Thunder Bay Laser Clinic

Micro-pigmentation, also known as permanent make-up, is a procedure applying pigment into the dermal layer of the skin. This state of the art procedure has been performed for a variety of make-up enhancements for hundreds of years. Cosmetic tattooing can offer subtle encouragement and enhances lip liner and lip colour, upper and lower eye liners and eyebrows.

In the more recent years, permanent colour techniques are being widely performed for camouflage therapy such as creating the illusion of areolas and nipple restoration, vitiligo, hypo-pigmentation and hairline scars.

Other than esthetic enhancement and definition, cosmetic tattooing has many other benefits. The visually impaired, handicapped and alopecia patients benefit tremendously by implanting pigment underneath the skin.

At the Thunder Bay Laser Clinic, we use sterilized, disposable needs to implant desired colour into the dermis layer of the skin. A patch test may be performed at the time of the consultation to assess for allergies and/or colour match. This patch test is simple and is done either on the scalp, behind the ear or directly over the area to be tattooed if colour is in question.

The pigments are made of mineral, iron oxide base colorants. These colorants and dispersing solutions are FDA, Food, Drug and Cosmetic approved.

Permanent make-up / corrective cosmetics is ideal for:

• those experiencing hair loss either due to aging, Chemotherapy or other factors;
• those who suffer from arthritis, paralysis, motor skill problems, Parkinson's disease or vision limitations, making make-up application difficult;
• those with allergies to conventional cosmetics;
• those who wear contacts or glasses who suffer from watery eyes, resulting in smudged eye liner;
• those who have undergone a mastectomy;
• those who have thin, uneven lips;
• those who have a cleft lip; and
• those who suffer from Vitiligo (leukoderma) and want to restore a natural and even-looking skin tone

The time that a Permanent Cosmetics appointment can take will vary depending on the area(s) requiring micro-pigmentation. Typical appointments can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. A touch-up appointment is usually needed 3 to 8 weeks after the initial appointment. This second appointment will perfect and detail the final look.

Highly effective topical anesthetics are applied to the area to numb and provide comfort to ensure a perfect procedure. Depending on which anesthetics are used, generally there is minimal, if any, discomfort.

There may be some redness and slight swelling immediately following the procedure. This disappears quickly afterwards. Applying ice is helpful for some. Applying Polysporin or petroleum jelly for 5 to 7 days after the procedure is critical to keep the area moist.

A touch-up appointment is usually needed 3 to 8 weeks after the initial appointment. This second appointment will perfect and detail the final look. As the years pass (5-10 years), re-enhancements or maintenance may be desired for some people.