JENNY DUVAL

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

What is permanent makeup, micropigmentation or cosmetic tattooing?

• Permanent makeup is the term most often used in Canada to refer to the implanting of pigments into the upper reticular dermal layer of the skin for the purpose of enhancing facial features, camouflaging scars and restoring areolas. The methodology is similar to tattooing with the exception of the purpose, location, pigments and tools or machines being used. 

• Permanent makeup refers to the fact that the daily application of makeup is no longer required. The pigments last for 3 - 5 years.  Duration is dependent on the hand tool or machine used, pigment brand, life style and quality of after care. The equipment is manual or reciprocating rotary and small areas can be camouflaged or removed.

 

How safe is the treatment?

• When looking for a permanent makeup artist, health & safety is the most important criteria, followed by skill. Technicians should annually renew their certification in blood borne pathogens & communicable diseases and post their certificate at their work place.   

 

Best Practices

• Adopting occupational health & safety best practices ensures that clients and the technician are protected from the spread of blood borne pathogens and communicable diseases.

• In Ontario, best practices are detailed in the document 'Best Practices for Personal Services Settings', January 2009 and include the legal requirements for micropigmentation artists to obtain informed consent and to provide post-care instructions, orally and in writing, to clients.

 

Pre-treatment instructions are provided to clients.

• Prior to any work being performed, the client completes a medical history form which the technician will then review to ensure no contraindications are indicated. 

• The micropigmentation artist works with sterilized, single use, disposable hand tools, needles, gauze pads, q-tips and pigment caps following cleaning, disinfection and sterilization processes according to provincial regulations. Pigment is not re-used, rather any remaining after a procedure is discarded.    

• The pigments are under the jurisdiction of Health Canada. Most pigments sold in Canada have an iron oxide base. 

 

What does the process entail?

• Creating brows, eye or lip liner, full lip shading, eye shadow, areola pigmentation or scar camouflage is a two stage process composed of the consultation and initial procedure followed by a touch-up 6 - 8weeks later. With full lip procedures or scar camouflage, on occasion, two touch-ups may be required.To protect their investment, clients are encouraged to refresh the colour every couple years. 

 

How is pigment implanted?

• A Stylus 3 dermographer is used to perform the PMU (permanent makeup). Powerful and precise, it makes stable and durable lines. Fast and little aggressive with the skin, thanks to its sharp stroke, it provides the best results. The impulsive and uniform movement, secured by a powerful motor of extremely high quality, allows the easiest implant of the color and a perfect lasting. This dermographer is digital, quiet and efficient and pigments last 3 - 5 years.

 

Will it hurt?

• Sensitivity to discomfort is often heightened during menstruation or due to lack of sleep so clients are encouraged to book their appointment with the foregoing in mind. For client comfort, a topical numbing cream is applied prior to and during the procedure.  

 

Can the pigments be used on all skin types?

• At Jenny Duval - Permanent Makeup Artist, iron oxide pigments are safe for all skin types are used.

 

What is the difference between organic and inorganic pigments?

• Both are considered synthetic and non-toxic (not related to a toxin). 

 

Organic pigments are brighter, less stable, and less opaque, water soluble and fade much faster than inorganic. They are labelled organic because they may have any or most likely have all of the following:  carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. The organic pigments are coated with a chemical compound, usually alumina, to slow the fading process.  

Inorganic:  Less intense in colour, more stable, more opaque, insoluble and last much longer than organics, inorganics are made from ores, most often iron oxide.  

Pigments are made in powder form and then liquefied using isopropyl alcohol, glycerin, distilled water and sometimes other botanicals. The liquid pigment is antiseptic (cannot cause infection).

 

Ophthalmologist, Charles S. Zwerling, MD, who coined the term micropigmentation (the process of implanting permanent makeup) and is Chairman of the non-profit American Academy of Micropigmentation (AAM) in Goldsboro, N.C., says that iron oxide pigments rarely cause allergic reactions:

"Iron oxide has been shown to be the safest pigment. Anything that is vegetable based, organic or natural is the most risky. It's the natural products in vegetables and herbs that can cause horrible allergic reactions."

 

How long is the procedure?

• To allow the micropigmentation artist to fulfill their legal obligations, the first visit (including consultation & treatment) can take anywhere from 1 1/2 - 3 hours depending on the procedure being performed.

 

Will it hurt?

• Sensitivity to discomfort is often heightened during menstruation or due to lack of sleep so clients are encouraged to book their appointment with the foregoing in mind. For client comfort, a topical numbing cream is applied prior to and during the procedure.  

 

What are the legal responsibilities of the technician?

• The technician is legally required to:

  -obtain informed consent in writing and provide oral and written after-care instructions.

 

What is a contraindication?

• A contraindication is a condition or factor that either renders a medical treatment inadvisable under any circumstances or increases the risks involved in carrying out a medical procedure:

  Absolute Contraindication

  -hemophiliablood thinners on prescriptiondiabetic on the needle - increased risk of infection & slow to heal

• allergies

• blood thinners like Aspirin or Vitamin E

 

What if I am taking a blood thinner?

• Excessive bleeding, caused by blood thinners or a health problem, pushes the pigment out as quickly as it is being implanted. 

• The technician will ensure a medical history form is completed in order to vet clients for contraindications. If an individual wants to have permanent makeup and is on blood thinners, then they should be discontinued for a week prior to and a few days after their appointment. If aspirin has been recommended by a physician, then the doctor should be consulted prior to stopping any blood thinner. 

• Prescribed medication is an absolute contraindication, in other words, permanent makeup should not proceed.

• If an individual experiences excessive bleeding for no known reason, then a complete physicial is recommended.

• Pigment is implanted into the dermal layer of the skin and a little bleeding is normal.  For eyebrows and lips, technicians set their needle to protrude a little less than a dime's width from the cartridge to ensure that the pigment is deposited into the dermal layer. 

• A technician cannot implant into the subcutaneous level  (where excessive bleeding would occur) without inflicting severe pain during the procedure.  If using flat or round needles, the pen is at a 90 degree angle to the work area.  For the tender lips, round needles are the safest, not flat or slope.

 

How long does the pigment last?

• No one wants the same shade of lips or brows forever.  With machines, the pigment is implanted into the upper reticular dermal layer of the skin with results lasting 3 - 5 years depending on the machine, pigment brand, quality of after care and the client’s skin and lifestyle.  With hand tools (in ex.: Microblading technique), the pigment retention is about 1 year.

• Clients are encouraged to apply sun protection and avoid pigmented areas when using exfoliation products or tools.  With fading, the client can take advantage of new trends in colour and shape. 

 

Best practices:  Don’t wait for the pigment to fade – have the colours refreshed every couple years. 

 

Why are pigments so intense when first implanted?

• Like wet clothing is darker before drying, pigments look brighter and darker immediately after they are implanted into the dermal layer of the skin.

• Increased blood flow to the treatment area is one reason for the more intense colours. Another is that the pigments are made up of liquified powder particles. The body gradually absorbs the liquid allowing the pigments to return to their original dry condition.

 

What about cold sores or blisters?

• A lip procedure may stimulate a cold sore or blister which could remove part or all of the newly applied pigment. Anyone who has ever had a cold sore or blister should take preventive action. Valtrex, a prescription medication, ingested 2 days prior to and 4 days after a treatment will avert this complication.  A non-prescription medication, Abreva, available at pharmacies may also prove to be effective. 

 

What can you do for the eyebrows?

• Here at Jenny Duval - Permanent Makeup Artist, the aim is to analyse the facial features, hair, skin tone and undertone to determine the best eyebrow shape and colour for the client and then enhance and balance the brows.

• The client has final approval on shape and colour prior to proceeding with the work.

 

What is the difference between blended or shaded brows and hair strokes?

• Blending or shading offers an edgy, dramatic look and involves filling in the brows with pigment, similar to the effect created by applying eyebrow powder. Hair strokes or feathering is when pigment is used to create strokes that look like real hair. The result is a subtle and natural look. 

• Regardless of the technique, clients are encouraged to allow their natural brow hairs to grow in the pigmented area and to only remove the hair above and below the new brows. 

 

Are activities restricted during the healing period?

• It is important to avoid saunas, facials, steam baths, activities that will result in extreme sweating, tanning salons, sun and chlorinated or salt water pools for a minimum of a week and preferably two weeks after a procedure.