Tattoos are no longer relegated to the world of the rebellious. A new extreme make-up trend is gaining popularity as more and more women are undergoing a process called micropigmentation -- essentially make-up tattooing.
Like tattooing, micropigmentation is a procedure in which a needle is used to inject colored granules under the top few layers of skin, resulting in a permanent coloration of the affected area. The most common procedures are eyeliner, lip color, and eyebrows. Unlike tattooing, however, state regulatory boards have not kept up with the pace of the increasingly popular micropigmentation industry. The result is that some consumers are having the procedure done by people who are not qualified.
The benefits of micropigmentations are fairly straightforward. The cosmetic procedure creates a permanent illusion of make-up that lasts through situations regular make-up won't. You'll wake up with a fresh looking make-up every morning, and that it won't fade throughout your day.
Before you are drawn in by the lure of convenience, consider the fairly sizable risks involved. The largest concern surrounds finding a qualified individual to perform the procedure. Micropigmentation is currently being performed by dermatologists, cosmetologists, aestheticians, nurses, and tattoo artists, but there are no national training requirements in place. Some states have no regulations whatsoever, which means that your procedure could be done by someone with no training or experience.
The best step in protecting yourself is to make sure you are working with someone who is qualified. Ask to confirm that the practitioner has a business license and a certificate from the board of health. Request to speak with former patients, but don't just accept a portfolio of pictures that could have been printed off the internet. Ask your practitioner if they are accredited through the American Academy of Micropigmentation, a national organization which requires its members to be trained and tested.Even if your practitioner checks out, there are still risks involved. Though they are not common, allergic reactions and infections have been reported. Allergic reactions can be particularly problematic because it's difficult to remove the the foreign body. Keloids and granulomas are both reactions that cause bumps and scarring; they can occur as the result of a pigmentation procedure or as the result of trying to have the permanent make-up removed.As in tattooing, infections are also a concern. If equipment is not properly sterilized, consumers run the risk of contracting deadly infections like hepatitis or even HIV. There have been about 10 reported cases in the US of infections as a result of micropigmentation.Because the pigment uses iron oxide, the magnetic field created by an MRI can cause an inflammation of the skin. Though the condition can be treated with an antihistamine, be sure to alert your doctor so that the MRI can be accurately read.
One of the largest considerations to be made, however, is the concept of permanence. Micropigmenation is not easily removed; procedures to remove the pigment often leave scars or areas of discoloration. Over time, the color can fade, but such fading is unpredictable. Colors can also spread into areas that the consumer did not want colored.By and large, however, the results are permanent. You can change your eye shadow by going to the drug store, but it's not as simple as that with micropigmentation. Before you go under the needle, ask yourself if you'll want to look in the mirror and see those results in ten or twenty years, after the sea of trends has ebbed and flowed a few times.
