What
would posses
a person to want to have a cosmetic on their face for the rest of their
life? Permanent cosmetics are a fairly common procedure
now.
Tattooing has been around for hundreds of years but cosmetic surgery as
a
medical procedure has only been around for little more than twenty-five
years. There is little legislation regulating these cosmetic
procedures. While there are accreditations available there are no
laws
concerning training and/or experience when it comes to who can
administer permanent
cosmetics. The general reasoning behind getting permanent
cosmetics is
for consistent personal best appearance in less time. The women
in the
study I looked at about psychological and socio-cultural reasons behind
getting
permanent cosmetics applied all agreed that the procedure(s) allow them
to
consistently look
their personal best in less time. They also
gained an
even greater feeling of self confidence than they had compared to
wearing
normal cosmetics. This was due to the fact that the cosmetics
will never
change. Those with the procedure done never have to worry about
if their
make-up is consistent (day to day, as well as from one part of the face
to
another), if it has become smeared or smudged or if it has washed
away. Refer
to the Important
Summaries page to see a list of influences and experiences of the
women who
have had this done. The most common influence for the procedure
was a
referral from a friend who had the procedure done.
Other names
for the procedure include intradermal pigmentation, micro-pigmentation
and
derma-graphics. The results or these procedures are permanently
applied
lipstick, eyeliner/shadow and or eyebrows.
Benefits:
·
No
downtime and resumption of most normal activities within 24 hours for
majority
of patients.
·
The
pigments used are made from safe, generally non-reactive compounds
approved by
the FDA.
·
The
process is relatively quick (for example, an upper and lower lash line
takes
about 30 to 40 minutes).
·
Skin
returns to normal by the next day. Swelling or redness is generally
mild.
·
Mild
discomfort during procedure is avoided using topical and/or local
anesthesia.
·
Good
alternative for women with make-up allergies (although procedure is
designed to
enhance features, not replace make-up altogether) and women who cannot
apply their
own make-up.
·
Pigments
are individually mixed for customized results, and designed to look
natural.
Results can be seen immediately (although full end result will be seen
in about
three weeks).
Other
Considerations:
·
Permanent
procedure. Laser surgery is required to remove pigment.
·
Patients
must avoid direct sunlight, refrain from applying make-up, and wearing
contact
lenses for a few days, and avoid swimming for several weeks.
·
A
small number of patients may experience allergic reaction or infection.
·
Scarring
is possible due to practitioner error. ASAPS recommends this procedure
be
performed under medical supervision.
·
Pigments
may cause interference with cranial MRI scans.
·
Needles
inserted too deeply in the skin can cause bleeding, spreading of
pigments, and
damage to hair follicles.
LINKS
http://www.spcp.org/
www.micropigmentation.org/