We found this excellent guide and would like to share it with you.
It's from the website Eyebrow-Tattoo.com
When you enter a clinic to have a cosmetic eyebrow tattoo procedure, naturally you will have researched information to know what an eyebrow tattoo is all about and what benefits it will bring to you and what the potential risks may be.
You will naturally expect that a trained aesthetician or cosmetic permanent makeup specialist will offer you their eyebrow tattooing expertise in a professional and hygienic manner during the tattoo eyebrows operation and that the equipment used will be modern and the best available in your area.
So after you have had an initial consultation with your cosmetician and have been shown pictures of tattoo eyebrows and have selected what shape and color you want, you will probably leave the procedure in the hands of the experts. But eyebrow tattoo pictures and a "Questions and Answers" during a brief consultation may not provide all you need to know.
Since you are about to have ink permanently injected under your skin that will last at least 5 years, and will be visible to everyone you encounter for a long time, and will be the first impression you give to the world, I suggest that you delve a little deeper below the surface of eyebrow tattoos.
An eyebrow tattoo is a delicate procedure that requires skill to do correctly and also requires the correct instruments, needles and equipment. It also demands the application of anesthetic to keep you comfortable before and during the operation, be it a topical cream or spray or some kind of anesthesia to dull the pain. Then, once you have received your permanent eyebrow tattoo you will need to be sure that your care provider has given you what you need to heal properly and that the brow region will not become needlessly infected.
Newly tattooed eyebrows need to be cared for and guarded from infection and it is also imperative that you return to visit your cosmetician at least once for a post-operation assessment of healing and perhaps even some touch-ups.
Permanent Eyebrow Tattoos – General Overview
I want to go through some of the procedures that involve this specialized field of tattoos for women and the types of products specific to the permanent eyebrows industry that are used so that you can be sure you are receiving the best cosmetic tattoo eyebrows that are possible. Don’t make the mistake of walking into a shop and saying, ‘tattoo my eyebrows, please’ and not know what you can have or what it will be like and then end up looking for a very expensive eyebrow tattoo removal clinic.
An eyebrow tattooing procedure can be very comfortable and trouble free if you know what to look for, what to ask, and have selected a clinic, tattoo shop or aesthetician wisely. Before I decided who would tattoo my eyebrows, I read as much information as possible and went to several clinics for consultations, first to have questions answered, and second, to view the facilities before scheduling an appointment.
A good clinic will give you a local or topical anesthetic that will numb the region where the tattooed eyebrow will be. This is essential because the micropigmentation needles will rapidly penetrate and puncture your skin in a very small area during an hour or so and this can be very shocking to that delicate area of the face and very painful without anything to numb the sensations. If a good anesthesia has been properly applied, you can expect to feel nothing more than a tickle, a slight bit of pressure or a little tug like plucking your brows, but without any sharp pain at all.
Cosmetic tattoos are different from artistic permanent tattoo treatments because your facial procedures will be done in a clinical environment and not in some dingy tattoo shop. The comfort level you should be offered (and must demand) should equal that which is offered at a dentist or a doctor’s office or with a plastic surgeon. Anything less is unacceptable.
Having a successful eyebrows tattooing procedure requires these 10 basic things:
- a well trained and experienced permanent makeup specialist or aesthetician
- a good sketch drawn onto your brow with the final shape YOU want
- the right pigments or ink color that will match your skin tone and hair color
- receiving proper anesthesia before the procedure begins
- the use of a modern rotary machine
- the right selection of needles for the right style of cosmetic tattoo
- numbing creams or anesthesia during the procedure to ensure your comfort
- proper application of aftercare products immediately following the procedure
- the right aftercare products at home to avoid swelling and infection
- a follow-up visit with your tattooing specialist a week or two after the procedure
The Anesthesia or Numbing Agent
Cosmetic tattooing and permanent makeup is not only for the brow. Many people schedule several sessions to have tattooed eyebrow procedures as well as to have eyes lined and lips enhanced with liner or completely filled in with color. Each procedure takes about 1 hour, however if a brow must be reconstructed after an illness or due to burns or if there are any other issues that complicate a tattooing procedure it will take longer.
In all cases a numbing agent will be applied to the area. This is how:
- The area will be cleaned and disinfected.
- Then a numbing agent will be applied using a sterilized cotton swab.
- It will take 15 to 20 minutes for the anesthesia to take effect.
- Then the anesthesia, if it is a cream, will be wiped away and the area cleaned and dried.
- After that, the eyebrow guide line will be drawn onto the brow area to be tattooed. This must be done quickly so the anesthetic does not wear off.
It is also possible that the aesthetician may draw the brow first, then apply a numbing agent. After waiting the same 20 minutes, it may be blotted and the micropigmentation may begin.
Lidocaine
Most numbing agents are safe for eyes, eyebrows and lips and some creams are very smooth and effective especially those that contain about 4% Lidocaine made especially for eyebrow permanent makeup applications and other delicate facial procedures. There are also anesthetic ointments that numb instantly without the 20 minute wait. These ointments are also good to have applied during the procedure because in my experience one application for the entire hour is never enough.
Soothing and Numbing
Your aesthetician or eyebrow micropigmentation specialist may also use such things as tea tree oil or even just some aloe mixed with a sterile gel and some anesthesia containing Lidocain or some other numbing agent. The tea tree or aloe will help sooth and avoid excessive redness or irritation while the Lidocain will eliminate the pain.
Extra Anesthesia During the Procedure
During the tattoo procedure there is no reason to grit your teeth and endure if sensation begins to return to the area. I had one aesthetician who said it was normal that the area would become a little more sensitive 45 minutes into tattooing, but there is no reason to suffer. All that’s needed is a quick word or gesture to your specialist and she/he will apply an instant numbing cream or ointment.
It shouldn’t matter if the micropigmentation tattoo procedure is well underway, all good cosmetic tattooing centers will offer an instant numbing agent to help keep you comfortable and to allow the skin to relax and not get dehydrated as your aesthetician creates your permanent makeup eyebrows. The creams or ointments used should be water-resistant so it won’t matter if a little blood needs to be washed away midway through the operation, the anesthetic should still remain.
Anesthesia Spray – Lidocaine and Epinephrine
There is also a topical anesthesia spray that is very effective for after the skin has been broken with the needles. It’s especially great because it contains an agent that reduces swelling and it feels cool and gives relief midway through any procedure. If it’s not offered, and you begin to feel uncomfortable, ask for a spray to be applied. Make a note that you want Lidocaine and Epinephrine and any trained permanent makeup cosmetician will understand.
Avoiding Bleeding
If you tend to bleed, this may not only be uncomfortable and unhealthy but it may get in the way of the area where the eyebrow or permanent tattoo is being created. It is difficult to make fine details and use feathering techniques if there is blood. The artist or cosmetician also needs to follow the guide line that has been drawn onto the brow and too much blood or swelling or irritation may make this difficult. There is a special gel that can eliminate most of this. It is a coagulating gel that stops bleeding and swelling (specific for use during the creation of permanent tattoos) and can also be combined safely with any numbing cream or instant painkilling ointment. It also contains Epinephrine. Don’t forget to tell your cosmetician beforehand if you already know that you tend to bleed more than average so she/he can have the right products prepared.
Eyebrow Tattoo Needles
You may not need to know what tattoo equipment or what exact needle your cosmetic permanent makeup specialist has chosen, it may suffice to see her/him remove it from a sealed wrap and insert it into a rotating machine and know that it is sterile and disposable. However if you’re like me and like to know every detail of what is being done to your body and how everything works you may find the needle selection interesting and may even want to discuss with your aesthetician which needles will be used to achieve the desired effect on your new eyebrow tattoos.
One and Two Prong Needles
There are prong needles that are round and are used for adding filler to brows and for creating thick eyeliners and for lips. (Just a note: A lip tattoo is different from a lipliner or a full lip filling tattoo in that a lip tattoo is usually thought of as a decorative mark inside the lip and is done in an artistic tattoo shop, whereas a cosmetic tattoo for adding color to your entire lip is done in a clinic with special needles for tattoo makeup that are round and eliminate scaring on very delicate areas such as lip liner.
There are also 2 prong round needles which ensure that ink or pigments are injected more quickly and evenly. The angle of the needle is also important and it is imperative that there is not a back suction of pigment and blood. Needles should all meet the standard of cosmetology and medical needles and be made of medical grade stainless steel, come in sterilized individual packs and be disposable. Any other kind of needles and you should seek a new eyebrow tattoo clinic. Modern eyebrow tattoo equipment should be sterile and/or disposable with no exceptions.
Three Prong Needles
There are also 3 prong needles which help skin to heal better because they have something to protect the sharp point and not bend or cause excessive bleeding and are also better for leaving fewer scars in delicate areas. These flat needles have a space for ink or pigments and this makes for smoother color and have a finer point, and therefore are best for eyeliner (and not tattooed eyebrows) because it can deposit more color in a finer line and therefore avoid some of the future fading problems. These specific needles (that are used in rotary machines other styles of modern tattoo equipment) are used to create the initial outline of a brow or for feathering techniques that make an eyebrow tattoo appear a little more natural as if it were hair.
Four to Seven Prong Needles
Yes, there are also 4 prong flat needles that function much the same as a 3 prong except they insert pigment even smoother and faster, however the ones most frequently used to fill in the eyebrow tatoo area (after having been outlined) are the 5 prong round needles. 6 prong needles are flat and again are better lipliner and feathering or creating the look of fine hairs. 7 prong round needles work in rotary machines to give strong lines and fill very quickly. This will depend on the size of the bow being tattooed and how fine or delicate the skin is and how the skin reacts to the pigmentation.
For all of these needles a small handheld rotary machine is required. There are also some small disposable sleeves that you may see attached to these machines to help the aesthetician grip better and to also avoid ink, pigment or blood splatter. If these sleeves are not disposable then you should make sure that you see the metal sleeve of the rotary machine having come directly from a sterilizer.
Eyebrow Shape with Stencils
Although the shape will have been decided before the procedure commences, it must be drawn or somehow applied to the brow area and remain as a guide for the eyebrow tattoo expert to use as she/he forms the brow with ink. Sometimes a pencil or brow marker may wear off or become less visible. You do not want your aesthetician guessing halfway through the procedure where to form the brow. One way to ensure that this does not happen is to ask if an eyebrow stencil is available. There are usually a dozen or more shapes that you can choose from and will be placed on your brow to ensure a perfect design. Sometimes an aesthetician will design one just for you if you discuss this in advance.
I can’t stress the need to do this pre-shape consultation with an aesthetician or to do some shaping through trial and error on your own brows with a pencil or with plucking technique, prior to anything else. Consult eyebrow shaping books and look at pictures and make a stencil yourself…anything…but get it right the first time so that you will never need to have eyebrow tattoo removal done because the shape was off. Your face is the canvas, the stencil or shape is the basis for the art that will take shape and it’s permanent and it’s on your face!
Eyebrow Tattoo Aftercare
Once the eyebrow tattooing procedure is complete it is imperative that your permanent makeup cosmetician apply a soothing and healing protective cream or gel to the newly tattooed area. Tattoo care is important right from the start. Remember that the region has had a needle inserted into the skin hundred of times and requires help repairing. It also needs something to calm the swelling that will occur but can be slightly minimized with a soothing cream, ointment or gel. You also want to protect the color which can begin to scab and crack and fall away taking the color with it. You do not want your new brows to flake away. So, your professional cosmetic tattooing specialist will apply a small amount of cream or ointment or gel using a soft cotton swab to the eyebrow or tattooed lips or eyes.
Now all that is left to do is to take a little cream home with you, listen to your homecare instructions carefully and wait.
Tattoo Care at Home
Don’t panic if your brows begin to itch and have scabs. Just don’t pick them off and don’t rub the region. It is best not to wash them and certainly don’t scrub them unless you want to repeat the entire procedure. If your permanent make up tattoo appears too dark, don’t worry too much. Eyebrow tattoos often look darker than expected for a few weeks, but they should fade. If you are unhappy with the shape or there has been a mistake or they are getting infected or the swelling isn’t going away after about 48 hours, you must call your aesthetician and also see if you may need an antibiotic. Also if the shape is a little off, you can get advice on how to pick off the scabs to eliminate some bad areas and have these retouched. Do not just go home and sulk if everything is not what you expected. Return quickly to the clinic where you had the permanent cosmetic make up done and immediately plan how to fix anything that is not to liking. It is best done early than late.
Give Your Brows a Month
In normal cases, the brows will heal in two weeks or so. Give it a month for them to be faded a little and totally lovely. That is why you should never have this procedure done anytime near an event where you must be in public for a wedding r special occasion. Plan your eyebrow tattooing procedure for an off season in your year.
Making the Decision
If you are reading this and have not yet made the decision as to weather you are going to go ahead with a cosmetic eyebrow tattoo or any kind of permanent cosmetic tattoo on your face, then here are some benefits you may want to consider. If you wear eyeglasses and your eyes are hidden from view and they are a light color and have little or no hair on your brows, then you might consider enhancing your brows to give your eyes some shape and zest from above the glasses. If you feel that your face looks dull or lifeless when you have little or no makeup then perhaps a little pick me up is in order.
Eyebrows can be enhanced with your own natural hair, eyeliner can be drawn on permanently with a tattoo around your eyes and your lips can be made full and splashed with color without having to spend hours a day or worry about waking up without your face. However the most common and popular procedure is the permanent eyebrow tattoo, which to set your mind a little more at ease, has been used successfully for centuries in Asia and only more recently has spread to Europe and the Americas. But don’t be frightened by thinking it is a new fandangle fad that is not a tried and true beauty technique that is well founded. The history of tattoos is part of the ancient oriental arts from China, Egypt, India and the middle east.
Many of the beautiful oriental women that western women admire for having delicate eyebrows and wispy long lashes and liner that extends away from the corner of the lashes have been enhanced by some cosmetic tattoo procedure. It is by no means a new art and will continue to beautify women’s features for a long time to come.
Temporary Eyebrow Tattoos
If you want to test what shapes may best suit your face shape and brow structure, it is a good idea to try temporary tattoo brows that are smudge proof and waterproof and will give you a good idea what to expect prior to a formal permanent tattoo procedure. Temporary tattoo eyebrows come in many styles and colors and are very cheap and can even be ordered online.
Temporary eyebrow tattoos are easy to apply and can cost as little as $10. there is also a pen available for #18 from Sephora that is waterproof and creates a temporary eyebrow tattoo or eyeliner that will give you an idea of what you can expect from a cosmetic tattoo eyebrows. However keep in mind that brows drawn on with a pen or a temporary tattoos are much inferior to those that are custom designed for you and are created with an eyebrow tattoo machine that will make eyebrows tattoos that mimic hair through feathering and fine hair mimicking techniques. If you like the results of what an inferior semi permanent eyebrow tattoo looks like then you likely be delighted with a the real tattoo.
Since eyebrow tattoo cost can be quite high (eyebrow tattoo price ranging from $400 to over $1,000 per procedure), having a sneak peek at eyebrow tattoos that stick on or can be drawn on in advance for a few dollars is well worth the time and effort. The eyebrows tattooing information that you may get from looking at pictures of tattoo eyebrows and seeing before and after shots and asking specialist how to tattoo eyebrows so you understand the procedure is not something you COULD do or MIGHT do if you have the time, it is a MUST do for anyone contemplating a tattoo. Please try some temporary tattoos and read the books available (I recommend some on this site). Please look at lots of eyebrow tattoo photos and watch some videos and search for tattoo eyebrows pictures online. Please ask the tattoo professionals as many questions as you can. You can also send me your questions or post them at the bottom of this article and will try to help, but it is best to discuss your specific concerns with someone in your area. I will soon try to include a list of professional permanent makeup experts and tattoo websites.
Permanent Makeup for Active Lifestyles
If you are like me and lead an active life where swimming and traveling are a part of your lifestyle, permanent make up and cosmetic tattooing can really make a difference. Also if you find that your eyes get watery in the wind or are very sensitive to the elements and make wearing makeup difficult, then permanent eyebrows and liner may be just the thing.
Many women are also very busy professionals and need to wear make up in their everyday life but are not adept at such things nor do they have an interest in drawing beautiful eyes and lips on every morning.
More Reasons For Permanent Cosmetic Tattooing
Other women have found that due to eyesight problems they simply forego makeup because they can’t see what they are doing or have shaky hands. These ladies need not worry if they have eyeliner and eyebrows permanently tattooed on and all they need is a touch of lip-gloss or a little powder on their nose and they’re good to go.
Another reason women opt to have permanent facial tattooing is because of allergies to commercial cosmetic products. Other ladies have had chemotherapy or have hair loss illnesses that have made them feel less feminine. These issues can be altered with cosmetic tattooing and can give ladies a whole new sense of self esteem.
You may just be sick of drawing eyebrows and eyeliner on each day and you want to treat yourself to a little something just for YOU. Try getting some liner done and then a lipliner and last a brow. Eyebrows are the most dramatic and therefore you can start slowly with a few other cosmetic tattooing procedures first to get your feet wet.
Selecting the Clinic or Tattoo Specialist
When you seek a clinic look for professionals who have experience with permanent makeup, cosmetic tattooing and micropigmentation or micro pigment implantation and derma graphics. There are pens, coils, rotary machines, and hand tattooing methods that all work well, but the best would be a rotary machine for eyebrow tattoos.
You can have your eyebrows enhanced a little or totally reshaped, you can have top and bottom eyeliner or just top or just bottom. You can have a little color deposited into your lash line just for a slight natural enhancement of color around the eyes and you can have a light lip line tattooed around your lips or have them totally filled in with pigment. You can also have scars made less obvious if they are in the eyebrow region and also have other cosmetic facial enhancements depending on what specialist are in your area.
Make sure that your professional aesthetician or tattoo artist is trained in their craft and have at least 40 hours of practice – more if possible. In the US there is a Society of Permanent Cosmetics Professionals. In other countries there are organizations that monitor the quality of these procedures by making sure the technicians or tattoo specialists are qualified and that the equipment is hygienic and modern.
Facilities can be tattoo shops in conjunction with piercing but must also have an eyebrow studio and/or a certified permanent makeup specialist who meets a standard and operates with international medical standards.
Hygienic, Sanitary Permanent Cosmetic Clinics
When you go to the aesthetic shop or clinic for an initial consultation make sure that the place is clean and that bedding or sheets are changed frequently and that in general the air is like a hospital or clinic and not like an underground tattoo shop where you would go to get a dragon tattooed onto your back. It is up to you to choose who will do this procedure. For you to be even better informed, take a look to some of the permanent make up and cosmetic tattooing books that soon will be available for sale through our website.
