There's simply no way to determine the VISIBLE permanency of your procedure, every body is different. However, although you may not be able to see them, pigment molecules will ALWAYS remain in the skin unless a removal procedure is performed. Factors that can affect the visible permanency of your pigment:

• Age

• Following proper aftercare protocols

• Health conditions

• Medications

• Normal fade expectancy of pigments

• Skin care products with active ingredients

• Skin type, tone, & health

• Sun exposure & environmental elements

• Under 18

• Have taken blood thinners in the last 7 days - Those who regularly take blood thinners may bleed more easily during procedures. This includes medications, vitamins, and supplements. Please look at the list of vitamins and supplements under the "Prep & Aftercare" tab to see if your vitamins or supplements are blood thinners. NEVER DISCONTINUE THE USE OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN FIRST.

• History of cold sores, herpes, or fever blisters - Trauma caused by the tattooing process can trigger a viral response and cause an outbreak on the area that is prone. Client should consult with their primary physician for an antiviral medication (see more in the "Prep & Aftercare" tab).

• Recent laser treatments, invasive procedures, or chemical peels - No PMU procedures should be done for 6 months after a laser treatment/medical grade chemical peel. The skin needs time to repair itself to be healthy enough for a tattoo.

• Problems with general healing - Certain medical conditions, autoimmune disorders, and age can attribute to slower healing times. Please have your primary physician advise you about the safety of receiving a tattoo since the skin on the face is sensitive.

• Advised not to get a tattoo - Please listen to the advice and do not proceed against the recommendation of a medical professional. It is simply not worth the trouble or worth the risk.

• Raised moles, freckles, skin tags, etc. - Anything raised or "out of the ordinary" cannot be tattooed over. In this case the client has two options: have the irregularity professionally removed before the procedure or continue the procedure without tattooing directly over the irregularity.

• Recent chemotherapy/radiation - No procedure should be done for 12 months after the last treatment and with a note of clearance from the primary physician.

• Retin A, Alpha Hydroxy Acid, prescription acne medications, or other active ingredient products - Active ingredient products should be stopped a few weeks prior to procedure. These products should not be used directly on treated area until fully healed to avoid premature fading or an unwanted reaction. When it comes to Isotretinoin (also known as Accutane), procedures should be no less than 12 months after the last use. This medication can directly affect the condition of the skin, and can compromise the overall procedure, healing process, and end result.

• Botox and filler - Should be done no less than 2 weeks before visit and 2 weeks after visit.

• Metal allergies - The needle itself contains some nickel and most pigments contain iron-oxides. If there's concern, we can perform a patch test!

• Previous permanent makeup/tattoos - Not necessarily a contraindication, however, we do have to make sure there are no signs of tissue damage or scar tissue to deal with. *Rad Brows and More does not currently offer corrections/cover ups.

• Allergies to anesthetics - Most anesthetics used for PMU procedures contain one or more of the "caines". If you are sensitive to any of the "caines", please consult with your doctor if it is safe to proceed with the topical anesthetic. If you are not cleared, we can always proceed without the use of anesthetics.

• Skin sensitivity, skin disease, skin irritations, acneic breakouts - Skin must be healthy and clear of any visible symptoms in order to be tattooed.

• Pregnant/breastfeeding

• Lash/brow hair growth serums - These products are known to cause complications during the procedure such as excessive bleeding, excessive swelling, poor retention, difficulty working with the skin, and more. It's advised to wait at least 3-6 months from the last use.

• You are pregnant/breastfeeding.

• You have been advised by a medical professional to not receive a tattoo.

• You have problems with healing wounds.

For most permanent makeup procedures, clients are generally able to maintain color for 1-4 years before needing to be freshened up. There are simply too many factors that influence longevity and that is okay!

As time passes, your color will begin to fade, the design will begin to shrink, and the shape may begin to change due to unpredictable fading around the edges. At this point, most people are ready for their touch up but ultimately, it's totally up to you when you feel ready!

At Rad Brows and More, we advocate for the integrity of your skin and encourage you to please hold off on any unnecessary touch ups until you feel it is truly time. The skin has limited capacity for the number of procedures it can withstand before becoming compromised regardless of the technician's technique and skill level.

Here's a brief summary from the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals (SPCP):

Is it tattooing? Permanent Cosmetics, Micropigmentation, Microblading, etc. are all different names for the same procedure - Cosmetic Tattooing. Any time color is placed into the skin with any device, it is a tattoo process defined by many well informed regulators, the medical community, and dictionary sources.

Is it semi-permanent? By definition and tattoo industry standards, color is tattooed/implanted into the dermis of the skin. If pigment particles do not reach the dermis, they will disappear during the healing phase at the epidermal level. Pigments do fade over time but that does not make the process semi-permanent.

Why does microblading not last as long as other eyebrow tattooing techniques? This is simply because a much smaller amount of pigment is being implanted into the skin compared to other forms and methods of cosmetic tattooing.

How can I get more information? You can contact the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals (SPCP) at admin@spcp.org or visit their website at www.spcp.org

At Rad Brows and More, when it comes to Hair Stroke Brows, we use microblades to create the hair strokes. Microblading is a process in which small cuts are created to implant pigment rather than punctures that are created with shading techniques. Because of this, microblading carries its own list of contraindications.

Not all clients are candidates for microblading but this doesn't necessarily mean that said client is not a candidate for a different technique/style.

• Mature Skin - Generally speaking, the more mature the skin is, the more fragile it becomes. This makes it very easy for the technician to work too deep causing excessive bleeding and poor results. The result may heal darker than wanted.

• Large Pores/Oily Skin - The healed result will appear powdery and blurred. Pigment tends to fade quicker as well.

• Severely Sun Damaged Skin - The skin will either become thicker or thinner, therefore providing an uneven canvas. The color result may also differ than what the client originally wanted.

• Visible Previous Permanent Makeup - Microblading alone WILL NOT hold up against previous permanent makeup that is still saturated. As the pigment heals, the hair strokes become lost and can appear blurred in with the previous PMU.

• Keloid Prone - "Cutting" impact from microblading, may cause the skin to develop keloids. If you are keloid prone and are interested in microblading, ask us about a patch test!

• Thin Skin