FAQ's
FAQS and Important information - Please read this all the way to the bottom!
How can I prepare my appointment?
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• 24 hours prior to your appointment, DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL or CAFFEINE.
• 72 hours prior to your appointment, DO NOT TAKE ADVIL or other blood thinners such as Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Niacin or Vitamin E unless medically necessary.
• Botox should be done 4 weeks before or 4 weeks after the procedure.
• No Lasers, Chemical Peels, Microdermabrasion, Retinol, Microneedling or any such treatments at least 2-4 weeks prior to procedure.
• Avoid booking during your menstrual cycle as it can increase your discomfort.
• No waxing, tanning or tinting 3 days before.
• Arrive with no makeup for your appointment. A lot of wiping of pigment takes place and makeup can get ruined, so save yourself the hassle!
• Be prepared for your brows to look a little red and really dark! – don’t worry, they will fade in color 20-30%.
Start taking Melatonin daily 2 weeks prior in preparation for your procedure as there is evidence that it improves healing and retention.
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You are NOT a suitable candidate for this procedure if you are:
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• Pregnant
• History of Keloids or Hypertrophic scarring
• Diabetic (require doctor’s clearance)
• Chemotherapy (consult your doctor and get clearance)
• Viral infections and/or diseases
• Epilepsy
• Pacemaker or major heart problems
• Organ transplant
• Skin irritations or Psoriasis near the treated area (rashes, sunburn, acne, etc.)
• Sick (cold, flu, etc.)
• Accutane in the past year
• Heart conditions, Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure, Poor general health.
• Any treatment, medication, or illness that compromises the immune system / healing would make you NOT a good candidate for Micro-pigmentation procedures.
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Antibiotics: Disclose all antibiotics to your tattoo artist, and discuss whether or not it's safe to proceed. Some antibiotics make the skin hypersensitive. Some people have reported unusual skin reactions to tattoos when they were on antibiotics.
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Blood Thinners: If you are taking any kind of medication to thin your blood, you'll want to inform your artist beforehand, and probably also consult your doctor. Depending on the reason you're taking the medication, it might not be wise to get tattooed, or it might just require shorter sessions.
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Anti-Rejection Drugs: If you have had an organ transplant and/or are on anti-rejection medication, getting a tattoo might not be in your best interest. Consult with your doctor first to determine if your overall health is strong enough to withstand the stress of getting tattooed and if your medications may interfere with the healing process
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Acne Medications: You may not think of acne as being a major medical condition—it isn't. But if you’re taking Accutane, Minomycin (or any other Tetracycline-related medication), or any other prescription drug for acne, you do not want to get tattooed. Prescription drugs for acne cause skin to be hyper-sensitive. Getting a tattoo can be disastrous and lead to severe pain and scarring.
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How long does a Powder Brow/Microblading/Combo Brow treatment take?
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It is a 2-step process, usually 6-12 weeks apart. It is important to complete both the initial procedure and follow-up. The time from the initial procedure to the follow-up is determined by your Artist and is determined by taking various factor into consideration.
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• IN-PERSON CONSULTATION: Not required, but recommended if you have many questions and feeling very nervous or anxious about the procedure and what it entails. For any out-of-State and clients who don't need an in-person Consultation, we also offer over-the-phone Consultations for your convenience. During this time, we discuss the procedure and your desired brow look and go through any questions or concerns you may have. We also do a patch-test when requested to possibly rule out any adverse reactions from pigments used. If you have any tattoos, no patch-test is required! Please note that even if a patch-test is done, an allergic reaction cannot be ruled out.
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• STEP 1: The initial procedure takes approximately 2-3 hours. The Artist chooses a color tone and draws the initial outline for your approval. Though our faces are NOT perfectly symmetrical (one side is usually flatter, rounder, smaller etc. than the other), we do our very best to create as much symmetry as possible! As we like to say BROWS ARE SISTERS, NOT TWINS. Once you are satisfied with the basic shape and symmetry, the area is then traced over and semi-permanent pigment is applied with a disposable tools. The procedures involve machine and manual hand tools.
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• STEP 2: The second stage of the treatment is a FOLLOW-UP appointment. The touch up that takes approximately 2 hours and is included in your service. Follow-ups are done no earlier than 6 weeks of your initial procedure and no later than 10 weeks. If you do not schedule your follow-up within 12 weeks, you will be required to pay an additional fee of $150. It is IMPERATIVE you complete the follow-up treatment. Without it, the results will not be optimal. Color will fade significantly within 4 weeks as the skin heals, peels and fades. The follow-up corrects any irregularities in from your Initial procedure. Please remember that every individual's skin is unique to that individual and that everyone responds differently!
**Occasionally a third touch up (4-6 weeks later) is necessary for certain clients where the pigment does not take as well to the skin.**
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How long can I expect it to last?
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The pigment used is semi-permanent and can last between 1-3 years. The pigment will fade at a different pace for everyone. Some people may need a touch-up as early as 6 months depending on the skin types, health, medications, sun exposure, skincare products used etc. In order to keep your brows looking fresh, a touch up is recommended Annually. If the brows are not clearly visible by the time you come in for your touch-up, you will be charged the full price for the service chosen.
For clients that choose a softer look and lighter color shade initially or those who did not follow the after care instructions properly may require more frequent touch ups.
Factors that will cause your Permanent Make-up (PMU) tattoo to fade faster:
• Iron deficiency
• Medications
• The use of Retinols & some Acids in skincare
• Sun exposure
• Exfoliants
• Strong immune systems
• Exposure to Sun & Salt water
• Smoking
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Are Semi-Permanent Eyebrows deemed permanent?
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Technically, semi-permanent micro-pigmentation is considered permanent because the color is implanted into the upper dermal layer of the skin and cannot be washed off. However, the pigment is implanted more superficially than a traditional tattoo, so it naturally fades over time.
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Does the application hurt?
We take every precaution necessary to ensure the procedure is as pain free as possible. We do not use a topical anesthetic before doing Powder Brow/Microblading/Combo Brows, however we do use secondary numbing at which point some clients fall asleep! For Eyeliner, Eyelash Enhancement and Lips, we DO use pre-numbing! Some clients find the procedure a little uncomfortable while others report no discomfort at all.
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How long is the recovery or healing time?
Immediately after the procedure and in the first 10 days, your brows will appear significantly darker and defined than perhaps your desired look. It may continue to get darker over the next few days as the skin heals.
Please expect the skin to respond as it usually would when healing from a wound!
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• Redness will be observed in the area where the PMU was done. This will usually settle at day 2-5.
• Some swelling will be evident and will subside in the subsequent days following the procedure. Do not put icepacks directly on the skin.
• Skin will start Itching as it usually does while healing from a wound. Yes, this IS a wound!!
• The skin will become very dry similar to when a scab is formed, crack and start to peel and flake off. During this time, expect to feel different kind of emotions as your brow will seem to be disappearing underneath the cracking, flaking skin. Do NOT be alarmed! This is totally normal! It takes the color up to six weeks to settle in the skin. This technique is NOT to be compared to Tattooing and the healing or color intensity that is observed post-tattooing.
• Do NOT PICK, SCRATCH, SCRUB or HELP the skin to shed in ANY way during this time. This will interfere with the natural healing process of the skin and can adversely impact the quality of the skin in the form of scarring and retention.
We all heal differently and what works on one client may not be effective on another so please do not compare your results.
The complete healing process takes approximately 6 weeks.
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How do you choose a color?
As a rule of thumb, we closely match the color of your brow hair rather than your current hair color for the most natural results. If no hair is ;resent on brows, we take into consideration your skin tone and preference.
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What types of pigments do you use?
We use oil-based, iron oxide pigments that will fade over time and are naturally absorbed by the skin. Iron oxides are innocuous, harmless and perfectly safe for your skin.
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Can I have Permanent Makeup if I’m pregnant?
No, getting Permanent Makeup or any form of tattooing done during Pregnancy is not recommended.
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Does it hurt afterwards?
The area can be a little sensitive for the first few hours and tender to touch for a couple days.
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Can you do Permanent Makeup over an existing brow tattoo?
Permanent Makeup can be done over an existing brow tattoo, however the old tattoo must be significantly faded.
If you have an existing tattoo please submit a picture to determine if you are a candidate for this procedure.
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Will my Permanent Makeup look fake?
Semi-Permanent makeup is done using a cosmetic tattooing process and here @ Inkology we always strive for soft, natural, daytime-looking end results.
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Are there any side effects during or after the procedure?
During the procedure there may be some minor discomfort. This depends on the individual. If you take blood thinners on a daily basis, then some slight bleeding may occur. Bruising is rare but can occur. There is usually some tenderness for a few days.
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