Thursday, April 26, 2007; Posted: 4:55 p.m. (CDT)
Midwest City, Okla. -- Micropigmentology, or permanent make-up, has been a trend nationwide for years. It's recently gained popularity in our state. With tattoos becoming legal this year, there's been some confusion between the two trades. KSBI-TV defines the line that separates permanent make-up from tattooing.
Micropigmentology and tattooing have numerous differences, but they share one trait... the tattoo gun.
"I get so many questions about is your tattoo gun exactly like the real tattoo gun? I'm like, yes. And then they ask me is it really tattooing? And it's really tattooing. It is permanent," says Kelly Cassidy, a licensed micropigmentologist.
Cassidy can do eyes, lips, eyeliner, even cheeks and eye shadow. However, she can't go outside the facial lines by law.
"If somebody wants to come in here and me do a tattoo on their arm that's against the law," explains Cassidy.
Vice versa for tattoo artists.
"I've actually had somebody come in and ask if we can tattoo a mole. They're like, well it's not directly on the lips or cheek, but I said no. It's still in front of the ears and between the forehead and chin, so therefore, it's still considered permanent make-up," says Jo Ann Dahl, City Ink Shop Manager.
Anesthesia is another major difference. Cassidy first numbs the area with local anesthesia, something you'll have to go without at a tattoo shop. Only registered nurses and registered dental hygienists are allowed to give local anesthesia.
The setting is another difference.
"Micropigmentology has to be done at a medical facility, whether it be at a dentist's office, a physician's office, or optometrist's office," says Cassidy.
Cassidy set up shop inside Dr. Robert Adair's dentist office in Midwest City, where she's worked as a dental hygienist for years.
So who is coming in to see her and why?
Jan Watson says, "My eyebrows tend to, especially in the summertime, they fade out and you can't even tell I have them."
Watson is getting her eyebrows done.
Cassidy says she typically sees women over 30. Eyebrows are the most common procedure because the hair tends to stop growing as we age.
Watson is also getting her eyeliner done. She says the procedures will jazz up her look while keeping her routine simple.
"In the morning I just like to put on some tinted moisturizer and go. This allows me to do that and still have kind of a polished look," says Watson.
Cassidy says micropigmentology has been a nice change of pace from the world of dentistry. She says there's a big difference between working in the mouth and on the face.
"Doing dentistry versus micropigmentology is just something totally new. I don't have to work inside the mouth! It's actually a little bit easier. My clients just love it," says Cassidy.
Permanent make-up is permanent. Cassidy says the sun will cause it to fade and she recommends re-touching the area every three to five years.
