Pre-Procedure Instructions

When scheduling an appointment date for a permanent makeup procedure, keep in mind, you will need a few days afterward without social plans or strenuous activity. You will not look your best (swelling, oozing & intense colour) so plan activities at home.

Do not have a procedure right before going on holiday because 1) you need healing time, 2) you may not be able to avoid sun, wind, or other items listed in aftercare instructions, 3) if you had a question or problem it would be best to be near your permanent makeup artist.

Do not wear your good clothes for the procedure because pigment might splatter on them. Pigment washes out of most clothes, but not your favourite ones. Wear something comfortable.

Please refrain from the use of alcohol, blood thinning meds e.g. Aspirin, Arnica, pain medication, anti-inflammatory, diuretics or recreational drugs 24 hours before the procedure.

Permanent eyebrow swelling is mild and barely noticeable. Permanent eyeliner swelling is moderate. Permanent lip colour swelling is noticeable. Arnica may reduce swelling. It is rare to have a healing problem with permanent makeup.

EYELINER                                                                                                                                                                        

• Do not wear contact lenses during the procedure or for 24 hrs after.

• Bring sunglasses to wear home. Eyes may be light sensitive.

• Do not dye or perm lashes for 2 days prior and two weeks after.

• If you have had any type of eye surgery, consult with your physician about how long you should wait before having a permanent eyeliner procedure.

• Eyelash Extensions must be removed before having permanent eyeliner.

 

EYEBROWS

• Do not tweeze, wax, or dye brows for 2 days prior and two weeks after.

• Electrolysis should not be done for a week prior and three weeks after.

 

LIPS

• If you have a history of cold sores or fever blisters, it is essential to visit your GP prior to any lip procedures for prescribed oral medication. Failure to do so will result in a herpes simplex break out and damage your permanent cosmetics.   If you have ever had a cold sore in your life it means that you carry the viral gene in your system, it may be dormant but the permanent make up on your lips will trigger the virus, guaranteed. Physicians usually instruct to begin taking it 7 days before procedure and continue for 7-10 days after.

• If you have had any type of lip surgery, consult your physician about how long you should wait before having a permanent makeup procedure on the lips.

 

 

 

Post-Procedure Instructions

Cold packs may be used to reduce swelling and soothe the heat in the tattooed area. Cooling a skin wound is beneficial; freezing it is not. Using refrigerator temperature cold packs is safer for damaged skin than freezer temperature cold packs. The traumatized tissue is already in a delicate condition and can get frost damage.

 

Slight cooling of the skin every couple of hours the first day after a permanent makeup procedure can be done by applying wet tea bags, cloths, or gel compresses that were placed in the refrigerator (not freezer) in a zip lock bag. Cotton disks wet in ice water may also be used.

 

Try not to fiddle too much and let it heal naturally in its own time. Keep moist with healing ointment at all times while outer healing occurs. Sulphacetamide is highly recommended for the Eyes, savlon cream for the Brows and nipple cream for the Lips. Some other ointments may draw the pigment out of your skin.
A permanent makeup procedure is the equivalent of a skin-deep wound – like a scratch you might get around the house. Expect it to ooze a little, scab a little, and heal in a similar time frame.
Notify your permanent makeup artist or physician at first sign of allergic reaction or infection. An itchy sensation is normal while healing, apply more ointment when itchy.

Avoid strenuous activity for 2 days as this can increase swelling. Also, sweat running into a wound stings and can cause an infection.

No Scrubbing. Do not rub, wipe, or scratch area. Use patting motions only. Do not peel or pick at crust, this could cause pigment loss, scarring, and delayed healing.

Keep area clean with warm water and cotton wool. Blot or rinse off oozing. Do not use any kind of cleansing agent i.e. soap, facial cleanser, make-up remover etc. Only water and healing ointment.

Do not expose the area to full pressure of the shower. You don’t want the water to beat on it, but water will not erase the tattoo despite the myths being told. Not keeping it clean sets it up for infection. Clean it with warm water and keep ointment on it. Scabs that dry out take longer to heal off.

Do not expose to sun or tanning bed while healing. Use of sun block after healing is completed (10 days) will help prevent premature fading.

Do not swim in fresh, salt, or chlorinated water for 2 weeks or do not get face wet.

Do not apply any cosmetics over area while healing. Do not use mascara until outer healing is complete, eyelashes may be tinted one week PRIOR to having the eyeliner done.

The touch up is not done any sooner than 1 month after the first procedure. Performing a touchup too early could cause scarring. Some colors (especially eyebrow colors) take that long or longer to see how they are going to settle in and heal.

LIPS

• Lip application will appear extremely dark and then flake to almost invisibility. Allow at least 4 weeks to determine the amount of colour retained. Due to the nature of the mucous membrane the colour will always have a subtle end colour, dark and defined colours are almost impossible to achieve.

• Lips will ooze for a couple of days. Blot and reapply ointment. After sleeping, crust will have dried on the lips. Rinse with water or put more ointment on to loosen crust, blot and reapply ointment. Most tissues like the ones you blow your nose with will leave lint on the lips. Use something stronger and lint-free like a soaking wet cloth.

• Lips will be tender at first. Drink through a straw. Choose foods you can place in your mouth with a fork without touching lips.

• On the third day, lips stop oozing and start peeling. This is when the chapped lip feeling is strongest. You may relieve the lips by lightly massaging them with ointment. The massage relieves the chapped feeling for several hours, then it returns, and you can massage again.

• Lips will peel for a few days. Other than the massage mentioned above, allow it to flake off on its own. Picking and pulling off skin that is not ready to come off will cause pigment loss and can pull out deeper tissue.

• Try to keep toothpaste off lips while healing.

• If lips feel very dry you may apply Vitamin E cream.

 

HEALING TIME

Permanent makeup will appear extremely intense and thick immediately after the procedure. Excess pigment sheds off over the next 2-3 days, and then the skin starts healing over. A layer of healed skin on top of the pigment masks and tones it down considerably. On about the fourth day you are close to looking normal and no one notices anything. Colors will continue to move in and out of your skin while healing over the next four weeks, so expect the colour to change while healing occurs. OUTER HEALING completes in about 7 days for eyes, 7-10 days for lips. INNER HEALING completes in 4 weeks.