permanent magazine pdf 2015 lips

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR EXCELLENT LIP PROCEDURESBy Debbie Miller, CPCP

The eyes may be the window to the soul, but

when we speak, the focus is on the mouth. An

esthetically pleasing lip shape and lip color

contribute to a more youthful appearance. As

we age, the lips begin to lose definition and

color and if there is natural asymmetry, the aging

process magnifies those asymmetries.

Fine lines and deeper wrinkles form around the

perioral border and the lips themselves lose

volume due to collagen loss.

More and more people are seeking lip fillers

to enhance the lost volume, and these fillers

directly impact the lip tattooing procedure.

Many factors must be considered before a client

can be accepted as a viable candidate for this

procedure.

The very first consideration is the technician’s

skill level. The cosmetic lip tattoo is an advanced

procedure.

In my opinion, it should never be

attempted unless the technician has had

a minimum of one years experience in

brow and eyeliner procedures. At that

point, a specific advanced lip class should

be taken, that provides the ability for the

technician to work on live models under

the guidance of a credentialed instructor.

It is imperative to have a thorough face-

to-face consultation with the potential

client to ensure that the decision to

receive permanent lip color is a good

choice. It is also imperative the client’s

medical history is assessed for conditions

that may be adverse to the lip tattoo

procedure.

For example, anyone with a history of

herpes simplex (cold sores) should be

advised that a prophylactic anti-viral

medication be obtained from their

physician to prevent or reduce the chance

of a herpetic outbreak following any

lip trauma that may stimulate the viral

reaction.

The client must be made to understand

the limitations and expected results from

permanent lip color.

In my 15-plus years as a permanent

cosmetic artist, I have learned one of the

key elements to a successful procedure is

to clearly convey the details and truths,

and to manage the client’s expectations.

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58 | PERMANENT MAGAZINE PERMANENT MAGAZINE | 59

The age of the client, the condition of the

lip tissue, the presence of sun damage,

freckles or discolorations, areas of hypo-

pigmentation and another fairly common

condition known as Fordyce granules –

wherein the lip has white spots (ectopic

sebaceous glands) usually seen in the

inner area of the top lip tissue going

down into the wet tissue and mucous

membrane – will all affect the final result

of the healed appearance.

In a young client with an abundance of

natural collagen, little to no sun damage

and good elastic skin, the results are

fairly predictable; the end result can be

expected to appear evenly pigmented,

and typically not more than a minor touch

up is needed to perfect the result.

The typical client that will request lip

color is not young. Young clients will

usually still have good natural color; still

have defined borders and fullness. The

older client is experiencing color loss,

collagen loss, and laxity and wants the

tattooed lip color to make the lips appear

more youthful.

Caution should be exercised when choosing the

needle configuration for a lip procedure.

Remember, the smaller the needle configuration

(a single needle vs. a round needle grouping or

a magnum needle grouping) can implant color

more deeply. The deeper the color, the cooler

the color tone will appear.

It is common in this day of social media and photo

sharing that we see many beautiful examples of

technicians’ work. There is a very big difference

in most “immediately after” photos, compared

to the actual healed results 4-8 weeks post

procedure.

For example, if a client wants fuller looking lips,

but they have wrinkles around the lips and porous

skin, tattooing above the natural vermillion is

seldom a good plan. It may accentuate the lines;

and the results can appear uneven, splotchy, and

very unnatural to see color above the border. It

may look fine due to swelling and stretching of

the skin immediately after the procedure, but

when the swelling subsides the wrinkles return.

It is then that you will see “highs” and “lows”

in the color intensity – the depression of the

wrinkle can appear darker than the raised edges

adjoining the wrinkle and the line will look

uneven and splotchy.

Even when no distinct lines are visible around

the lips, if the skin above the vermillion line is at

all porous, the color will look porous and make

the pores more distinct.

It is with great caution that color should be

applied to the skin above the actual lip vermilion.

This work should be reserved for the most

experienced professionals.

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BEFORE HEALED


DESIGNING SHAPE CLEFT LIP TATTOOING LIP OUTLINE

They also have the expendable income to afford

our fees! However, in a mature client, with loss

of collagen and lack of elasticity, wrinkles, sun

damage, discoloration, or visible capillaries in

the lip tissue, the results can be mediocre at

best, and very difficult to obtain even saturation,

adequate color tone, and a pleasing result.

And it typically requires 2-3 sessions to fully and

evenly saturate with pigment.

When we add in natural asymmetry, scar tissue,

lip fillers, or congenital disfigurements such as

cleft lip repair, it gets trickier still. Finally, it is

critical to be able to spot areas of concern that

could be pre-cancerous or a cancerous lesion.

When in doubt, don’t proceed, and refer the

client to a dermatologist.

Next, the color of the client’s natural lip tone is of

paramount importance when determining the

pigment selection.

Not only does every individual have a natural

skin tone that is based on one’s ethnicity (with

many variations within each range) but also

something many experienced technicians refer

to as the Blue Factor of the lips, denoting its

coolness in appearance.

Regardless of ethnic contribution to skin tone,

the lips have their own tone relative to blood

flow. This cool tone gives the lips its natural

color, or lack thereof.

I always provide this example: If you use a red

marker on white paper, the result is a clear true

red. If you use the same red marker on blue

paper, the result will not be red, but a shade of

purple to purple-black depending on how dark

the blue paper is. If it is very dark blue, the red

marker may barely show at all and any color you

see is either extremely dark purple, or not visible

at all.

The same theory must be applied to lips.

The darker and more purple/blue the

natural lip is, the cooler the lip is and it

will cool down your pigment, or absorb it

altogether with no visible lip color.

Learning how to choose the appropriate

pigment tones, and to add the proper

corrector colors to your pigment formula

is hugely important for a superior end

result.

Not everyone is a good candidate for lip

color, and it is important to know when to

pass up working on those lips.

There is no amount of money worth

having to deal with an unhappy client

whose expectations have not been met.

One’s reputation may be at stake; in the

age of social media, photo sharing and

reviews, this work can either positively

or very negatively impact your practice.

In the end, I know we all desire beautiful

results that reflect our hard-earned skills.

Staying true to good fundamental

guidelines, which also includes avoiding

trendy looks, experimenting with artistic

“highlighting” with white pigment, and

over-extending the lip borders beyond

the safe zone, will ensure we minimize

less than desirable results both in the

short and long term.

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AFTER


Debbie Miller biography:Debbie Miller is a Certified Permanent Cosmetic Professional

(CPCP) with over thirty years’ experience in the beauty and

esthetics industry, and the last fifteen devoted exclusively to

permanent cosmetics and para-medical tattooing.

Owner of Newport Permanent Makeup, in Newport Beach,

California, Debbie is a respected and highly sought after

practitioner, lecturer, teacher, author, and elected Director of the

Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals (SPCP).

She credits her success to practicing exceptional client

communication skills, sound fundamental practices, and the

belief that ongoing education and updating one’s skills on

a regular basis are paramount to long-term success in the

permanent cosmetics industry.

“I have been blessed with artistic talent; but only years of

proper education, amazing mentoring by key people in our

industry, and constantly working to better my understanding

of every aspect of our profession, have brought me to the

place I am at today.

I found my passion, and spend the majority of my time living

and breathing my career. It is amazing to be able to impact

the lives of my clients and students in such a positive way.

Even though I am able to derive a good living through my

practice, it never feels like a job. It is who I am and what I do.

I make it my constant goal to be a good example to my

fellow professionals, and to always make myself available to

mentor those who have the same passion for excellence that

motivates me.”

Debbie Miller, CPCP

I am a very firm believer that the long-

term viability and reputation (which

can also affect local rules and governing

of our industry) of the permanent

cosmetics industry is dependent upon

the quality and integrity of the individual

practitioner. We all have a responsibility

to our clients, our respective reputations

and our industry as a whole, to practice

safe and sound techniques.

If you are learning, struggling. or wish to

advance your skill set in regards to the

advanced procedure of lip tattooing,

consider attending my full-day, hands-on

workshop in October 2015 in Long Beach,

California aboard the beautiful Queen

Mary ship-turned hotel at the SPCP Fall

Conference.

Details can be found on the www.SPCP.org

website, or see the SPCP Facebook page.

This workshop will cover all aspects of the

lip pigmentation process, with photos,

videos and discussions, as well as practice

time with great tips and exercises to help

you perfect your lip procedures.

I encourage you to keep education a top

priority!

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permanent magazine pdf 2015 lips

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