An ice pack, which can help reduce swelling caused by an eyebrow tattoo.
Like tattooed eyeliner and lipstick, eyebrow tattooing is a type of “permanent makeup” that frees people from the need to continually reapply cosmetics. Some people may opt for eyebrow tattoos instead of continually applying an eyebrow pencil, especially if they have sparse brows and feel like they need to be filled in. While eyebrow tattoos may seem like a good time-saving solution for people who fill in their brows, their permanence can become problematic as brow shapes can be subject to style changes, just like hair and makeup. For example, the thick, bushy brow trend popularized by Brooke Shields in the 1980s was considered extremely old-fashioned in the early 1990s, when pencil-thin brows became fashionable.
An eyebrow tattoo can be useful for someone who uses eyebrow pencils frequently.
An eyebrow tattoo can be applied manually with a hand needle or tattoo gun. Although tattooing is faster, it applies pigment in more solid blocks of color to the forehead area, which tends to create an unnatural look. However, a manual needle gives the person applying the eyebrow tattoo the ability to create very fine lines of pigment that more closely resemble individual strands of hair and therefore create a more natural appearance. Eyebrow tattoo application with a manual needle is also generally considered less painful than tattoo gun application and causes less bleeding, bruising and swelling. In the United States, the best way to choose from the many cosmetologists, plastic surgeons, estheticians, and tattoo artists who offer eyebrow tattoos is to find someone who is certified by the American Academy of Micropigmentation.
Eyebrow tattoos can be an especially practical option for people experiencing hair loss caused by a condition such as alopecia or as a side effect of chemotherapy. They may also appeal to people who have sparse eyebrows and are allergic to makeup, have trouble seeing, or have trouble applying makeup. After undergoing an eyebrow tattoo procedure, patients are generally advised to place an ice pack on the eye area to reduce swelling. It is also recommended to avoid using any product with alpha hydroxy acid on the eyebrow tattoo as it can dissolve the pigment. Most people are candidates for eyebrow tattoos, except people who take immunosuppressive medications, blood thinners, or have herpes simplex.