✦ F.A.Q ✦

Microblading is a semi-permanent brow tattoo performed with a small handheld tool, using a feather stroke technique to produce the appearance of fuller eyebrows or to enhance the natural features of the face. Microblading is a softer/more subtle cosmetic tattoo than some of older methods. Body tattoos use ink while cosmetic tattoo procedures involve pigments. These pigments are designed to gently fade over time. Fading is desired as it allows the artist to make changes to color and shape over the years as client’s natural coloration and facial changes occur.

Two hours on average. A good chunk of this time is spent measuring and drawing on a symmetrical set of brows and agreeing on your perfect shape and color. The actual procedure itself takes 45 minutes to an hour. The touch-up appointment will take about an hour.

The treatment is considered semi-permanent and will fade over time. Touch-ups are recommended every 1-2 years maintain shape, color, and detail. How often depends on a number of factors including:

- Skin type (oily skin fade faster)

- Pigment color used (lighter colors fade faster)

- Sun exposure (over time can cause fading and discoloration of the pigment)

- Use of daily anti-aging products e.g.- (Tretinoin (Retin-A) & Alpha Hydroxy). These products increase your cell turnover rate and will shorten the life of your cosmetic tattoo

I do all that I can to ensure that the process is as comfortable as possible. Before the Microblading begins, a topical anesthetic is applied to the area to minimize discomfort, followed by a gel secondary anesthetic during the procedure. Some clients may feel a slight discomfort, but it’s relatively pain free for most.

(PLEASE NOTE that if you are a frequent smoker, or have your appointment during your menstrual cycle, the pain level could be intensified.)

You must avoid working out for 7 days following your microblading appointment. Light exercising is allowed (minimal sweating), but you must clean the tattooed area with lukewarm water as soon as you are done exercising. The salt in sweat will fade the pigment very quickly and give poor results.

As a precaution to avoid any complications, I do not perform cosmetic tattooing on pregnant women, or women that are currently breastfeeding.

• If you have an ideal shape and color in mind, bring a few reference photos with you to your appointment.

• You may fill in your eyebrows as you normally would so I can take into consideration the shape you desire.

• If you regularly get your eyebrows shaped, waxed, threaded or tinted, please do so at least 3 days before your appointment.

• If you have been on prescription Accutane in the past, you must wait at least one year before considering this procedure.

• You must stop using Retinol 2 weeks prior to your appointment and avoid using it for the 2 weeks following your appointment.

• If you get Botox regularly please get that done no later than 2 weeks before your appointment. This is to ensure we can make your brows as symmetrical as possible.

• Avoid chemical peels at least 4 weeks prior to your appointment.

• Avoid direct sun exposure and tanning for 2 weeks before and after your procedure. Do not come to your appointment with a sunburn. In this case, email us at least 48 hours prior to your appointment to reschedule.

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, ibuprofen, fish oil, vitamin E, or any blood thinning medication 24 hours prior to your appointment.

• If you plan to go on a vacation, it is recommended to plan your trip a minimum of 10 days after the procedure due to the aftercare maintenance.

Thicker skin with large pores that tends to be on the oily side

The skin texture and constant production of oil will cause the hair strokes to heal with a thicker diffused, softer look. We can work on this type of skin; however, you must be aware that your end result will look more powdered and blended than you would expect.

Super-thin, soft, hypersensitive, skin

Usually translucent and pale with invisible pores and can have rosacea or dermatitis. This type of skin bleeds VERY easily, has a harder time healing, & pigment can appear more ashy, blurred and patchy.

Powder brow is recommended for these two skin types.

The short answer is no. While it’s suitable for most people, there are certain reasons that I can’t treat everyone. Before undergoing treatment, clients are always made aware that certain contraindications can prevent me from proceeding. These include:

• High blood pressure or heart conditions

• Taking blood-thinners such as aspirin or similar medication

• Diabetes

• Pregnant or lactating

• Glaucoma

• Herpes simplex

• Certain skin conditions e.g. rashes, blisters, psoriasis, or eczema

• Taking steroids such as cortisone, Accutane, Retin-A or Renova

• Allergy to makeup

• Acute acne in the treatment area

• Susceptibility to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

• Hypertrophic scarring or keloids

• Spider veins or a birthmark in the area they want to be treated

• Blood disorder e.g. sickle cell anemia, haemophilia, or a platelet disorder

For some of the above, I may also ask that you provide written authorization from your doctor before we can proceed.

If any of these apply to you, let’s take a look at some in greater detail so you have a better idea of the specific contraindication and why it may prevent us from providing any form of permanent makeup:

BLOOD PRESSURE/HEART CONDITIONS

While this may not actually prevent you from being treated, I would always ask for written permission from your doctor first. I list this as a contraindication as it’s always best to be on the side of caution as I won’t know the severity of your condition nor will I know what medication you’re taking. Furthermore, if you’ve suffered from mitral valve prolapse, have an artificial heart valve, or have any condition that means you need to take prophylactic (intended to prevent disease) antibiotics, you’ll also have to take them prior to being treated at our shop . If you are required to take antibiotics before seeing a dentist, you will need to take antibiotics before a permanent makeup procedure.

BLOOD THINNERS

Blood thinners (anticoagulants), such as aspirin or other forms of medication you’ve either bought over the counter (e.g herbal supplements) or have been prescribed by a doctor, can increase the time it takes for the blood to clot. Bearing in mind that having permanent makeup involves breaking the skin, it is important that the time it takes for your blood to clot is within a reasonable timeframe. If not, you may experience increased bleeding time, higher than average bruising, and the pigments may not stick.

DIABETES

If you are diabetic, it could lead to complications with the healing process and increase the risk of infection.

PREGNANCY/LACTATING

There are a couple of reasons why any permanent makeup procedure should be postponed under these conditions. Your skin tone can change slightly during pregnancy which can make it more difficult to achieve the desired results in the long-term. While complications are extremely rare, if one did occur while pregnant, this can add an extra undesirable factor into the equation. For the sake of you and your baby, it’s always best to put off the procedure until after you’ve given birth and stopped lactating (breastfeeding).

SKIN CONDITIONS – RASHES, BLISTERS, PSORIASIS, ECZEMA, ETC.

Any skin condition such as the ones mentioned above can complicate things and can affect the overall long-term results of permanent makeup. It doesn’t necessarily mean that I won’t be able to treat you, but we’ll need to discuss your condition in more detail prior to undertaking any treatment.

KELOID/HYPERTROPHIC SCARRING

As keloid/hypertrophic scarring is associated with adverse wound healing factors, you may not be a suitable candidate for microblading or any other form of permanent makeup treatment as a uniform healing process without additional complications is more desirable. The same would apply if you were looking to have a permanent tattoo at a tattoo shop.

TOPICAL STEROIDS, ACCUTANE, RETIN-A OR RENOVA

The ongoing use of topical steroids can lead to a thinning of the skin, particularly if used long-term. For this reason, permanent makeup is not recommended. If you have only been using topical steroids for a very short time, treatment is still possible afterward provided some time has elapsed after your last application. If you’re using any of the above medications, please speak to your GP prior to contacting us. If you have taken Accutane, you must wait one year after its completion before having a permanent makeup procedure

POST-INFLAMMATORY HYPERPIGMENTATION

Also known simply as hyperpigmentation, this often affects the facial area, particularly after the skin has been traumatized by certain procedures such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion, laser treatments, etc. This also applies to microblading and other forms of permanent makeup.

SPIDER VEINS OR BIRTHMARKS

If you have either of these in or around the area you’d like me to treat, it can be problematic so you’ll need to discuss this with me in more detail first.

BLEEDING DISORDERS

If you suffer from this type of condition (such as hemophilia), your blood will not clot during your procedure and excessive bleeding may occur, above-average bruising can happen, and the pigment may not stick.

COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM

If you have any condition or are undergoing any treatment that can compromise your immune system, you MUST speak to your doctor first. A good immune system is important for the healing process to go smoothly so anything that puts this in jeopardy should be avoided.

Any treatment, medication, or illness that compromises the immune system/healing would NOT make you a good candidate for micropigmentation procedures.

CONCLUSION

I hope the above information has given you more of an insight into the possible contraindications relating to microblading and permanent makeup. As I’ve mentioned several times in this post, it really is a good idea to have a chat with your doctor if any of the above conditions apply to you.

Lip blushing is a form of semi-permanent makeup. Essentially, it is a cosmetic tattoo of the lips that enhances the beauty of the natural lip color, improving the shape of the lips, giving definition and the illusion of fullness. This treatment delivers very natural results, once healed. Filler may be great for creating volume in your lips, but lip blush delivers a more natural look and give the illusion of fuller lips.

Here’s how it works: A tiny mechanized needle deposits pigment into the lips, which builds layers of color. It can be a corrective treatment to help even out the tone of the lips, as well as help with asymmetry.

Discomfort is minimal and a numbing gel is used to make your procedure as painless as possible. This may vary depending on the individuals pain tolerance.

There are several stages which include; numbing, outlining the lips, and the actual process of Tattooing. This usually takes roughly 2-3 hours.

A wide range of tones in the pink, coral, and red families are available to create a customized shade. This will be determined with your artist prior to beginning.

Like any tattoo, swelling and redness is unavoidable. You may experience an intensified vibrancy from the pigment causing a temporary boldness to your lips. As they heal, the swelling will desist, the vibrancy will settle, and the color will restore to a natural finish.

The healing process for Lip Blush takes approxiamtely 3-4 days. In that time you may experience some dryness and texture until the lips naturally exfoliate themselves. Aquaphor or a provided barrier cream is to be applied during the healing process.

The best results generally come from a two step process. Touch ups allow us to analyze how the color regenerates beneath the skin and add in areas that may have healed incorrectly. Healed results are unique to each client and we do our best to create a consistent experience. Touch ups are beneficial for layering the pigment for more saturation and must be completed within 10 weeks from the original session for the reduced price-point to be honored.

-You must be 18+ to receive a service at Antrim.

-As a safety precaution, we refrain from working on individuals who are pregnant or nursing.

-If you’ve received lip filler you must wait a minimum of 3 weeks before receiving your session.

-If you are prone to cold sores , it is recommended that you take an antiviral medication for two days prior , and teo days port procedure. Lip Blushing can trigger outbreaks in those who have had cold sores in the past.

Approximately 2-3 years after you’ve received your touch up. Skin type and lifestyle can effect the longevity of your cosmetic tattoo - we can not guarantee specific results.