebrows, eye lids, or lips. As with regular makeup, subtlety takes skill. Find a technician the way you would a doctor, says Susan Church, education advisor for the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals. “Get referrals, call other clients, look at photos of past work.” Insist on having both a consultation and a skin test. Mitchel P. Goldman, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at UC San Diego, has seen six patients in the last two years who suffered severe allergic reactions to permanent makeup pigments. Other potential complications include infection (needles should be one-time disposables) and corneal abrasion. Then there are aesthetic considerations. Brows, for example, should be drawn with a surgical marker first so you can approve the shape, and the pigment should be applied in small doses over several sessions. Plus, the color fades - not always attractively - over five to seven years. Compared to daily makeup application, however, those numbers still look pretty good. Goldman does believe micropigmentation has its benefits -and offers it in his office. “I’ve seen some really beautiful work,” he says. “But you must do your research.”
By Britain Gregory
Sadly, it is not uncommon for a client to be dissatisfied with a permanent makeup procedure. Moreover, the end results of artistic and professional application is not always the reason for such discontent. There are growing numbers in this country of people who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). It is more than likely the reason that these clients sought permanent makeup procedures in the first place: to correct their misconception of physical flaws and abnormalities that are only visible to them.
BDD is a mental disorder in which the affected person is excessively concerned about, or preoccupied with, an imagined defect in his or her physical features. This would include a client’s post-procedure perception of a permanent cosmetic procedure. No matter how many times the client looks in the mirror, something is wrong with the procedure. And, no matter how many minor adjustments she requests that you make, it still is not right.
The overall consensus could be that her procedure is perfect and beautiful, but she will not see it as being so. Distorted imagery prevents her from achieving that visualization.
This disorder is generally a combination of biological and psychological influences, or a biological predisposition, mixed with fixed fantasies or egosyntonic patterns. This behavior is consistent with the ego integrity of the individual, and therefore, perceived by the individual to be appropriate.
With this in mind, the demeanor of the client is a direct result of their disorder, not an attempt to be difficult, or embittered by the results. The condition of their disorder preceded the finished product, no matter how perfect.
It is very difficult to recognize, or to determine, personality disorders in prospective clients, however, a component of your pre-procedure consent forms should include a basic personality profile questionnaire. This may alert you to possibly a difficult client that will never be satisfied regardless of the outcome of the procedure. Technicians do not need, nor deserve, the aggravation and frustration that would accompany their effort to satisfy a client that is mentally incapable of admiring the beautiful work they performed on them.
Note: The International Institute of Permanent Cosmetics (IIPC) has available a CDR that contains the medical and consent forms, including a personality profile test, that will assist in recognizing and identifying behavior patterns that are not conducive to the reputation of technicians and their studios or salons. It may be purchased through: PermanentMakeupProducts.com.
By: Rebecca Bryant and Susan Church
Technicians always look for ways to make clients comfortable. We spend endless time and money searching for the best anesthetic; the most soothing atmosphere to keep clients calm during procedures. It is difficult for both the client and technician when the client is tense as it takes more energy to perform the procedure and sometimes requires more touchups.
Integrating alternative, natural resources to calm clients, may provide the help needed.
Aromatherapy is becoming a widely used form of relaxation and mood alteration. The scent of lavender, according to traditional herbalists, has the power to “soothe troubled minds and bodies.” It has been shown to lower blood pressure by its soothing fragrance. Consult a book on aromatherapy to formulate your own special concoctions.
Music “soothes the savage beast.” Offer your client a new age, or relaxation tape. If new age is not their first love and country is their style, lift those spirits with a little foot stompin’ action! Stock a full range of music and remember that reassuring conversation can also be “music to one’s ears.”
Herbal remedies are reaching further into the mainstream population every day. According to Susan Church, the best reference book available is the Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James F. Balch, M.D., and Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C. Proper use of these natural wonders can assist us in many ways.
Permanent cosmetic procedures are invasive, sometimes causing inflammation, bleeding, bruising and herpes breakouts. Clients are often filled with anxiety at the start. Through the use of herbs we may prevent problems, but remember, existing medical conditions must be taken into account. Read the rest of this entry »
Difficult clients are like death and taxes…you can always count on them!
In today’s high-pressure world with fast paced lifestyles, more and more women are turning to permanent cosmetic makeup application. Technicians provide a personal service that appeals to the working woman, the corporate executive and busy moms.
If only we lived in a world where everyone got along. Boring? Predictable?…makes one envision paradise!
Sometimes we as technicians yearn for that ‘so-called’ paradise when we must deal with a difficult client, even if that paradise is only for an hour or two while they are in our chair!
The perfect client would love a classic eyebrow design, subtle lip shading or spectacular soft eyeliner we have envisioned for them…… AND be cooperative, acquiescent and pleasant…. our jobs would be ever so idyllic.
Decidedly, this is a very profitable profession and does not come without its share of frustration in consideration to difficult clients.
Welcome to my world!
I have worked on my share of “wannabes,” princesses and know-it-alls. I am now very discriminating in regards to my personal clientele. I interview the client just as they interview me. If I have the slightest feeling of trepidation, they will not become a client of mine.
Handling difficult clients is a fact of doing business in today’s world. The secret really lies in learning to manage client relationships and situations so that the client and technician get what they want and need out of the process.
Eric J. Adams states that “The nightmare client is narcissistic and self-absorbed, paranoid and passive-aggressive, relentless and cruel, and he will shake your confidence to the core. He will prompt you to question your values and goals, reassess your self-worth, and trigger within you an urge to get a “real job” or move to another state-anything to regain your sanity. If it comes down to a choice between your mental health and your nightmare client, choose the former and you’ll be a better person for it, maybe not richer, but certainly happier.”
There are a number of classic difficult client types and each type requires a different way in which to handle them. The various types include: The Unresponsive Client, The Moving Target, The Fortress, The Creative Director, The Intimidator, The Mechanic, The Controller, and The Committee Client.
The Unresponsive Client
This type of client is will give you one or two word responses. As you ask the client for their eyebrow design approval, they will say: “They’re ok,” “yep,” or “they’ll pass.” They may choose to ignore your question, or may even shrug their shoulders in response. We gently tell them that we are not able to read their mind and I need their participation as to the type of eyebrow they like.
The secret to handling this type of unresponsive client is to get them to open up and discuss their eyebrows as you are designing them. Tell them that you need their input as to where they will start, arch, end, along with how wide they should be. If they cannot give you guidance, you should not work on them.
The Moving Target
This type of client is far too busy to slow down to listen to any direction from you. They tend to be unreachable particularly when challenged. This type of client likes to receive verbal information because it can be easily changed to point that they can blame someone else for their lack of common sense.
The secret to handling this type of difficult client is to put everything in writing. The written pre- and post-procedure information prevents this type of client from pointing the finger at someone else or claiming that they “were never told that”.
The Fortress
Have you heard the saying, “The world revolves around me?” This type of client is very insecure and needs to be the center of attention. Our work never seems to be good enough for them.
The secret to handling this type of client successfully is not to go around them but work with them to gain their trust. This type of client can be very challenging, and I think, the most mentally challenging of all.
The Creative Director
This type of client will want to draw on their lipliner, eyeliner or eyebrows herself. They feel that they have all of their creative concepts worked out and will become very upset if you do not allow them to express their own ideas of how their permanent cosmetics should look.
The secret to handling this type of client successfully is to listen very carefully to their ideas - do not ignore them. You should not agree to act upon their ideas but rather advise them that you will take their ideas into consideration. You always need to present alternative ideas to this type of client, as they will respect you for it. The client may request ‘Ronald MacDonald’ eyebrows. If you do not want your signature on this type of eyebrow, you should refuse to work on the client.
The Intimidator
This type of client will provide very little feedback to you and treat you as though you should already know how they want to look. They will drop frequent hints that your work is not quite up to par as well. They will never give you any credit for successes and you are always on guard with this client.
The secret to handling this type of client is for you to refuse to act like you understand what they want when you do not. If you do not understand the eyebrow positioning, for example, continue to ask the client the necessary questions until you do understand.
The Mechanic
This type of client is always trying to fine tune things and tinker with things. She will insist on changing her eyebrows even after you have gotten her approval on a signed photograph, that this is exactly the brow she is requesting.
The secret to handling this type of client is to give them plenty of time for approval and avoid asking for quick answers.
The Controller
This type of client will try to tell you exactly how they want their eyebrows to look, as they are the one in charge. They will try to draw on their eyebrows with little consideration to your expert opinion.
The secret for handling this type of “controlling” client would be to ask her politely if it would be possible for you to show her another way to draw on her eyebrows that may make her appear younger looking. You do not need to totally reject the client’s ideas, but rather simply present options to other eyebrow designs as well. This action should stop the controlling client in their tracks.
The Committee Client
The type of client cannot make a decision by on their own and needs a committee to reach a consensus about how they look with their new eyebrow design. They will want to sleep on it and will not commit to any decisions, as they need to confer with a number of individuals before making any decisions on the matter of how they look. Are the eyebrows too dark, too light, too arched, too long, too short, too wide and so on. The final decision will certainly be the one that takes the safe route.
The secret to handling this type of client is to not present your ideas directly to the client alone but rather ‘to’ them with the approval of their family and friends. You should encourage the client to invite others that you know are more decisive to observe their eyebrows.
Make your approach to clients very specific. Give them written pre- and post- instructions, have them bring you photographs of the types of eyebrows, eyeliner or lip colour that they like. Hold them accountable for their behavior. Behavior changes can be challenging for most clients. Make suggestions to your clients softly. There is no need to shout, badger, cajole or coerce a client into coming to you for a permanent cosmetic makeup procedure application. Either they will follow your instructions or they won’t. Simply put, we tell our clients that we know the application we gave them is correct when they leave our clinic. It is up to them to make sure they take the proper precautions and follow our aftercare exactly. Failure to do so will result in them paying full price to have the procedure application again. They may disregard what we have said up until we mention this last sentence. The word “money” makes people sit up and listen!
Your clients may also request a copy of all of your Consent, Medical and other forms that you will insist that they sign prior to any treatment. Always have a copy available for them to take home.
These are just some of the difficult client types that you may come across in your daily practice. It will be your choice if you choose to work on these clients. If you do choose to work on them, do so with the greatest of caution.
Regardless of the client type, each one of them can be dealt with successfully if you only take their motivations into consideration and devise a winning strategy that will satisfy that motivation. You have been hired by the client because you perform superior work, and getting them to let you do that is but a part of the job.
Do not let the’ difficult client’ get the best of you. Put this experience in your ‘memory bank’ and you will be a better person for dealing with this type of client next time around.
Skin Differences
“Black skin is 60 to 70% higher in lipid content than white skin, and has larger sebaceous glands. A layer of cells in black skin, although thinner, has a higher concentration of cells than white skin. Because the stratum corneum is therefore denser in black skin, and the oil glands are larger, black skin is much more prone to lesion formation through follicular impaction.” This according to Christine Heathman in her article ‘Acne and Skin of Color,’ published in Dermascope magazine.
Black skin appears thicker than other skin types because of its compact nature and the fact that it has more cells per layer.
When black skin is injured or diseased, as it is healing, the melanocytes do one of two things:
1. Hyper pigment-The skin will produce more melanin creating darker pigmentation areas.
2. Hypo pigment-The skin will produce less pigment creating white areas.
Black skin is prone to hypertrophic scars and keloids and has a UVB protection factor of 13.4% in the epidermis; white skin has 3.4% in the epidermis.
When deciphering a person’s skin type, we are most concerned with people that have a 4, 5 or 6 skin type on the Fitzpatrick Phototype Scale and a 4 or 5 on the Lancer Ethnicity Scale (LES).
Hyperpigmentation
Depending on their ethnicity, clients that have a propensity to hyperpigment and/or have darker skin complexions may be subject to hyperpigmentation after their permanent cosmetic makeup or corrective pigment camouflage application. Technicians need to be cognizant of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in regards to all permanent cosmetic applications and plan their procedures accordingly.
We prefer that our clients use a Hydroquinone, Kojic Acid, Licorice, product for at least 4 weeks prior to their initial lip, eyebrow, or Corrective Pigment Camouflage (CPC) procedure application and also prior to any touchup application. Some professionals also use Lactic Acid, vitamin C, Mulberry and Bearberry to lighten the skin prior to any permanent cosmetic application. We have found that by using these products, our procedure results are far superior than if we did not use them. If the client has pre-existing hyperpigmentation in the procedural area, it will only be exacerbated with the insertion of the needle into the skin.
Many times after a lip color application, the client will acquire hyperpigmentation specks in their lips. This seems to be fairly common, and normal skin color may return slowly over a period of months. Hyperpigmentation occurs in Caucasian skin occasionally, although it will most likely occur on clients with heavy concentrations of melanin in their skin. Educating the clients on the proper use of lightening products to be used on their lips is imperative, as many products will remove the pigment color as well as lighten up the hyperpigmentation.
Increased Risk of Keloid Scarring
As technicians, we need to be cognizant of two particular problems that may arise from the actual procedures which are hypertrophic and keloidal scaring.
Keloids are abnormal scars that are made up of a tissue masses of interwoven broad bundles consisting of dense fibrotic tissue. They may be shiny, are hard, dense and often the tissue is darker in the effected area.
Hypertrophic scars appear raised but stay within the perimeter of the scar.
Scarring may result after the skin has repaired itself. Prior to working on a client it is imperative to ask if they, or anyone in their family history, has a propensity to keloid or scar. If they do, use extreme caution when considering their permanent makeup or CPC application. All skin types can keloid, however, it is more prevalent in darker skin types, but not all darker skin types will keloid either. We have worked successfully on many darker skin toned clients with good results. You must always implement prudence and use good judgment when choosing your clients. If a client tells us that in fact they do keloid, we will not work on them. Any application of eyebrows, eyeliner or lip color, utilizing either straight pointillism, lines or hair strokes, may still cause and create a keloid.
If a client were to keloid, or already has a keloid that we need to flatten, we use a product called Kelo-Cote that is applied 2-3 times a day. Kelo-cote can be applied years after a scaring with good results. The client may also ask their physician for Kenalog which is a steroid that is injected into the scar to flatten it. Kenalog manufactured by Squibb is made up of sterile Triamcinolone acetonide that reduces or inhibits the actions of chemicals in the body that cause inflammation, redness, and swelling. Kenalog also dispensed in a topical lotion.
Choosing colors for ethnic skin can be challenging. We always use a cool and a warm color for our client’s eyebrow hair simulation. Applying hair strokes, using several different colors, will create a three dimensional eyebrow and look excellent on any client. If you choose to create a ‘solid fill’ in the eyebrow, make sure the color choice is accurate for the client’s skin undertone. Your best results will be in choosing a warm based pigment.
For eyeliner application, we usually choose a very dark brown and add a few drops of a medium warm brown to our pigment color. This will usually ensure us that the pigment will not appear to look ‘bluish’ in the future. For lip color application, using a warm based color is the best choice. If, however you choose to use a cool color, be sure to warm it up with a Pumpkin, Coral or Burnt Orange color pigment. The amount of warm color you will need to add to the cool color depends on how heavy the concentration of melanin (blue tone) the client has in their lip vermilion.
If you are not sure how your pigment color will heal, give the client a patch test of color directly into the design line, wait 4-6 weeks to see accurate color results. The client may not want to wait this long, but remember that you are the one in control, and as such, must learn that not following proper protocol can result in a finished product that is less than acceptable. After you have worked on many, many clients, you should begin to see a pattern of ‘healed results’ of pigment color on certain ethnicity’s choices, and using these same colors will give you beautiful results.
We have used the same color choices for years and basically still use the same formulas. When we find processes, pigment colors, needle groupings, or anesthesia that work, we tend to keep on using it following the same protocol. Why reinvent the wheel? This makes our life and job much easier. If any of you want to know my specific color formulas, please email me and I will tell you what I have been using.
Corrections on Ethnic Skin can be challenging. When a technician uses an ash brow color on a cool under-toned client, the result will be a very ash or ‘battleship gray’ looking brow. If a client’s eyebrows have healed too ash, you can warm them up with a ‘warm’ brown pigment color. The best results are accomplished if we try to lighten the incorrect color by giving the client several quick light peels, Microdermabrasion and a peel or laser removal treatment. Lightening up the undesired color first will give you a much more pleasing final result.
Depending on the perceived color of the eyebrow, we lighten the brows first, then, depending on the client’s skin undertones, we will use a Golden Bisque, Baby Blonde or Camel pigment color and make hair strokes into the brow area to create the semblance of a skin tone color. Next we apply a ‘warm’ brown to the eyebrows alternating between the lightened hair strokes.
Following this protocol, we give our clients a color refresher annually or every few years. This generates a happy client that will spread the word about how we have helped them to correct their permanent makeup mistakes.
Extreme designs in all applications should be avoided. Some ethnic clients are known for their dramatic makeup application.
If a client requests an eyebrow design that you are not comfortable with, you should refuse to work on them. If you keep the lateral portion of the eyebrow going ‘outward’ instead of ‘down’ in 5 years the client’s brows should still look great. If you place the brows too close to the corner of the eye in ‘downward’ position from the initial application, as the skin looses its elasticity the brow will droop and will make the client look tired and sad. Positioning the lateral eyebrow portion correctly from the initial application is one of the most important measurements of the eyebrow.
If a client requests an eyeliner design that has wings on the corners, remember that when the skin looses its elasticity, the wings will appear to go downwards and make the client look much older. While eyeliner ‘wings’ may look great when the client is younger, gravity is not our friend! As we age and lose our elasticity, it ‘pulls’ the eyeliner down, making the eye look droopy.
Bright/intense red realistically cannot be achieved on ethnic skin. Everyone has blue in their lips, even if the person has warm skin undertones. This fact should be taken into consideration when choosing a lip color whether it is for a lipline or full lip color. We have found that many Afro-Americans seem to have gray and /or brown in their lip vermilion. In order to achieve a good color, we suggest patch testing the color directly in the lip vermilion, waiting 6-8 weeks to see your final result. This is the only accurate way of discerning what color the client will end up with. Using blue-based colors for lips may not be a wise choice, because of having an abundance of melanin in the lips, using warm lip colors is an intelligent preference.
A particular client came to us for color repair on her lips. Her previous technician had applied a ‘cool’ red-based lip color applied without consideration of her Indian heritage. When her lips healed they almost looked black. After several applications of Burnt Orange and ‘Warm it up for Lips’ we have achieved a softer looking lip color. On close examination, you can still see specks of hyper pigmentation in her lip vermilion.
We have used “Coral” pigment on darker Hispanic and Afro-American lipliner clients, and the results look great. This color is light, bright and makes their face look stunning. As with all lip clients, you need to make the client aware that the color will change throughout the day. As the client’s body temperature warms up, the lip color will appear to be warmer and brighter. As their body temperature cools down, their lips will appear to be bluer.
We encourage clients requesting a ‘Chocolate Brown’ color to consider other options. While some say that it is in fashion, IIPC’s technicians have seen the color cause clients to appear as if they have been eating a Hershey’s chocolate candy bar. We have not seen Chocolate lips look attractive on anyone. Softer colors that give the lips just a bit of color seem to work out the best. Suggest that the client choose a more subtle color, and then instruct them to apply their favorite lipstick over their permanent makeup lip color. Do not let your clients talk to you into anything that you are uncomfortable with. Your name is on your clients face. You should be proud of your work.
You have heard this for years, but it bears repeating again and again…
Pigment color + Skin undertones = Your final color!
Natural lighting or daylight full spectrum bulbs should be your light source of choice. In our overhead and medical lights, we use full spectrum bulbs. These allow us to see the perceived color from the beginning. Example: you think a color will look good in the skin and using the day light bulbs will allow you to see the color you are using immediately. If it appears to ash, you can immediately warm up your color. If your color is too warm, you can cool it down. Using the correct type of lighting will ensure a look that is more pleasing to the eye.
The following information is beneficial to share with your clients. Passing it along to your patrons will not only show you are a knowledgeable and credible technician, but it will establish that you care for the well-being of your patients; thus setting the foundation for a comfortable, trusting relationship between you and your clientele.
To Permanent Cosmetics clients:
- Schedule a consultation with the technician prior to the actual appointment day. This consultation would most likely be the ideal time to go over all of these safety precautions with your technician.
- Ask if the technician uses ‘disposable only’ machine parts. If they do not, make sure she/he has a functioning autoclave and uses a biological indicator test every month. (Autoclaving pressurizes steam heat to kill germ spores. At 121°C, the pressurized steam will kill all spores within 15 minutes; increased pressure and a temperature of 132°C can accomplish sterilization in 4 minutes.) Ask to see spore strip tests from an authorized lab to make sure the autoclave’s results are effective.
- Most technicians use totally disposable machine parts. Make sure these ‘Single Use’ and ‘Sterile’ parts are safely disposed of immediately after your procedure.
- Manual hand tools must be autoclaved prior to use for optimum sanitation. Used manual needles and/or the complete tool should be disposed of in a biohazard container. There are various hand tools that can be re-autoclaved using a new needle grouping. Technicians should check with their supply company regarding these tools.
- Ask the technician if they follow all of OSHA and CDC guidelines. Ask to see their Sharps container and inquire what the proper protocol is concerning the disposal of used needles. All ‘Sharps’ or ‘Biohazard’ containers must be puncture-resistant, leak proof and color-coded or labeled “BIOHAZARD.
- Make sure your technician washes their hands vigorously with soap and water and uses a clean pair of disposable gloves before setting up your sterile needle set.
- IIPC is a latex-free clinic. If you have any allergies to latex or any other products, be sure to tell your technician at your consultation.
- Insist on observing your technician as she or he removes a new needle and machine setup from a sealed pouch immediately before starting your procedure. You should also watch the technician set up a clean cap of pigment, poured directly from the bottle for each of your procedures. Be sure to ask the technician about their use of sterile procedures and isolation techniques. It is the responsibility of the client to observe the technician at work, inquiring about their experience and qualifications.
- Be wary of the technician’s office during your consultation visit. If their areas are disorderly and cluttered, you may consider using another technician.
- Question the technician on their use of barrier film. This is a clear or blue heavy-duty sheet of plastic that is sticky on one side and will adhere to light fixtures, the tattoo machine, telephone, door handles, or any other article the technician may come in contact with. If the technician does not practice using this product, there could be a transfer of contaminated blood-borne pathogens. All cords and machines should be covered as well.
- The technician should never touch their hair, glasses, or other items with a gloved hand. If you observe this happening, you should ask the technician to replace their gloves to prevent any chance of contamination.
- Used needles and pigment should NEVER be kept for a client’s future appointment. Pigment contains bodily fluids and bacteria, and it should be disposed of immediately after the procedure is completed.
- Clients must sign all of the proper consent forms, as well as forms to confirm that any needles have been properly disposed of in a bio-hazard container immediately following each procedure.
- Technicians working in open area beauty salons run the risk of airborne pathogens from acrylic nails, hair products and so on… Remember: permanent cosmetic makeup creates an open wound. Contaminants from the air should be kept to a minimum to ensure a healthy, clean procedure.
- All surfaces should be wiped down with a hospital grade disinfectant (ex.Discide) prior to, and immediately following, any procedure application.
- Ask the technician to see their current Health Department and Business License.
- Ask to see a current certificate from a certified Blood Borne Pathogen and Exposure Control Class or from OHSA.
- Ask your technician to see their current portfolio with photos of other clients who underwent the same procedure that you are requesting.
- If you are having your permanent eyebrows applied, ask for an ‘Eyebrow Design’ appointment. This appointment should be separate from your consultation. The technician will go over various shapes and colors and what the best eyebrow design for your face will be. At this time, the technician may also wax your brows. If you are not in total agreement with how the permanent makeup procedure looks while drawn on, keep working with the technician until you are satisfied with the design.
- On your procedure day, if you are not happy with the drawn on shape of your eyes, lips or brows, do not have the procedure completed. Your technician is there to work with you and give you a great looking procedure. If you do not like how something looks, tell them prior to starting, do not wait until they have started your application and change your mind.
- If the technician is a qualified professional, they will have no problems complying with standards above and beyond these simple guidelines. If the technician, or their place of business, does not appear up to these standards, or if they become evasive when questioned, seek out a qualified professional technician.
- Permanent Makeup is just that…….. PERMANENT!
- Remember the old adage: “You get what you pay for.” If your procedure is less than desirable, you cannot cover your face. Choose your technician wisely, based on their training, professionalism and your judgment of their character.
