The nuances of dermopigmentation, or what a permanent makeup master needs to remember

Svetlana Kachalova, founder and head of the Ideal Contour training center (distributor of Nouveau Contour (Netherlands) in Ukraine), international certified master trainer of PM, microblading and dermapigmentation Nouveau Contour, participant in international conferences and exhibitions on PM and microblading, member of the European Association masters of permanent make-up and visage

The development of micropigmentation eventually led to the revival in a new role of the process of introducing pigment into the skin - aesthetic, when we observe a completely different target subtext: to carry out camouflage - and not to demonstrate the image on the body, to emphasize naturalness, not artificiality. The main goal of dermopigmentation is to hide the errors of the body, to bring it closer to the ideal.

Dermopigmentation: what is it?

Dermopigmentation is a method of correcting skin defects by introducing pigment under the skin, into the upper layers of the dermis, through permanent makeup.

Basically, the term "dermopigmentation" is associated with correction, color correction and camouflage of the skin, and if, for example, a scar or vitiligo spot is located in the face area, this still refers to dermopigmentation.

Contraindications to the dermapigmentation procedure are oncological diseases, diabetes mellitus, inflammatory diseases, violations of the integrity of the skin in the affected area, mental illness, pregnancy and lactation.

Technically, dermopigmentation is performed similarly to traditional classical hardware methods - by introducing pigment under the skin using needles of different configurations.

Tasks of dermapigmentation

The main tasks that dermapigmentation copes with:

• scars ;
• cosmetic correction of the areola;
• restoration of the areola and nipple after breast cancer (oncology);
• stretch marks;
• dyschromia ;
• post-acne;
• vitiligo etc.

The leader of requests for dermopigmentation is scars. Normotrophic scars, which are flush with the skin, lend themselves better to permanent correction. With hypotrophic, atrophic, hypertrophic scars, it is first advisable to consult a dermatologist for their therapy or for permission to perform the procedure. Keloid scars do not lend themselves to camouflage.

Medical and cosmetic dermopigmentation

Medical dermapigmentation - camouflage of scars and skin defects, as well as restoration of individual areas using color correction and reproduction of missing skin pigmentation due to surgical or mechanical effects on the client's skin or due to illness. This category includes the procedure for color correction upon completion of the recovery process after surgery, external influence, depending on the nature of the damage to the skin. The nature of the formation is important for further camouflage, since lacerated and loose wounds after bites, burns, cuts and surgical sutures are different in the nature and structure of healing. It should be emphasized that the density and nature of scars depend not only on their prescription, but also on the amount of fibrous tissue formed in the process of scar formation, the depth of damage and localization.

Cosmetic and aesthetic dermapigmentation (usually of the areola) is carried out at the request of the client to change the color of the natural skin pigment to the desired one, according to the client's idea of the beauty of the body. There are also requests for correction of the shape of the areola.

In addition to the cosmetic and aesthetic effect, dermopigmentation also has a therapeutic effect, since the procedure stimulates the skin to renew itself.

Dermopigmentation is also able to improve the size and color of the areolas, this is an indispensable way to correct the area around the nipple after mammoplasty. The introduction of pigment helps to correct the shape of the areola, to make its color more saturated.

It is very difficult to work with scars due to connective tissue fibrosis that occurs as a result of uncontrolled reparative regeneration. This is the most common cosmetic defect and often occurs as a result of certain skin diseases, injuries, burns and surgical interventions.

It is worth considering the regeneration of damaged tissues, where, due to inflammation or damage to the skin, during the healing of the wound channel, young connective tissue appears between the cells in the form of fibroblastic cords. Fresh scar tissue retains significant remnants of granulation tissue vessels, which gives them a bright reddish color. As we age, scar tissue turns pale due to a decrease in the number of cellular elements and blood vessels.

Scars on the face and neck not only cause their deformation, but are also pronounced cosmetic defects, sometimes causing functional disorders.

Personally, I would add trichopigmentation (imitation of hair on the head) to the list of tasks that dermapigmentation copes with. Almost all masters who are ready to work in the field of cosmetic and medical dermopigmentation do not see their practice without a trichopigmentation course. This is a fairly young direction both for Ukraine and for world practice, very promising and complex, requiring patience and practice. The leaders of this procedure are Turkey, Israel, Italy, China, USA, Canada. Men and women in these countries have a different attitude towards their own appearance, consider trichopigmentation as a chance to restore beauty and youth to their hair, and, importantly, are familiar with the procedure. Masters perform it successfully and expensively (compared to other PM procedures), but if you count the costs of transplanting hair follicles, it is still much more affordable.

What should be paid special attention to

In no way do we want to scare the PM masters from dermapigmentation, but we are obliged to discuss all the nuances and once again emphasize how experienced the specialist should be and how well-functioning the execution technique should be.

Responsibility. The most basic and important thing for a permanent makeup master is not to harm the client. It is known that not every permanent makeup master is ready to work with delicate areas and can take on the areola, nipple, vitiligo, scars and trichopigmentation. We have masters who practice dermopigmentation, but there are very few of them. Little knowledge, little work, little experience, lack of demand for this type of procedure. This is due to the lack of awareness of our customers about this possibility. The client comes only when he is tired of answering questions from strangers and, looking at his own reflection in the mirror, imagines himself a different person that he can become. Distrust of masters is the scourge of our time. Of course, what you are not ready for cannot become yours. The master cannot take responsibility and money for the procedure for which he is not ready.

Qualification and partnership. Of course, the master must have the appropriate level of education, which can confirm the qualifications corresponding to the area with which you work, whether it is the areola, scars, vitiligo and head area - trichopigmentation. Ideally, if the master shares his responsibility with specialists who have the necessary qualifications. That is, if this is the area of medical dermopigmentation, then this is close work with plastic surgeons. Of course, I understand that we, in Ukraine, have a very difficult relationship with medicine, and I only express my vision of correct work with clients. But if yesterday our client was a patient, it is hard to deny the fact that the ideal course of events is a consultation and referral of a plastic surgeon for a cosmetic dermopigmentation procedure to a permanent makeup master who has the appropriate permission. I am for this future!

Artistic Skills . It is difficult to be a permanent makeup artist and not be able to draw or not work on this skill. Many people have a sense of beauty. But it’s not enough to have the art of seeing - you need to be able to technically do the job, choose the ideal colors for camouflage according to the colorist, suitable for this particular client, draw with artistic taste what is not there, especially if we are talking about trichopigmentation and the restoration procedure of the areola and nipple. These skills need to be constantly improved, which is often overlooked by the PM master.

Equipment, pigments and appropriate needle configuration. Many masters may not be technically ready for the procedure with delicate areas. In the arsenal of the master, it is simply necessary to have a separate line of pigments for areola and camouflage. They are produced specifically for color correction of the dermis and have a special structure and formula. Pigments must be safe and comply with all hygienic standards, be certified, have documents confirming the quality. Many masters cannot start practicing because their equipment does not allow working with medical dermopigmentation (for example, the needle configuration is limited). I focus on medicine on purpose, since the master must be ready, when working with certain areas, to choose the needle that best matches the protocol of the procedure. In order not to be unfounded, let's move on to examples.

The mistake of the masters who first took up trichopigmentation is when the master does not take into account the structure of the scalp and does not think about the quality of the pigments and needles that he uses. The diameter of the needle should correspond to the thickness of the client's hair (it is necessary to use the thinnest: 1-micro, 1-nano (1, 2), the diameter of which is 0.25 and 0.2 mm, and the puncture is 0.18, 0.15 and 0, 12 mm). It is also worth considering the sharpening of needles. It is desirable that the equipment has an additional option for medical dermopigmentation.

Psychological features of working with this type of client. Why do we, the masters of permanent make-up, choose this profession? Why are we interested in areola, scars and trichopigmentation at some stage of professional growth? For some, the motivation is the interest to learn and learn new practices, ambitious plans and foreign practices and / or to have in their arsenal all the skills and knowledge that a real master, a leading specialist in the field of permanent makeup, should have.

The second motivational aspect is to help those people to whom no one but us can restore beauty. The world experience is charitable free procedures, if we are talking about women who have gone through the seven circles of oncology hell: diagnosis, cancer, chemotherapy, surgery, rehabilitation, plastic surgery and implantation, the recovery process. Then the PM master can become the last resort, give clients a new quality of life, restore self-confidence and help them see femininity and beauty in the reflection.

At some point, all the knowledge that the master possesses finds application in practical work. But in order to use different techniques in the work, they - elementarily - must be in the arsenal of the master and be honed to perfection.