I’ve noticed that my lips have gotten thinner and paler as I get older. What’s going on and what are my options for lip enhancement?

Before

After

Generally around 35 years of age, the lips will begin to flatten and thin out, the corners droop, and the lip lines begin to form. As lips lose their fullness it makes the mouth look smaller, giving an aging effect to the face. Lips also lose their smoothness and become less plump due to a breakdown in collagen and the loss of subcutaneous fat within the lips. Furthermore, the collagen breakdown causes our lips to lose elasticity, making fine lines and deeper wrinkles more evident on and around the lips. Also noticeable is the reduction in the lips’ bright redness.

Numerous injectable fillers have entered the market over the last five years giving women a number of options for fuller, younger-looking lips. Not all are created equally, however, as some fillers carry a higher risk of complication depending upon where they are injected, which can lead to unsatisfactory results such as visible lumps and clumping. Since some fillers can last between one and two years, any associated complications can last for several months. The gold standard for augmenting the lip is hyaluronic acid fillers, which last three to six months. Hyaluronic acids carry a reduced risk because of their short-term results. Collagen can be used, but due to collagen’s high cost, hyaluronic acids are considered superior.

Cosmetic lip tattoos enhance the lips with more natural-looking results for a much longer period of time and without the same risk of complications. Unlike injectable fillers, lip tattoos can also create a superior vermillion border and enhance the lips’ natural color, restoring an alluring vitality to the face. Such procedures are not just for women who want to have the lips of a heralded celebrity, but simply to turn back the hands of time.

Of course, lip tattoos can also be done as the finishing touch after lip plumping injections to better complete the desired enhancement.

Filed under: Permanent makeup

Just how natural can you make my eyebrows look?

Before

After

Fake-looking, drawn-on brows detract from the appeal of even the most perfectly symmetrical and otherwise universally admired faces. (Pamela Anderson is one that comes to mind.) A good tattooed eyebrow should look three-dimensional, just like real ones. It can be particularly tricky to execute well when there is very little or no hair present, but as seen here, they make of one of the best face-enhancing procedures available with no downtime.

Filed under: Permanent makeup

What if I want to change the way I draw on my eyeliner?

Before

After

Properly applied permanent eyeliner should never require “updating” to keep up with any fashion trends, only perhaps additional color as it slowly fades over the years. Its combined eyelash-thickening effect and indelible staying power can never be duplicated by topical cosmetics. Indeed this has become one of the most widely accepted cosmetic tattooing procedures throughout the United States, Europe and much of Asia.

Filed under: Permanent makeup

"Those perfect women, the ones who roll out of bed looking fantastic? They have a secret."

An eye-opening (sorry about the pun) Beauty Investigation article featured in the December 2007 issue of Elle magazine. The author reports who’s getting into permanent makeup in NYC.

Elle-December-2007.pdf

Filed under: Permanent makeup

Who gets permanent makeup?

Permanent makeup is a convenient solution for people who want to appear looking at their best, but feel self-conscious about sparse eyebrows or eyelashes, or lips that are too thin, asymmetrical, or naturally lacking in color. It’s also ideal for those who have allergies or are irritated by conventional cosmetics, have any physical limitations that makes applying makeup difficult such as arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke survivors, anyone with unsteady hands, or are physically active and don’t want to worry about “sweating off” their makeup. Cosmetic tattooing can also help cover up unsightly scars and be an adjunct to reconstructive surgery, particularly of the face or breast, to simulate natural pigmentation. The results can last for years, and has the added benefit of saving money and time from the daily makeup application.

Filed under: Permanent makeup