Permanent makeup and oncology: you can help!

Ksenia Denisova , micropigmentologist, certified permanent makeup artist (over 10 years of experience) with medical education, cosmetologist, stylist, member of the International League of Permanent Makeup Professionals, founder of the Beauty Line studio

If a client comes to you after a course of chemotherapy, with missing eyelashes or eyebrows, do not be alarmed. It is in our power to help a person regain the lost beauty and self-confidence. I want to share my experience of working with cancer patients

The task of any permanent makeup master (micropigmentologist) is to make the client's life brighter and more comfortable. Eyebrow, lip and eye tattoos are attractive procedures that relieve a woman from the need to make beauty at the dressing table every day. But what to do when the PM procedure is supposed to help the client to love and accept himself again after the changes caused by such a serious illness as oncology? Can cancer patients get tattooed? And are these procedures safe? Helping people find the psychological comfort they need to fight disease is a clear trend among beauty industry masters around the world. For example, in Canada since 2011, there is a whole community of Henna Heals artists who help women who have lost their hair after chemotherapy or as a result of alopecia regain their self-confidence with the help of henna painting.

In Ukraine, such projects are only gaining momentum. So, in 2018, the Beauty Line studio (Dneprodzerdzhinsk, Dnepropetrovsk region) initiated a program under the slogan “Beauty will save the world!”. With the help of the media and social networks, there is a search for masters in the beauty industry for cooperation in providing free services to cancer patients (after chemotherapy). This program not only gained wide support from specialists of various levels, but also made it possible for clients with such a problem to receive information and coordinates of masters who provide free services in different regions of Ukraine. Our studio has a special approach to people for whom it is very important to visually correct problem areas of the face caused by certain diseases. After chemotherapy sessions, the loss of eyebrows and eyelashes often occurs. This is a very difficult moment, which often causes psychological discomfort and thus complicates rehabilitation. It is important to immediately recall that patients experiencing a relapse or exacerbation of oncology should definitely not do permanent makeup, as this can only aggravate the situation. Tattooing can only be done on patients who are in the rehabilitation stage. In this case, the procedure should be carried out using the safest dye, and during the tattooing process, the skin should not be damaged too deeply. I would advise you to choose a master who had sufficient experience working with cancer patients, who understands the peculiarities of skin regeneration in such clients and will be able to carry out the procedure as delicately as possible. And, of course, I am sure that not a single cancer patient will go for this procedure without the approval of her doctor.

Is it possible to do permanent makeup for cancer patients ?

After chemotherapy, the skin, which the body uses to remove toxic substances, suffers from chemical intoxication - it becomes more sensitive, its natural protective properties deteriorate, it is dehydrated. Often the skin and mucous membranes are damaged, age spots, allergies, dermatitis, and dryness may appear. Inflammations that can develop at this time are most often associated not with hormonal changes, but with the fact that the skin has become less protected from infections. Sterility during the procedure must be given special attention! After chemotherapy, the sensitivity of the skin to the effects of sunlight is also increased, so we definitely recommend that the client use sunscreens with SPF 50 and 50+. It is undesirable to use alcohol-containing products and essential oils. Only after four weeks after chemotherapy, when the level of leukocytes is restored, tattooing and tattooing can be done.

Choice of technique and dye

Before the procedure, it is necessary to test the skin for allergic reactions to the components of the injected pigment and anesthesia. The pigment used for permanent makeup must not contain prohibited ingredients. For example, organohalogen compounds that are harmful to the body. In the process of tattooing, you can not damage the skin too deeply. Manually (microblading) is more difficult to control the depth of pigment penetration, although the hardware method (in the absence of sufficient experience from the master) can incorrectly carry out the procedure. It is better to refrain from lip tattooing, as this procedure provokes the herpes virus, which will worsen the patient's condition on a course of chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Eyebrow tattoo can be performed in one of the following techniques:

• shadow or shot (filling the entire eyebrow with the desired shade);
• hair (imitation of natural hairs with the help of tattooing);
• mixed (using two techniques at the same time)

Permanent eye makeup is done along the line between the eyelashes, sometimes it is displayed in a neat arrow or light shading (at the request of the client). The main (primary) procedure should be carried out as delicately as possible. Having felt the skin and traced the change in the introduced pigment, the master makes his own adjustments during an additional procedure (correction). It should be taken into account that the healing process for clients after chemotherapy is slower and takes 10-12 days.

CASE STUDIES

Client Julia, 60 years old. The diagnosis cr. gl. mammae sinistral ("breast cancer", stage 4). A radical mastectomy was performed. In the future, treatment with chemotherapy was prescribed in a total of 42 courses. A stable remission has been observed for several years. But at the same time, there is no restoration of hairline growth (hair, eyebrows and eyelashes). From an aesthetic point of view (in consultation with the attending physician), micropigmentation procedures were carried out for the eyebrows and interciliary space. My recommendations in this particular case:

• when constructing a sketch, the shape and oval of the face were taken into account. We trace the location of the eyebrow muscle;
• before applying the pigment and using anesthesia, an allergy test was performed;
• pigments were considered only certified and hypoallergenic, having a glycerin base. Such dyes have the property of gradual lightening. As a result, healing is easier, swelling is minimal, maximum color retention. In this case, the choice was made on pigments Aqua (USA);
• from the side of color, the age of the client was taken into account. Aging skin usually takes away pigments in cold tones. They “warmed up” using correctors of the same company.

The method of applying the pigment was chosen hardware. Powder (pixel) technique allows you to introduce pigment into the upper layers of the skin with minimal trauma. The work was carried out on a Giant Sun G-9740 apparatus, speed - 2, voltage - 3.5. The needles used are 1 R and 3 R. Pigments: Dark Toffee, Hazelnut (Aqua), UN Gray concealer. There were no allergic reactions in the post-procedure period. A thin crust formed. Healing was stable, painless, within 7 days. After 1.5 months, a correction was carried out, which allowed us to achieve high-quality and natural makeup.

Client Elena, 48 years old. In 2018, a mastectomy was performed. She applied for the PM service 1.5 months after 8 courses of chemotherapy. Recommendations:

• when constructing a sketch, they relied on the eyelash growth line;
• carried out the procedure for filling the inter-eyelash space, for the effect of volume, they made a light shading;
• Since this client is undergoing hair restoration, it was decided to carry out the procedure using pigments with less resistance in the skin (Derma international). These dyes have the property of fast clarification;
• in the main procedure, the technique of shading with 0.3 mm acupuncture needles was used.

Usually, people who have undergone chemotherapy have a high pain threshold, so the procedure was painless. There was swelling. The use of antihistamines was recommended. Healing took a long period (10 days). Healing creams with a moisturizing effect were used. Our studio continues to keep in touch with such clients, to control the result of the procedures. We are glad to see how people's lives and their worldview are changing. I would like to wish Ukrainian women who find themselves in a difficult situation: do not lose yourself! Be open, face your fears and problems. Your body is perfect anyway! You just need to not be afraid to remind yourself again about it!

Customer Review

1. Why did you decide to make a PM?

After chemotherapy, eyebrows and eyelashes do not grow at all. My every morning began with the fact that I tried to draw them. It took a lot of time. And with my poor eyesight, they often came out different and asymmetrical. At the same time, they were constantly smeared during the day, and I had to carry cosmetics with me. I asked my colleague how she manages to always look perfect? And I learned about such a service as permanent makeup.

2. Was there a consultation with a doctor?

On the recommendation of a micropigmentologist, I consulted with my doctor. Since the state of the body was stable, she received the approval of an oncologist surgeon

3. How was the issue of choosing a master decided?

Like any woman, I wanted to look perfect! I began to wonder which of the masters in our region had experience working with cancer patients. Having learned that such a procedure is also carried out free of charge (after a lot of spending on rehabilitation, it is somewhat constrained in funds), I made the final decision. Although I had to go to a neighboring city.

4. Review of the procedure.

I am very pleased that I trusted an experienced master. The procedure was carried out very professionally. I got the most attention. Throughout the entire period, the master led the accompaniment, gave recommendations for care. The procedure was painless. The healing went without complications. And most importantly - pleased with the result! Colleagues say that I even began to look younger. This gives confidence. I do charity work myself. I am a member of the Pink Ribbon Society, which supports women after mastectomy, which means I am an example for them! Oncology is not a sentence! We can always look great!

The material was first published in Permanent No. 1(13)/2019