When I said I was suffering from extreme hair loss after Kai was born I wasn’t just talking about the hair on my head. My eyebrows are becoming very sparse and my right eyebrow has a noticeable bald-spot. In our office the best solution for eyebrow thinning is permanent makeup. Our cosmetic makeup artist, Valerie is a true gem. She is always in a good mood, incredibly thoughtful and kind and a true artist. She does all our permanent makeup including eyebrows, eyeliner and nipple-areolar tattooing for our breast cancer patients. Her work is amazing and even before I was pregnant I thought about having my eyebrows done. Now that I have a baby at home I fondly remember the days I had 20 free minutes to apply makeup and beautifully shape my brows. Now all I can think is “who has time for that?!”
Valerie, our permanent makeup artist
I scheduled my appointment for permanent makeup ($495) on a Friday (she is with us every Friday and one Tuesday a month) and when I arrived I was taken immediately to our photo room for pre-procedure photos. Valerie walked me into her treatment room and gave me a quick rundown of the procedure. I signed consent forms and then she asked me my goals. “I want to hide my bald-spot and never have to apply makeup again.” She laughed and explained that the treatment wouldn’t be permanent but should last about 18-24 months and after this initial visit I would need a touch up in about a month. She explained that the dye that is used is vegetable based and that the molecules in it are too large to be passed into breast milk (https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/tattoos-and-breastfeeding/). She started numbing me and worked on mixing the pigment she would use. She decided on a lovely shade called hazelnut that’s a slightly darker version of my current eyebrow color. She explained that the pigment would look very dark today but will fade and she can go a little darker on my follow-up visit.
I fondly remember the days I had 20 free minutes to apply makeup and beautifully shape my brows. Now all I can think is “who has time for that?!”
I laid back in our comfortable aesthetician bed and nearly fell asleep (the best rest I’ve had in months!). The initial pass of her machine over my brow felt a little tender and scratchy but not bad. She went back and forth from brow to brow to get them symmetrical. It took about an hour and fifteen minutes for the complete process. She used fine brush strokes to create “hair lines” that look completely natural. The shape of my brows is fantastic and the redness around it was gone in a few hours. The color was much darker than what I’m used to but Valerie promised the color would fade in the next week or so. I was told to stay away from most cleansers and facial products around the brows that evening and apply aquaphor for the next few days to lock in the color.
Before Procedure
3 Days After Procedure
A word of caution regarding thinning eyebrows: this can be a sign of a hormonal imbalance. Particularly if you notice thinning at the outside edges which can indicate a thyroid issue (https://www.nahypothyroidism.org/why-are-my-eyebrows-thinning/). To ensure that I don’t have any abnormal hormonal issues I scheduled an appointment with an endocrinologist.
The next step in my Mommy Makeover journey is to meet with our esthetician to get on a new skincare regimen, do my next round of Clear + Brilliant, and to finally start a diet and exercise plan. I will update this blog with my progress over the next few weeks.
Cheers,
Camille
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The statements in this blog have not been reviewed by an OB/GYN or pediatrician so please check with your own doctor before following any new skincare or aesthetic regime.
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