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Medical Tattooing is the process of implanting coloured pigment into the skin to recreate definition, shading and colour.

PRE TREATMENT INFORMATION

If you are prone to cold sores (even in the past), and are having a lip treatment, use an anti-herpes medication 5 x daily before your treatment and for 5 days afterwards. This will help prevent a breakout which could cause you discomfort and scarring. You will need to obtain this from a chemist or your doctor.

For your comfort, refrain from alcohol or caffeine in the 24 hours pre treatment.

For facial treatments please arrive without makeup on, or arrive early and remove your makeup before your treatment time.

THE DAY AFTER YOUR TREATMENT

Do not shower or bath today or tomorrow! Not even by keeping the area out of the shower / bath. It needs to be kept away from steam, heat, water, sweat for 48 hours.

To reduce any swelling you may use an ice pack protected by a clean cloth.

If you have excess lymph liquid or scabbing, clean the area by boiling water, letting it cool, and using a clean cotton bud, gently wipe the area until clean.

The colour will be up to 50% DARKER immediately post treatment. Do not panic. After 4-7 days it will lose colour, and may seem to have disappeared as it is obscured by the healing layers of skin. The true healed colour will come through approximately 4 weeks after the initial treatment. Under no circumstances should you have any further permanent cosmetic work during this period.

THE WEEK AFTER YOUR TREATMENT

NO SWIMMING, SAUNA OR SUN-BED FOR 10 DAYS.

DAILY ROUTINE. THIS AFTERCARE IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE BEST RESULTS

Wash your hands. Apply the balm to the area of treatment. Use a clean cotton bud and apply a thin layer. Do this 2-3 times a day for 5-7 days. Make sure the balm has sunk in, if you have excess balm or it is sticky, wipe it away with a clean cotton bud.
You may experience the following: tenderness, flaking, dryness, itching, swelling & redness.

If you had Permanent Makeup or Medical Tattooing on your face; to clean your face within the first 48 hours, use a gentle cleanser and water but do not soak the area. If the area of treatments gets wet, gently pat dry with a clean towel, do not rub.
Keep hair and hands away from the area (as much as possible) to prevent infection.

If you are feeling less than 100% healthy it may take longer for your treatment to heal

IMPORTANT “DO NOTS”

DO NOT pick, peel or scratch the treated area, even if it is itchy. This could result in the colour healing unevenly, and being at risk from scarring and infection.

DO NOT apply makeup for 48hrs post treatment.

DO NOT expose your skin to extreme heat, cold or moisture for 10 days following your treatment. This includes direct sunlight, tanning bed, jacuzzi, sauna, pool, hot tub, direct shower spray and creams.

MEDICAL TATTOO AFTERCARE ONLY

If you have a dressing on, keep it dry for 48 hours, then shower it off by letting the water run gently down to moisten the dressing before removing. Do not direct the shower spray onto the dressing.

You may have swelling for the 24-48 hours, and crusting may appear on the tattoo area – it is important not to pick it.

Leave the area exposed to air as much as possible, or covered by loose, clean clothing in order for it to be air dried, forming a protective layer (scab) helping prevention of infection.

When the area is healed, usually between 5-10 days afterwards, you can use an unscented moisturiser.
The tattoo should not be exposed to direct sunlight for at least 3 months to prevent sunburn or pigment changes. It is recommended you do not go swimming until the area is fully healed.

LONG TERM CARE

In order to keep the tattoo in tip-top condition, it is necessary to have a colour boost every 12-18 months. Please do not let the area fade more than 50% or the Colour Boost may include more than one treatment.

To avoid pigment fade for as long as possible, use a good sunscreen daily. ALWAYS SPF 50. Take care when using products which contain retinol (Vitamin A) or glycolic acids as these can fade the pigment.

Giving Blood – The Red Cross advise against giving blood for 4 months post treatment.

MRI Scans now or in the future – Please inform your radiologist that you have had permanent make-up or medical tattooing. It has been known for pigment to show up on a scan and you may also experience a slight tingling during the scan.

Laser – Do not allow a laser to hit the skin near a pigmented area. You must inform the laser technician who should cover the area as a precaution. Lack of care could cause the pigment to turn black.

Anaesethic can be applied if there is a lot of sensation in an area. You will feel the treatment, and some areas are more tender than others, but the sensation can be managed with anaesethic.

Medical Tattooing can help to recreate the loss of pigmentation (hypo-pigmentation), scarring, skin grafts, nipple areola loss or lack of colour, lack of definition or shape around eyes, eyebrows and lips, hair loss.

Medical Tattooing CANNOT lighten areas of the skin that are darker than the surrounding skin, such as: hyper-pigmentation, moles, pigmented birthmarks, under-eye circles, age spots, melasma, red or brown scars.

Medical Tattooing CANNOT treat scars that are not healed, keloid scarring, patients that have used Roaccutane in the preceding 6 months, and patients that are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Medical Tattooing can only treat stretch-marks that when stretched still remain lighter than the surrounding area. If they disappear or are red or purple they cannot be treated.

Yes, Medical Tattooing can be used for any skin tone. Pigments are mixed to recreate the skin tone or hair colour. There is a greater risk that Medical Tattooing may cause hyperpigmentation in darker skin tones. The pigment is inserted into the dermal layer of the skin where the melanin is. Stimulation by the needle can cause the melanin to increase, causing hyper-pigmentation.

Medical Tattooing treatments generally consist of 2-4 treatments with 4-10 weeks between treatments depending on the area concerned. The number of treatments may increase if the area concerned is larger than a fifty pence piece.

Each patient reacts differently so a consultation is needed to enable a more personalised treatment plan.

No, you can go into work the same day if need be.
For Medical Tattoo either a dressing may be needed for the first 48 hours. If no dressing is needed, the area may look red and/or slightly swollen.

Lips and eyes are the areas that may swell, so it is advisable to have your treatment at least 48 hours before an important event.

The results are dependant on the area to be treated, the type of concern, your pigment retention, lifestyle, aftercare, medication, weather. There are many factors implicated. Medical tattooing works towards making the area of concern less visible (scars and hypo-pigmentation), or more defined (brows/lips / hair).

The scarring, port wine stain, hypo-pigmentation, skin graft WILL NOT be gone. Medical tattooing cannot remove or improve these skin changes. It can only add pigment to help camouflage the area.

Medical Tattooing is not advisable for use over anything that is darker than the surrounding skin.

No, Medical Tattooing is not advisable to try and make areola look smaller, only larger.

After a treatment the area can look red, sometimes raised and darker than the desired result. It can take three to seven days to heal, scabbing may occur and then the colour will look approximately 50% lighter.

Medical tattooing will last anywhere between one year to five years. This is dependant on the number of treatments you’ve had, your pigment retention, the pigment colour, aftercare, exposure to UV rays, medication, immune response especially heightened response from Vitiligo / Alopecia and/or Lupus.

You will need a colour boost when either the area is 50% faded, or the colour starts to change.

Medical tattooing is not without risks although they are minimal.

As with all injection sites there is a risk of infection. To minimise this risk the aftercare needs to be adhered to. A dressing can be applied to some areas to help reduce the risk.
The colour can sometimes look darker than the implanted pigment colour.
Hyper-pigmentation can be caused by the stimulation of the needles.
The skin may not retain the pigment at all, or minimally.