Insta make-up ready!

Cosmetic tattooing and permanent make-up is the latest buzz in town. While the trend has major takers in the west for quite sometime, it has risen to prominence in India only recently.

For the uninitiated, the process of permanent makeup means shaping of eyebrows, permanent eyeliner, and the application of lipstick can all be achieved with simple tattooing of pigment into the skin! Given how women and men want permanent and quicker solutions today, who wouldn't want to wake up with not a speck out of place The technology and machines are now available in India and people in India are already seeking such treatments. We have lots of women correcting their over plucked thin eyebrows and men seeking to correct gaps in the scalp with this cosmetic tattooing.

Make-up tattooing uses inks of different colours and needles that embed the pigments deep within the layers of the skin. Going at the correct depth in the skin, using good numbing injections and the skill of creating the tattoo all count. Going at the correct depth is painful and needs skillful anaesthesia. Numbing creams used by non- doctors do not help at alleviating the pain and the procedure can get quite painful. Doctors can use numbing injections and this then makes the procedure painless. The procedure is also done in a sterile manner. There is a need to be hygienic and sterile and should be done in a hospital environment because otherwise these procedures can increase the risk of HIV and Hepatitis .

Overzealous plucking and threading of eyebrows over time can lead to thin eyebrows and certain diseases like Thyroid and ageing can cause scant eyebrows. Eyebrow tattooes deposit a combination of brown and black pigment to resemble natural hair. This can fill in scant areas or reshape to give the illusion of thicker eyebrows. You still need to do traditional shaping of eyebrows like threading to remove stray hairs from underneath or above. These procedures in most cases can last for several years. The duration depends on the depth of the needle used, the ink used, the area and the skill of the technician. On the scalp, the tattooing of hair lasts for upto two years, and has to be redone every two years because the pigment fades. These are relatively safe procedures to do under the supervision and expertise of trained hands. There are chances of allergic reactions to the dye, anaesthesia and granuloma (lump) formation. Sometimes when cheap dyes are used, these can fade quickly and also migrate to other areas nearby. Ask to see before and after pictures and where possible talk to the client directly and inspect closely. You will get to know the skill of the aesthetician. Consult with them and check to see if they have answers to all your questions. Go for a clinic-based treatment that is being done under the supervision of a doctor. Observe the hygiene of the clinic. Avoid alcohol and painkillers two days prior to procedure.

The writer is a cosmetic dermatologist and hair transplant surgeon.