Commonly known as medical tattooing, micropigmentation is a revolutionary way to place or replace color in your skin. A safe and effective procedure, micropigmentation is performed by depositing pigment into your skin with a specially designed motorized instrument and a sterile needle or group of needles. Micropigmentation can be performed to enhance your eyes, eyebrows and lips. It can also be used to camouflage scars, burns and vitiligo as well as to give your nipple-areola complex a more natural appearance following breast reconstruction surgery.

If you are considering micropigmentation, this page will give you a basic understanding, but be sure to address any specific questions you have with your plastic surgeon or micropigmentation specialist at The Centre, P.C.

Who is a good candidate for micropigmentation?

Micropigmentation can enhance your overall appearance by giving your skin and facial features more color and definition. Micropigmentation is a good procedure for you if:

• you have had breast reconstruction surgery and want a natural looking nipple-areola complex;
• you have contact or cosmetic allergies but like the appearance of cosmetics;
• you have had a loss of eyebrows or eyelashes due to disease, trauma or aging;
• you have thin, asymmetrical or poorly defined lips;
• you have visual impairments or loss of motor skills that make the application of cosmetics difficult;
• you have an active lifestyle and want a waterproof, perspiration-proof solution to cosmetic limitations;
• you have a desire to eliminate daily cosmetic application;
• you have a desire to camouflage scars, burns or vitiligo.

Planning For Micropigmentation

An initial consultation with your micropigmentation specialist is very important. He or she will take a medical history survey, evaluate your health, review the choice of pigment shades available for your procedure, and help you choose the most appropriate shade to complement your hair and skin tones. He or she will also explain the risks involved and the type of anesthesia to be used, if needed. Most of the procedures are performed in our office.

A color chart may be used to select a pigment shade for your procedure. If your color is not on the color chart, our licensed aesthetician has the ability to blend a color specifically for you. Your pigment selection should be conservative. You do not want to select an extreme color that can quickly go out of fashion. Also, colors may look different once injected under the skin. Ask our aesthetician to help you select the most appropriate color. Together, you should also agree on the placement of the pigmentation.

For any procedure involving the eye, contact lenses and makeup should not be worn the day of the procedure and transportation should be arranged. Our micropigmentation specialist may recommend that a skin patch be performed.

The Micropigmentation Procedure

Cosmetic Procedure - Micropigmentation can be performed to cosmetically enhance the eyes, eyebrows and lips with the precise placement of color in the skin. The eye enhancement procedure involves placing pigment on the eyelid margin to create the appearance of fuller lashes and a more defined shape. During the eyebrow enhancement procedure, pigment will be placed in the skin to create the appearance of eyebrows, to better define their shape or make them appear thicker. With the lip enhancement procedure, pigment will be placed on the edge of the lip to better define the lip, or the lip can be covered to provide a long-lasting color. The lip can be shaded using a variety of colors in order to give the lip a fuller appearance.

Nipple-Areola Pigmentation - Nipple-areola pigmentation is the final stage of breast reconstruction surgery. Our specialists can create a natural-looking nipple-areola complex with the placement of color on and around the nipple. Pigment can also be injected into the skin to correct size, shape or symmetry of an existing nipple-areola complex.

Vitiligo, Scar and Burn Camouflage -- Until recently, patients with vitiligo, scars or burns have had to rely on daily application of camouflage makeup to disguise depigmented areas of skin. Micropigmentation has been proven a safe, effective and more permanent camouflage alternative. Using pigments to match your skin color, our licensed aesthetician can camouflage vitiligo patches, burns or depigmented scars.

The area to be pigmented will be measured, outlined and marked. You may want to check the final placement in the mirror. Generally, a local or topical anesthetic is applied to the site to ensure comfort. Using a motorized instrument with a sterile needle or cluster of needles, our specialist will inject the pigment into your skin using slow, methodical motions to cover the specified area. The needles will reciprocate rapidly in and out of the skin. With anesthesia, you should feel little more than a slight "plucking" sensation. As the procedure progresses, a small amount of blood may come to the surface. The blood along with any excess pigment will be removed from the site.

After The Micropigmentation Procedure

After the procedure, you may experience swelling or tenderness at the pigmented site. You may need to apply cool compresses. The pigmented site should be kept moist for five to seven days. You may be advised to apply an ointment or dressing. For best results, the pigmented area should be left undisturbed (which means avoiding unnecessary washing and scrubbing). You will be given aftercare instructions which may include avoiding the sun and wearing sunscreen on the pigmented site. With any facial procedure, you should avoid placing cosmetics on the pigmented site, and you may be asked to forgo wearing contact lenses for a few days if any procedures are done near the eyes. Most patients resume all normal activities within 24 hours.

Micropigmentation Risks

Micropigmentation is a relatively simple, safe and painless procedure. However, as with any surgical procedure, there is a possibility of complications including, but not limited to, infection, swelling, bruising, rash, tenderness and a reaction to the pigment or anesthesia. Although thousands of procedures have been successfully performed with virtually no complications, you could be advised against it if your medical condition may make micropigmentation more risky or may prevent the pigment from staying in your skin. Be sure to advise us of your medical history as well as any medication you are taking prior to your procedure.

The most common misconception about micropigmentation is that it will last a lifetime. While the pigment will remain in the skin for an extended period of time, without a "touchup" it may eventually fade and disappear. In addition, the color selected may appear to be different once it is injected under the skin. It may also appear either too dark or too light. This is due to each individual's unique skin color and chemical composition. Address your concerns and questions to our aesthetician.

Micropigmentation, Donating Blood and MRIs

Due to the risk of infection, the American Association of Blood Banks requires a one-year wait between getting a tattoo and donating blood.

Your should also be aware of the following statement issued by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA):

• There have been reports of people with tattoos or permanent makeup who experienced swelling or burning in the affected areas when they underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This seems to occur only rarely and apparently without lasting effects. There also have been reports of tattoo pigments interfering with the quality of the image. This seems to occur mainly when a person with permanent eyeliner undergoes MRI of the eyes. Mascara may produce a similar effect. The difference is that mascara is easily removable.
• The cause of these complications is uncertain. Some have theorized that they result from an interaction with the metallic components of some pigments.
• However, the risks of avoiding an MRI when your doctor has recommended one are likely to be much greater than the risks of complications from an interaction between the MRI and tattoo or permanent makeup. Instead of avoiding an MRI, individuals who have tattoos or permanent makeup should inform the radiologist or technician of this fact in order to take appropriate precautions, avoid complications, and assure the best results.

Contact our cosmetic surgeons to schedule your consultation for micropigmentation. The Centre, P.C. offers the latest cosmetic surgery procedures, including micropigmentation, to patients in Elkhart and South Bend, Indiana, Michiana and the Southern Michigan area, and Chicago.

 

Elkhart Office

RiverPointe Medical Building
500 Arcade Ave., Suite 300
Elkhart, IN 46514
FAX: 574-293-1511

Chesterton Office

Duneland Health & Wellness Institute
810 Michael Drive, Suite K
Chesterton, IN 46304
Fax: 219.926.3534

ASPS ASAPS AAAASF