Does Anyone Do Permanent Makeup with Sedation?

Question

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.

Nick Slenkovich, MD · Answer

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 success largely to the skill, artistry and aesthetic sense of our tattoo aesthetician.

	This is not a procedure to take lightly! I highly suggest that you research your options carefully and insist to see pictures of patients actually tattooed by your provider. If you are not sure of their aesthetic sense or judgment, ask them to perform a makeup session to size-up their skills.

	Bottom Line: Sedation and nerve blocks are helpful. And choose your tattoo artist with great care.

	Hope this helps.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

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.

Jeffrey W. Hall, MD · Answer

I am sure you could probably find a practitioner that would do permanent makeup while you were under sedation. It would, however, increase the cost and recovery time of your procedure. You may also be able to try something like taking a valium to help with anxiety prior to having it done and then having a friend drive you home rather than total sedation.

Lisa Benest, MD · Answer

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. Also, it is best to have someone drive you. It won't affect your vision, but it may feel really odd for a while.

Keshini Parbhu, MD · Answer

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.

Scott E. Kasden, MD, FACS · Answer

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.

Does Anyone Do Permanent Makeup with Sedation?

Answers (6)

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