Permanent makeup: anesthesia and allergic reactions

Kristina Rudko, coach of the Rudko ArtLine training center, participant of international congresses and conferences, winner of the international creative competition in the nomination "For the subtlety and elegance of lines", tattoo and tattoo removal specialist, master colorist of TM Purebeau

Allergies to pain medication or pigment components during PM procedures are far from uncommon. And if sometimes it proceeds almost imperceptibly, a pronounced reaction is also possible, which can even lead to death. Do you always ask the client if he is allergic?

Every day the number of people with allergic reactions of various etiologies is growing inexorably. Given the widespread use of anesthetics by tattoo artists, we should be very careful about possible complications.

Communicating with colleagues and based on my own experience, I want to note that thanks to modern techniques and equipment of the latest generation, work in the eyebrow area is possible without the use of anesthesia. Of course, there are clients with a low pain threshold, for whom the only way to make the procedure comfortable is anesthesia. The same applies to work in the most sensitive areas - on the lips and eyelids. Therefore, whatever one may say, anesthesia in the tattoo master's office is a must-have.

allergic reactions

Allergy is an unusual (increased) sensitivity of the body to the effects of certain environmental factors (chemicals, microorganisms). If we are talking specifically about tattooing, thenpigment components or anesthesia components can provoke it.

Allergy symptoms are redness of the skin; swelling, severe itching; the occurrence of a rash in the form of blisters; general weakness; headache; increase in body temperature.

We all know that it is better to prevent any problem situation. In the case of allergies, a mandatory step for the master is to collect the client's history. It is necessary to find out if he had any allergic reactions, how severe they were, and whether the allergen that provoked them was identified.

Lidocaine is a component of anesthetics that most often causes allergic reactions. It is also widely used in dental procedures. Therefore, if your client removed or treated teeth with anesthesia and there were no difficulties with the reactions of the body, a possible reaction to lidocaine can be ruled out. If during the conversation it turns out that the client is allergic to lidocaine (usually he immediately warns about this), it is worth working either without anesthesia or using ubistesin (articaine + epinephrine).

In the case of a complex anamnesis of the client, an allergy test should be done a day before the procedure. Go over the skin on the crook of the elbow or the inside of the wrist with a dry needle and apply a secondary anesthetic to the wound surface. If after a day there are no reactions, proceed with the procedure. Many masters do such a test half an hour before the procedure, but in such cases the result is distorted, because the reaction may be delayed. Another mistake is to conduct a test behind the ear (such recommendations are constantly encountered). This is very dangerous: large arteries are located nearby, and in the event of an allergic reaction, it will proceed at lightning speed and pose a serious threat to the life of the client!

It should be borne in mind that with each subsequent entry of the allergen into the body, the reaction proceeds even more acutely. The so-called cumulative effect works. Therefore, if the client says that the last time there was a slight itch, then with a high degree of probability more dangerous symptoms may appear next time.

It is also important to use certified hypoallergenic pigments in the work, the components of which a priori cannot provoke allergic reactions. So you protect both yourself and the health of your customers.

Allergotest

Anaphylactic shock

According to the observation of doctors, severe allergic reactions, which include anaphylactic shock, are most likely when using injection anesthesia. And since the vast majority of masters have long switched to application anesthetics, the likelihood of acute situations is minimized. However, it is important to remember that if symptoms such as suffocation, confusion, pressure drop, Quincke's edema, nausea, vomiting occur, you should immediately call an ambulance.

Health is the most important thing in the life of each of us. Take care of your clients!

The material was first published in Permanent No. 2(10)/2018