If you are having an eyeliner procedure, please come in with no eye makeup and, if you are a contact lens wearer, do not wear your contact lenses, but please remember to bring your glasses. If you are having your brows or lips tattooed you may wear your makeup the day of the procedure.
Upon arrival, I will clean and prepare the area to be tattooed and a numbing cream will be applied. The numbing cream takes about 20 minutes to take effect. During this time, a quick review of the paperwork will be gone over to make sure that nothing has changed since the consultation. The photos of the approved design and color from the day of the consultation will also be reviewed, and the patch test area will be examined.
The numbing cream will be removed, and the “before” procedure photos will be taken. The agreed-to design will be drawn on, and the procedure will begin. Although a numbing agent is used, you may feel some discomfort, you will feel the vibration of the tattoo pen and slight pricking of the needles penetrating the epidermis to the top layer of the dermis. Once the first pass is done a second, more liquid-type of numbing agent is applied, and this numbs the area very well, much less discomfort is experienced once the second numbing agent takes effect.
After the procedure, the “after” photos will be taken. If there is swelling, a cold compress or ice pack will be applied for 10 minutes. Please note that the color will appear darker than it will appear once the tattoo has healed.
Before you leave the salon, the aftercare instructions will be gone over verbally, and you will receive written instructions, as well. You will also go home with an aftercare product such as After Inked® or a sterile petroleum jelly.