Say hello to confidence

If you have a visible difference, such as a scar or skin condition on your face or body, it can seriously hamper your confidence, self-esteem and ability to face the world.

Being asked questions or stared at is something no one should have to encounter. And yet, people with visual differences find this a fact of life. If you’ve had surgery, have birthmarks or a distinguishing feature that is causing you stress and anxiety, exploring medical tattooing or camouflage make-up could be the step that changes your life for the better.

As a specialist Medical Tattooist and Camouflage Make-Up expert I work with patients to reduce their fear through reducing their visible difference. I take them on a journey that includes education about the options; advice and support in making choices, and ultimately being able to brave the world more positively and confidently.

Being able to offer a choice between covering up, whether on a daily basis with camouflage or long term with medical tattooing, takes the fear factor out of the equation, and can have a major positive effect on many areas of your life including relationships, work and social life.

The benefits of medical tattooing are visual, physical and psychological. You want to look better, feel confident, to have a say in your appearance – and this may be the final stage of a medical journey. This service is usually a last port of call; when surgery is completed and a final touch is needed for enhancement.

How does it work?

Medical Tattooing is the process of implanting medically certified pigment into the skin creating definition, shading and colour. It can treat the following conditions:

• scarring
• skin grafts
• nipple / areola
• cleft lip
• port wine stains
• vitiligo
• lack of pigment in skin
• lack of hair on brows, lash line and scalp

Why is pigment used?

One of the most important factors in tattooing is the pigment choice. Pigments these days are medically certified and are used instead of ink. Ink in a normal body tattoo is a large molecule that is too big to travel through the layers of the skin, so it stays where it is implanted; into the dermal layer. Medically certified pigment is a much smaller molecule and is implanted into the same layer as ink, but it CAN travel through the layers of the skin. The lymph then comes along and processes it (breaks it down) and gets rid of it. Therefore, medical tattooing and semi-permanent makeup fade with time, varying between one and five years depending on age, body temperature, medication, skin type and aftercare. Colour boosts are necessary when the colour starts to change and fade. The pigments are safe, non-toxic and non-irritant.

Semi-permanent makeup can then be applied to features such as eyebrows, eyelids and lips.

Say hello to confidence

If you have a visible difference, such as a scar or skin condition on your face or body, it can seriously hamper your confidence, self-esteem and ability to face the world.

Being asked questions or stared at is something no one should have to encounter. And yet, people with visual differences find this a fact of life. If you’ve had surgery, have birthmarks or a distinguishing feature that is causing you stress and anxiety, exploring medical tattooing or camouflage make-up could be the step that changes your life for the better.

As a specialist Medical Tattooist and Camouflage Make-Up expert I work with patients to reduce their fear through reducing their visible difference. I take them on a journey that includes education about the options; advice and support in making choices, and ultimately being able to brave the world more positively and confidently.

Being able to offer a choice between covering up, whether on a daily basis with camouflage or long term with medical tattooing, takes the fear factor out of the equation, and can have a major positive effect on many areas of your life including relationships, work and social life.

The benefits of medical tattooing are visual, physical and psychological. You want to look better, feel confident, to have a say in your appearance – and this may be the final stage of a medical journey. This service is usually a last port of call; when surgery is completed and a final touch is needed for enhancement.

How does it work?

Medical Tattooing is the process of implanting medically certified pigment into the skin creating definition, shading and colour. It can treat the following conditions:

• scarring
• skin grafts
• nipple / areola
• cleft lip
• port wine stains
• vitiligo
• lack of pigment in skin
• lack of hair on brows, lash line and scalp

Why is pigment used?

One of the most important factors in tattooing is the pigment choice. Pigments these days are medically certified and are used instead of ink. Ink in a normal body tattoo is a large molecule that is too big to travel through the layers of the skin, so it stays where it is implanted; into the dermal layer. Medically certified pigment is a much smaller molecule and is implanted into the same layer as ink, but it CAN travel through the layers of the skin. The lymph then comes along and processes it (breaks it down) and gets rid of it. Therefore, medical tattooing and semi-permanent makeup fade with time, varying between one and five years depending on age, body temperature, medication, skin type and aftercare. Colour boosts are necessary when the colour starts to change and fade. The pigments are safe, non-toxic and non-irritant.

Semi-permanent makeup can then be applied to features such as eyebrows, eyelids and lips.

Consultation

An initial consultation of half an hour is required to determine patient expectations and suitability of treatment.

This is followed by a half hour appointment at the same time, or on a subsequent date for a colour analysis and colour and sensitivity patch test.

After a healing period, a review is required to put together a treatment plan based on the results of the patch test area. (approximate number of sessions, length of each session, healing period, timescale, cost).

Pre-Treatment

24 hours prior; do not take the following substances: Stimulants: Tea, coffee, soft drinks with caffeine or other substances containing stimulants.

If you are having a lip treatment and have EVER HAD a cold sore in the past, you WILL need to take anti-viral tablets before and after the treatment (available from the chemist or your GP).

Treatment

The number of sessions will depend upon the size of the area to be treated, the level of discolouration and how well the aftercare is adhered to.

The treatment is NOT painful but can be tender. Anaesthetic can be used before and during the treatment to control the sensation.

Cost is applied per treatment sequence and will be discussed during the consultation.

Aftercare

GENERAL AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS (For seven to ten days after the procedure).

NO WATER EXPOSURE for 48 hours and then minimal water for the following week.

AVOID EXPOSURE TO SUN, TANNING BEDS AND UV RAYS. Use effective sunscreen 30SPF or higher for protection.

DO NOT TOUCH THE AREA No scratching, rubbing, or picking the scabs. No facial treatments.

AVOID USING COSMETICS ON THE AREA including facial creams, cleansers, aloe Vera, etc.

AVOID WORKING IN THE GARDEN, dirt, pollutants from the environment may cause infections.

AVOID seafood, salty and spicy foods.

AVOID SWIMMING, hot baths, showers and Jacuzzis.

AVOID taking multivitamins with Vitamin A in, or using Retinol containing products on the area.

Contraindications

• Very dark scarring
• Scars and skin grafts must be fully healed
• Keloid scarring that has been treated with steroids
• Laser can turn pigment dark so please make sure all laser treatments are finished before commencing Medical Tattoo treatment.
• Vitiligo needs to have been dormant for at least seven years otherwise a recurrence of spreading can be stimulated
• Roaccutane use in the preceding six months
• Pregnancy or breast feeding

Harley Street Surgery Reigate

16 Bell St, Reigate,
Surrey,
RH2 7BG

Monday 9am - 3pm, Tuesday 9am - 7pm, Thursday 11.30am - 8pm

London Bridge Plastic Surgery

54 Wimpole St, Marylebone,
London,
W1G 8YJ

Alternate Wednesdays and Saturdays 9am - 5pm