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Does Anyone Do Permanent Makeup with Sedation?

I tried to have permanent eyeliner done and could not finish the procedure due to the pain and the anxiety of the procedure. I kept trying to grab the girls arm preventing her from putting the machine near my eye - I could not control the urge to protect my eye. She is a good practitioner but the numbing solutions were not enough to minimize my discomfort.

Asked 36 months ago by threezn7s in san diego
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+1

Local Anesthetic

I do not know of using sedation for this procedure.  I am sure it could be done, but I don't know of anyone who would do it.  What you could do is start with some numbing cream on the area, then you can have a doctor inject a little local anesthetic to fully numb the skin, as if we were to do a surgery.  The local anesthetic will last about a half hour, so you will have to coordinate it quite well.  You can get bruising from the injection, so be prepared for that... more
Lisa Benest, MD
Burbank Dermatologist
+1

Anesthetic Options for Permanent Makeup

Topical anesthetic creams may not provide the desired level of comfort for permanent makeup application.  WIth physician supervision, you can try oral medications such as valium to help relieve some of the anxiety in addition to injection of a local anesthetic like lidocaine. Most patients are able to tolerate permanent makeup application quite well with this.  Finally, intravenous sedation is an option but can be costly due to facility and anesthesia fees.
Keshini Parbhu, MD
Orlando Oculoplastic Surgeon
+1

Permanent Makeup under light sedation

Permanent makeup is an important adjunct to aesthetic rejuvenation and can be performed under light sedation or anesthesia in most cases.  This allows for correct placement of the tattoo and does cost more given the cost of facility and anesthesia.
Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Sedation is an option for permanent makeup

As for comfort, yes, sedation is possible and advisable if there is appropriate physician supervision. It is not a good situation to have severe discomfort for any procedure--for both the patient and for the ability to achieve optimal results. Glancing through the Permanent Makeup questions and comments here on the RealSelf.com, there seems to be a wide variety of experiences with this procedure. Our patients have been overwhelmingly pleased with makeup tattooing. I attribute this... more
Nick Slenkovich, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon
+1

Another suggestion

I find that many patients are very anxious with any procedure around the eye. If your tattoo artist works with a doctor, why don't you ask if they could prescribe Valium for you, and after you are sedated, inject with local anesthesia? The injection hurts for a few seconds but after that, you could sleep through the procedure.
Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
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