What is Scalp Micropigmentation?

February 5, 2019 | Microblading & PMU | Comment (6)

Man with thinning hair

SMP, Scalp Micropigmentation, aka Hair tattooing? It’s a highly advanced method of cosmetic tattooing.

As Wikipedia explains-

‘A hair tattoo, or Scalp Micropigmentation, is a cosmetic tattoo that gives the illusion of a close buzz cut hairstyle on a bald head. We can also use this treatment to conceal the scars from hair transplantation or to make thinning hair seem thicker’.

In this post, I’ll explain more about the treatment and about who can benefit from it. As well as the treatment process itself. I’ll also be answering a few of the most frequently asked questions.

Scalp Micropigmentation in a little more detail

Scalp Micropigmentation
Scalp Micropigmentation

Scalp Micropigmentation, a non-invasive treatment for people who are balding, thinning or have a receding hairline. A Carbon based Pigment gets implanted into the dermal layer of the skin using a digital permanent makeup machine with a microneedle, similar to a tattoo machine.

A tiny wound in the skin where the pigment is placed creates the appearance of hair follicles in the scalp. Each tiny wound heals over retaining a portion of the pigment. Over time, the pigment is attacked by the body’s immune system, causing it to eventually fade out.

Who would benefit from a Scalp Micropigmentation Procedure?

Hair loss is an age-old problem that affects many men and women, for that matter. In fact, one study showed moderate to extensive hair loss in 42% of men between the age of 18-49.  While it’s true that hair loss increases with age, it can come earlier in life for many men – particularly those who suffer from male pattern baldness.

As a result, many men and women can benefit from SMP. First and foremost, men who have completely lost all of their hair can benefit from a full head treatment. Or it can be used to disguise receding hairlines by restoring the natural position of the hairline. It can also be used to cover thinning patches in the hair by colouring the scalp underneath the affected area creating a fuller appearance. As well as camouflaging hair transplant scars or other scars on the scalp.

SMP – Scalp Micropigmentation treatment process

The Consultation phase of a treatment would include a 30-minute consultation. To discuss your individual needs and requirements. During this consultation, a design can be discussed and colours may be chosen. You will also get the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have about the treatment. There is usually a 4-8 week waiting period for an appointment slot to come available. During this time, you have the opportunity to look at different types or hairlines and do some research to help you to decide how you would like yours to look.

Treatment 1 is the next phase, where the first layer of pigment is implanted. Starting off with a lighter colour and leaving larger gaps between each dot to allow for when the pigment to spread a little during the healing phase. Depending on how big an area is to be treated, this process may take up to 4 hours.

Treatment 2, 4-6 weeks later, during another 4hour session, the second layer of pigment can be implanted. A darker colour is used this time, and extra dots are placed in between the original healed colour. This will start to add an extra dimension to the scalp and add to the natural appearance.

The Final Treatment is required 4-6 weeks later to make any final tweaks needed and fill any obvious gaps. The hairline can be feathered out if needed and the look is perfected.

So, now you know what Scalp Micropigmentation is.

And I’m sure you have many more questions. There are many more questions we get asked on a regular basis. A few too many to list in this post, such as Does it hurt? How long does it take to heal? What will I have to do in terms of Aftercare? Will my hair continue to grow? Etc

So here is a handy link to follow to find the answers to all of our Frequently Asked Questions.

To Summarise

In this post, I have discussed what Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) actually is and how it works. Along with a list of who would benefit from it and a brief explanation of what you can expect to happen during each phase of your treatment. Please follow our Facebook and Instagram page for our Before and After results of this treatment. And feel free to comment on this blog post if you have any further questions.

The Benefits of Semi-Permanent Makeup

November 7, 2016 | Microblading & PMU | Comments (0)

Regardless of age, everyone loves to feel good about themselves. How about if you looked your best all the time without putting in the effort everyday? Our semi-permanent makeup services at our beauty clinic are becoming increasingly popular with the treatments becoming the new beauty trend.

The most important thing at our beauty clinic is making each and every client feel extra special and satisfied with results and we have had an overwhelming amount of positive feedback on our semi-permanent make up treatments!

“ It is the best feeling in the world when I see how happy my clients are when they leave my salon, I know I have helped them feel better about themselves. This is why I strive for perfection with every single client that I have the pleasure of working with.”

Semi-permanent makeup does not mean that you will look ‘done up’ all the time. At our clinic, close to the Manchester area, we aim to tailor every treatment to your requirements, along with offering our expert advice.

We understand that many of our clients want the permanent natural makeup appearance that perfectly complements the skin tone, with the right combination of pigments to accentuate natural features. Every client that comes into our clinic is different, so we go through a detailed consultation before we start any treatment to ensure that clients are 100% sure about exactly what they want.

I really think it is ideal for people of all ages – a real confidence boost, making you feel more comfortable in your own skin, as we know, many people suffer from self-esteem or have disabilities that can make daily beauty routines more of a struggle.

We spend our lives carrying around our essential makeup bags so that we can keep on top of our makeup, but daily activities such as a workout in the gym or walking home in the rain can really cause havoc for your makeup look.

How we can help:
Our clinic offers different semi-permanent make up treatments which include:

Eyebrows:

If you are looking for Microblading in Liverpool, our salon is only one hour drive away. Our service is perfect for those we want to fully reshape, define of fill in gaps from over-plucking. Results can be extremely natural and undetectable if the aim is to fill in gaps to existing shapes, whilst dramatic results can be seen if fullness is desired by the client.
microblading-close-up

Lips:

Our lip blush treatments are a great way to achieve those full lips you’ve been longing for. Our treatment is tailored to your needs, so whether you need to correct shape, restore fullness lost with age, or add a subtle layer of colour, we can help. Not to forget- a wide selection of lip colours to ensure that you are ready to go!

lip-permanent-makeup

Eyeliner:

Our semi-permanent eyeliner service is great for adding definition to your eyes which means no effort is required in the morning! Whatever desired style; a precise liquid liner look or more dramatic lash line, we can deliver.eyeliner

permanent-eyeliner

Medical Tattooing:

We also offer medical tattooing services which include:

  • Nipple and areola single
  • Nipple and areola double
  • Scar reduction
  • Scalp – hair follicle simulation
  • Cleft lip or lip construction

Semi-permanent makeup is ideal for a variety of people ranging from those who want to look their best all the time without the effort, to people who have a loss of pigment in the skin and those who want to disguise any scars. For more information and prices of our semi-permanent makeup services close to Liverpool, visit our permanent make up page or give us a call!

Everything You  Need To Know About Microblading: The Must-Have Method for Beautiful Brows

October 14, 2016 | Microblading & PMU | Comment (4)

I often get asked about the best methods to achieve a good set of brows. I know the struggles of those early mornings – trying to find ways to cut corners, forgoing that perfectly brewed coffee in order to sport that perfectly winged eyeliner – or maybe even neglecting steps of your beauty routine entirely. Brows can take up so much time and definitely can’t be rushed, often uneven or too dark, yet we can’t leave the house until they are 100% right.

Microblading is the new on trend semi-permanent makeup for eyebrows – it’s a beauty secret of ours that we’ve been dying to tell you about!

What is microblading?
Microblading, otherwise known as the hand tool method, is a semi-permanent eyebrow procedure which originated in Asia and is fast becoming the treatment of choice in brow design for men and women across the UK. It is a preferred method to the machine as the machine deposits more colour, making the hair strokes heal thicker and fuller, thus creating a slightly more powdered effect when healed.

microblading2

Brow Benefits

Natural results

As opposed to outlining and filling in your eyebrows as many methods do, our microblading service close to the Liverpool area creates natural hair-like strokes into the skin. It will not replace a heavy pencil look as it is deposited under the skin not on top of the skin, however, it will give you the perfect guide to follow with your pencil in the morning if you want a stronger look.

Save time:

As microblading implants pigments into your skin, you do not need to wake up every morning with the routine task of applying your makeup. You could spend days in the office or work up a sweat at the gym without the worry of losing the shape of your brows.

Virtually painless two hours:

Even though we all have our busy schedules, the premium microblading service in our Poulton clinic (conveniently close to Manchester, Liverpool and Blackpool) only requires a few hours. You can have a natural, perfect set of brows for months on end, instead of stressing over uneven brows every morning. microblading-rj
Looking for Microblading in Manchester?

At our gorgeous clinic near Manchester, you will be in the hands of our microblading experts that will provide you with exceptional standards of service.

I have performed brow treatments on countless clients over the years, whether it is to fill in gaps from over-plucking or reconstructing an entirely new shape, we are dedicated to providing you with a perfectly personal, tailored service with beautiful results and brows that wow!

For more information on our professional microblading treatment in Poulton, please get in touch with our friendly team today

microblading-4

 

Protect your Brows

June 17, 2016 | Beauty tips, Microblading & PMU | Comment (14)

Microblading protection

The Importance of using a sunscreen containing Zinc oxide to protect your permanent makeup or Microblading.

Have you ever noticed that permanent makeup or microbladed  brows can turn a slightly ‘pinky’ shade over time? This is quite often due to a lack of knowledge on how to keep your brows protected, avoiding exposure to harmful rays from the sun.

 I don’t know about you, but I find it much easier to follow advice if I know WHY I should be following it… So here is a brief (as brief as possible) explanation on why you need to be protecting your beautiful new eyebrows post procedure.

This is also the BEST advice I could possibly give you on protecting your skin from premature ageing through sun exposure. So I hope you enjoy the read, and find this information useful, if you have any questions on this subject, please feel free to comment below.

It is so important that you protect your Permanent makeup or Microblading treatment (especially brows) from UVA or UVB. The harmful rays of the sun can dramatically fade the implanted pigment. Not only can it fade your permanent makeup, but it can change the colour of your pigment over time.

The reason this colour change occurs, is due to the fact that our chosen colour of pigment, for example brown, is made up of a combination of colours, i.e. red, blue, green, yellow, white, black. Whereas yellow and green are the weakest colours, leaving the skin first, red and blue are the strongest, therefore are the last colours to leave your skin. For this reason, overtime, you could experience brows turning a ‘pinky’ or ‘orangey’ shade with inadequate aftercare.

It can be known that just 1 hour of sun exposure can have a huge effect on your treatment, and this can be accelerated even more when teamed up with a hormonal imbalance.

Now knowing the facts, I’m sure you would like to hear more about the best way to protect your permanent makeup or Microblading treatment as much as possible to help prevent colour fade or change.  So here is a detailed explanation of why you should opt for a sunscreen containing Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide, not only will this increase the longevity of your treatment results, it will make you think about how to protect your skin from premature ageing, win win J

Sunscreen or sunblock?

Sunscreen refers to products that allow the Sun’s rays to penetrate the skin but filter SOME of the radiation in the ultraviolet spectrum. The UV rays get altered to a safer wavelength and are released. The chemical interaction between the sunscreen and UV allows the sunscreen to absorb the UV before it penetrates the skin.

Sunscreen offers protection from UVA and UVB, however sunscreen ingredients have the ability to deteriorate at a faster rate once exposed to sunlight, hence some radiation is able to penetrate the skin. Some sunscreen products offer no protection against UV-A radiation whatsoever. Products often contain a mixture of physical and chemical block ingredients

Sunblock works by preventing the Suns rays from reaching your skin – either by reflecting them away or ‘Nano technology’ (making molecules really small) some sun blocking ingredients are now invisible to the eye, so you don’t get that white ghost look. The main active ingredients in sunblock’s are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

Physical or Chemical sunscreens, what is the difference?

Physical

A physical ingredient sits on your skin’s surface forming a protective barrier and doesn’t have the ability to be absorbed into your skin. As mentioned previously, Nano technology now means that physical sunscreens can be absorbed a little, preventing the sunscreen leaving that white residue on the skin. Light is either absorbed into the ingredient or reflected away from your body back into the atmosphere similar to a mirror or tin foil. Making this the BEST form of protection for our permanent makeup and to protect against premature ageing.
Physical Sunscreen Ingredients
Titanium dioxide- Titanium dioxide offers protection from UVB and short UVA radiation, but not long wave UVA. Titanium dioxide is also non-irritating.
Zinc oxide- Zinc oxide offers broad-spectrum protection (UVB and most of UVA). Arguably the best broad-spectrum protection available.

Chemical

Some of them absorb (soak up) the ultraviolet light as it tries to pass through them. Chemical sunscreens are not immediately effective, requiring a 20-30-minute delay after application before it becomes effective, whereas physical sunscreens are immediately effective. A chemical sunscreen ingredient absorbs sunlight to prevent sun damage but is also absorbed into your skin. Some people experience allergic reactions and burning eyes when perspiring. Chemical sunscreens DO NOT protect our implanted pigment from premature fading, and can be the cause of age spots and pigmentation.

In Summary

Titanium Dioxide or zinc oxide, are the only ingredients found in sunscreens that act as a mirror on the surface of the skin, blocking UVB and most of UVA radiation from entering your skin. Therefore, I will only recommend that you use a sunscreen containing zinc oxide for maximum protection. This should become part of your daily beauty routine, so a facial moisturizer containing SPF 30 or above and zinc oxide would be ideal to fit conveniently into your routine. However, a dedicated ‘tattoo stick’ can be used daily as a cheaper alternative.

You can do some research on your existing face creams to see if they contain this vital ingredient, or amazon is a great resource for finding these products, if you type in SPF containing zinc oxide, or tattoo stick, it will come up with lots of options. Alternatively, you can ask a member of our team to show you the recommended products that we have to sell in salon for your convenience.

Rebecca xxx