Safety Standards Related to COVID-19 At Cosmetic Transformations we have always been committed to your safety and well-being. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made changes to our regular client care practices. These changes are necessary in order to prioritize safety for all of our clients as well as our own employees. We would like to share with you the steps that we are taking in order to provide a safe environment for your care at a Cosmetic Transformations. In-Office Visit Protocol * We will be pre-screening all patients that are scheduled to come in to our office for any symptoms of COVID-19. * We have implemented a policy for the safety and testing of our staff members including daily screening and temperature checks. We will be maintaining physical distancing as much as possible throughout the office for staff and patients. * For your safety all of our staff will be wearing masks when interacting with clients in the office; routine hand-washing is required. * We request that you wear a mask. If you do not have a mask, a mask will be provided; hand sanitation stations will be available upon entering and throughout the office. * The timing of client visits has been adjusted in order to limit the number of people in the office at a given time—for this reason punctuality is a priority (please do not show up too early, or too late for the appointment). * We request that clients come on their own to all appointments unless absolutely necessary. Accompanying family members may be asked to wait in the waiting room in order to appropriately physically distance. As we can only have a maximum of six individuals in the waiting room, your supporters may have to wait outside or run some errands while they wait for you to finish your appointment. * We have increased our in-office cleaning: all areas of patient traffic are regularly cleaned throughout the day; all procedure rooms are cleaned between every client encounter. Thank you for your patience and for your assistance in helping us maintain the excellent safety standards for which we are known—Kyla Gutsche, Founder, Cosmetic Transformations

Whatever name you call it–“cosmetic or medical tattoo”, “micropigmentation” or “semi-permanent makeup”– the process of implanting pigment particles into the reticular layer of the skin is the same. They are all terms used to describe the process of tattooing, in which particles of color are placed in the upper layer of the skin in order to enhance or replace features lost by trauma, illness or surgery.

Cosmetic and Medical tattooing can be performed using various methods, including the traditional tattoo or coil machines, the pen or rotary machine and the non-machine or hand method. The process includes an initial consultation, then application of pigment, and usually one or more follow up visits for adjusting the shape and color or density of the pigment.

EVERYONE who desires a boost to confidence in their appearance—from trauma or cancer survivors to the elderly. It is especially beneficial to people who can’t wear other cosmetics due to allergies and skin sensitivities as well as sporty individuals who want to look their best for activities and who don’t want to worry about their cosmetics sweating or washing off. In addition, those who suffer from vision impairment or who have difficulty applying their cosmetics because of physical impairments or unsteady hands, can all benefit from cosmetic and medical tattooing.

Cosmetic Tattooing (semi-permanent) can enhance your natural features, correct asymmetry or add color and depth which was previously missing. Treatments can be made very subtle or dramatic, depending on what you are looking for. Most common procedures include: Eyebrows, Eyeliner (top and bottom), Lash Enhancement, Full Lip Color, Lipliner and Hair Simulation. Medical Tattooing can correct features lost or damaged due to cancer, illness, or trauma. Most common procedures include: Scar Camouflage, Hair Simulation, Burn Correction, Vitiligo Camouflage, Areola Simulation and Areola Repigmentation.

Cosmetic tattoos (semi-permanent) give your skin and features unsurpassed color and definition, as pigment is placed in the top portion of the skin, avoiding the waxy or shiny appearance seen with conventional makeup or concealer. Because pigment is retained by your skin, you don’t have to worry about it smugging or washing off. Testimonial: “I’m overjoyed with how natural it looks. I also have more time in the mornings to be spending with my family rather than in front of the mirror!”

Cosmetic and medical tattooing is a safe and relatively painless procedure when performed by qualified technicians. Most common side effects include discomfort during the procedure, swelling and redness. Other side effects include mild bruising and / or bleeding. More rare side effects include migration of the pigment dye away from the tattoo site, infection, or an allergic reaction. Cosmetic Transformations uses only single-use pigments and needles to avoid infections.

Cosmetic and medical tattooing is a safe and relatively painless procedure when performed by qualified technicians. Most common side effects include discomfort during the procedure, swelling and redness. Other side effects include mild bruising and / or bleeding. More rare side effects include migration of the pigment dye away from the tattoo site, infection, or an allergic reaction. Cosmetic Transformations uses only single-use pigments and needles to avoid infections.

Yes. Our pigments were designed to be safe for MRI imaging. Compared to traditional dyes and pigments, the iron particles in the Biotic Phocea pigments are microscopic and do not react as true metal pieces. It is still recommended however that any person with cosmetic or medical tattooing inform MRI staff as treated area(s) may show up as a very slight residue.

Due to the possible risk of infection, the Canadian Red Cross requires a one-year wait between getting a cosmetic or medical tattooing procedure and donating blood.

Although people report some discomfort, the procedure is less painful than traditional tattoos and is well tolerated by most patients. Many patients compare cosmetic or medical tattooing to a light sun burn. Cosmetic Transformations uses topical anesthetics to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible, and can also offer nerve blocks and local anesthetics when required. Your specific anesthetic needs will be discussed during your consultation.

After micropigmentation, the skin takes between 7 and 10 days to heal, however most people can resume their normal activities the same day of the procedure. During the healing process, you may experience slight swelling, tenderness or redness at the pigmented site for the first 3 days. Cool compresses can be applied to diminish the swelling and make you feel more comfortable. You will also notice that the site is darker then expected and may scab. THIS IS NORMAL and will go away within the week. For eye-liner procedures, you should avoid contacts for 3-4 days.

The cost of cosmetic or medical tattooing depends on the procedure and particular needs of the client. Some procedures can be done in as little as one treatment, while others may require multiple staged sessions to perfect the work. Procedures range from only a hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on their complexity and the amount of time and pigments involved. This may seem costly, but is in fact economical when considered in relation to the money and time that would be spent on conventional cosmetics over a five year time period. And for individuals who are disfigured due to trauma, surgery or the effects of illness, the ability of these procedures to dramatically improve the skin’s appearance are nothing less than a miracle that can help them once again face and enjoy the world.

Perhaps the most common misconception about micropigmentation is that it is truly permanent. Because the color is implanted into the dermal layer of the skin it cannot be washed off. However, the colour will soften over time, because the body’s skin changes over time, and so will any coloration. Color retention is affected by different factors including the darkness of the original color, an individual’s age and metabolism, skin type and condition, exposure to UV radiation (sun, tanning booths), smoking, certain drugs and medications, and skin peeling treatments such as Retin-A, glycolic peels and microdermabrasion. In general, the color lasts from 3 to 5 years and can be enhanced and refreshed by a maintenance, or ‘touch-up’ visit when needed. A ‘touch-up’ is usually a minor adjustment that either thickens a line or adds a dot to make just the right shape, modifies a color to achieve the desired saturation, or fills in areas that may have faded more than others.

DEFINITELY! You can still apply makeup over your enhanced lips, eyeliner or brows for added variety. You can also have us modify your micropigmented colours at a later date, although it is always easier to modify lighter colors than darker colors.

Although the procedure is considered permanent, these procedures do have flexibility in changing color and shape to some extent. Colors will appear darker immediately following the procedure but will soften and lighten during the healing process. The healing time is different for each individual and procedure.

As with any form of tattoo, the removal of micropigmentation is not an easy process. That is why choosing a qualified professional like one of our artists who have tremendous artistic skill as well as a conservative approach is important. During the initial application, a “less is more” philosophy works best. A more natural look or lighter color can always be changed later with conventional makeup, or adjusted or darkened if necessary at a ‘touch-up’ appointment. Shape can also be adjusted at a ‘touch-up’ visit, but not drastically, so a good original design is a must.

The initial procedure will generally take between 1 and 2 hours. Touch-up procedures usually do not require as much time.

Several important steps need to be followed to ensure your procedure is done correctly. During your initial consultation you can see what other work has been performed by Cosmetic Transformations, your medical history is collected and your different options are discussed. During this time, any other questions that you have would be answered. If you decide to go ahead with a cosmetic or medical tattooing procedure, time is then allotted for the design and color selection, and a local or topical anesthetic will be applied to the site to ensure your comfort. The area to be pigmented will then be measured, outlined and marked, then sterilized before the micropigmentation procedure. Our artists will then implant the pigment into the upper layer of your skin to cover the specified area. Before you leave, they will go over after-care instructions.

Immediately following a procedure, there may be a small amount of swelling, redness, or tenderness that lasts a few hours to a few days. Generally, the eyebrow area swells less than the eyes, lips or scars. THE COLOR LOOKS MUCH DARKER immediately after the procedure but will be softer and lighten by 10-50% within a week. During this time a light crust will form and the epidermal (outer) layer of skin will gradually peel or flake off revealing the softened color underneath. After the procedure, if any touch ups or color modifications are required, a “perfection visit” will be scheduled in about 6 weeks. This is of no additional charge when scheduled within 3 months of the initial visit.

In most cases you can return to work or regular daily activities with minimal redness or swelling a day or two following the procedure. The site will have healed completely within a week.

During the initial procedure, the treated area will be saturated as much as possible with color. Due to swelling, there may be some areas where the tissue will no longer allow pigment to be implanted. Those areas will show less color upon healing and may require another visit to be filled-in. Because everyone’s tissue reaction is different, some clients will need a ‘touch-up’ while others will not. The treatment area must heal before a refinement procedure can be performed. You should wait 6 weeks to allow for complete tissue healing and color stabilization. Once the desired results are achieved, you can keep the color looking fresh with a maintenance visit or let the micropigmentation slowly fade over time.

Pigment colors are selected to compliment your skin tone, hair, and eye color, and can be custom-blended to ensure optimal effect. When blending in with your natural skin color, for example with scar camouflage or skin re-pigmentation, patch testing is advised to obtain the best combination of colors for the treated area. This is particularly important, as the color selected may appear slightly different once it is injected under the skin. Should you later decide on a different color, it can be lightened, darkened, or even changed.

If you have ever had fever blisters or cold sores, an anti-viral prescription is required from your physician prior to any lip procedure. With an anti-viral, fever blisters and cold sores can usually be avoided during the healing of your lip procedure.

If you spend a lot of time in the sun or in tanning beds or booths WITHOUT PROTECTION, you should NOT opt for micropigmentation since the UVA rays will change and fade the pigment tones.

You can call or e-mail to arrange a consultation today!

Through the use of its award wining innovations (Titian WashTM), artistry and techniques, Cosmetic Transformations can create or enhance features never before achievable with traditional tattoos or makeup.