General cosmetic tattoos

1. Is Cosmetic Tattooing the same as body tattoos?

Cosmetic tattooing is the same as body tattoos in the essence that they both puncture the skin depositing pigment resulting in a permanent tattoo, however, the method of deposit and depth of colour implanted do differ. Cosmetic tattoos usually do not penetrate the skin as deep as body tattoos and the colours used are usually more tailored to the face.

2. Is Cosmetic Tattooing painful?

The level of pain felt does depend on the individual’s pain threshold. A topical anaesthetic is used for eyebrows and eyeliners and these usually help soften the pain.

3. How permanent is Cosmetic Tattooing?

Cosmetic tattoos generally last between 1-3 years however there have been cases where cosmetic tattoos have lasted for more than 20 years. The permanence of a cosmetic tattoo depends on many factors; individual skin type, medical conditions, colours used, etc. Colours do fade over time, and we usually recommend a touch-up every 1-2 years.

4. How do I choose a colour for my cosmetic tattoo?

We take your skin tone and desired result into consideration prior to choosing a colour and we try our very best to match your chosen shade. It is important that you are aware that colours do change post-implantation. One same colour can be used on 20 individuals with all twenty resulting in different colours.

5. What should I consider prior to the procedure?

There are a few important factors to take into consideration prior to undergoing treatment. Please read carefully and should you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact us. Cosmetic tattoos can last anything from one year to twenty-plus years, depending on the individual’s skin and initial colours used. Retouch will be required at some point. Certain products and procedures, such as acid-based (glycolic and AHA’S) products, Retinal, Peels, Sun exposure and laser treatments can fade tattoos. Colours change and fade over time. Even though the utmost care is taken in colour matching; taking all of the relevant factors into consideration, it can be hard to predict if one will have considerable complications with the colour. This is due to the fact that many different things such as the following can affect the final colour;

– Client’s skin undertones
– Medication and medical conditions
– Skincare products used
– Sun exposure
– Acidic based products
– Skins cellular composition
– Failure to adhere to provided aftercare instructions.

Black pigment (which is only used for the eyeliner tattoo on the face) often results in a bluey hue in cosmetic tattoos just like body tattoos. The bluey hue can come through overtime or immediately. There is no way of predicting if or when this happens. Black pigment is never used on the eyebrows.

Colour bleeding in cosmetic tattooing is where the colour lightly spreads out of the designated area. Even though this rarely happens (in less than 1% of clients, in eyeliner or lips) it is important to be aware of this prior to the procedure. This is why we insist that clients should be calm and relaxed through the procedure to ensure the pigment is deposited at the correct angle.

If you suffer from cold sores (the herpes virus) you should be aware that often a lip procedure induces a re-occurrence. This is because the herpes virus remains dormant in the body and comes through once stress is exerted on the body (e.g. cold and the flu, mental stress…. And tattoos!). We suggest that you take preventative supplements such as Blackmores “L-Lysine” a couple of weeks prior to treatment. You can also use your usual medicated treatment, upon recommendation of your GP (e.g. Zovirax, Valtrex) up to two days prior to treatment and continue use for up to 4 days post-treatment. The above should help prevent and also reduce the length of time a cold sore persists. Cold sores usually but not always result in loss of pigment in the affected area. On the routine adjustment appointment (6 weeks post-treatment), this can be addressed.

If you are or suspect that you are pregnant, suffer from medical conditions or are on any medication, it is important that you notify us prior to treatment. In some cases, a letter from a GP will be required. Blood-thinning medication, alcohol and diabetes are some of the reasons why we turn clients away.

6. How long will my Cosmetic Tattoo take to heal?

Healing time differs in individuals. It can be anything from 4 days to 14 days. The majority of clients resume work the next day and manage to keep their tattoos discreet. Depending on the area tattooed, redness, dryness and minor swelling can occur. Swelling usually subsides within a couple of hours (except in full lip treatments where it can take up to 24 hours). Itchiness is the first sign of healing, please ensure you do not itch the area and keep the area moisturised as scabbing and itching will cause patchiness within the tattoo.

Eyebrow Tattooing

1. How do I decide on a shape for my Eyebrow Cosmetic Tattoo?

Usually, we try to stick to your natural flow of eyebrows with minor tweaks as this will give the most natural result. But in saying that a reshape may be required, here we usually ask the client to draw in their usual shape on one eyebrow and we will draw an ideal shape recommended on the other brow. This way you can see the difference and decide. When recommending we take skin, face and feature shape into consideration.

2. What will I look like immediately after MY Eyebrow Cosmetic Tattoo?

Eyebrows will immediately look more prominent, darker and more defined with a little bit of swelling and redness. Swelling and redness will subside within a few hours post tattooing. The colour will appear darker and stronger than the desired result; this will adjust over the healing time with up to 40% pigment loss experienced within the first 6 weeks.

3. How long will it take to heal?

Eyebrow tattoos usually start to heal quickly without any complications (within four days), they will completely heal within 6 weeks. It is important to stick to the aftercare instructions to ensure rapid healing.

Eyeliner Tattooing

 1. does it hurt?

The pain threshold of each individual is different, but it is a sensitive area. A topical anaesthetic is used to help numb the pain.

2. What will it look like immediately after treatment?

Immediately after a lash line or an eyeliner tattoo, eyes will be a little red, swollen and agitated. The eyeliner will be quite an intense colour with a wet look finish. It will also look much thicker than the desired result due to the swelling. The swelling will subside within a few hours; an ice pack can be used to aid relief of swelling. 

Lip Tattooing

1. does it hurt?

The pain factor differs within individuals. We usually offer either a topical anaesthetic or a complete block given by a dentist. The topical anaesthetic helps dull the pain, the complete block removes all elements of pain. If doing full lips we recommend a block.

2. What colour do I choose for my lip tattoo?

Usually, colour consultations help solve this issue. We decide on a colour depending on the desired result, skin tone, complexion and original lip tone. If correcting the lip shape without enhancement, we try to closely match your lip colour. Be aware that when correcting we usually tattoo other parts of the lip to help the colour blend and match. When undergoing a lip correction, the tattooed colour initially will differ from the rest of the lip, but within 6 weeks of healing, pigment is lost and colour will be similar to the lip. Full lip tattoos will lose up to half of their pigment, this is important to remember as when it is initially done it will look much brighter, darker and deeper than intended.

3. What will it look like immediately after treatment?

Your lips will be quite swollen, especially if you opted for the block. Swelling will only last for the first few hours and ice can help reduce this time. The colour will be quite bright and the tattooed area a little sore (it’ll look and feel as though it has been scratched). Ice and ointment will help relieve any discomfort.

4. When can I return to work and how long does it take to heal?

After a lip blend or a lip liner tattoo, you can generally return to work the very next day. Full lip tattoos tend to require an extra day for the swelling to subside, and a small percentage of clients experience minor bruising. Most patients experience dry/itchy lips that can be aided with an aftercare ointment. Sun protection is essential. It generally takes 8 weeks for a lip tattoo to completely heal.