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Meeting all Guidelines for COVID-19 Infection Prevention
So, What Training is "Required" to do This Type of Tattooing
The TRUTH about Permanent Make-Up Certification & Licensing
Le Beau Visage Permanent Cosmetics has chosen to include this information on our website, because we strongly feel as a consumer you have the right to know about the permanent cosmetic industry. Most consumers seeking permanent make-up tattooing incorrectly presume that technicians practicing permanent make-up application are licensed and regulated. There is no required school, no board certification, no required continuing education or other educational requirements, unfortunately. We wish there was!
In California, there is not a "license" to perform permanent make-up procedures because it is considered part of the "tattooing" industry, and tattooists are not licensed in the State of California. There are however, permanent make-up technicians listing themselves as licensed and board-certified practitioners; but because there is not a licensing agency, this information is very misleading. There are third-party companies that are creating memberships where you agree to the terms and pay an annual fee and are provided with a "board-certified certificate". This gives the public the perception you've completed some element of testing and education but it's not verifiable or standardized. Essentially, if you pay the fee, sign the forms, and you're "board certified". Here is an example: https://micropigmentation.org/join-gold/
Most likely more accurately annotate by using the term "certified", a technician can indicate he or she has received a "certificate" of completion for training. However, just because a technician holds a "certificate" does not mean that they have a proven standard for proficiency for the services they are performing. What is available is a license from the county licensing the facility and the artist as being registered with Butte County. The requirements for that are an application, fee, facility inspection and completion of Blood Borne Pathogen training. This however, again, does not represent in any form your SKILL level, knowledge, education, or experience level. The truth is, there is not a standard for education, hours or testing to provide any permanent cosmetic service, and today people are doing everything from being self-taught to taking a one-day class and then calling themselves licensed. Even taking a class really isn't "certification", because to certify someone you need a printer and a piece of paper. No regulation, no standardized education or hours, no testing, and the unfortunate outfall is in-experienced technicians tattooing YOUR face! We are seeing the result of this more and more with the recent "boom" of microblading and it's concerning what the future holds for this industry without regulation.
We urge prospective clients to be sure to ask to see a portfolio of completed permanent cosmetic application and ask questions of any technician you are considering working with. Unfortunately, because of the ease with which people enter this industry and therefore the inexperience, more and more experienced practitioners like Michelle are working with clients to correct permanent cosmetic problems. Receiving an unsatisfactory body tattoo is unfortunate, but receiving an unsatisfactory permanent make-up tattoo on the face is something that can be avoided by doing your research and learning about your practitioner. We have even seen places TRAINING people to "certify" them in eyebrow microblading and the TRAINER has under 2 years experience!
Keep in mind that, unlike some professions where a standardized test is performed and required to pass with competency, the permanent make-up industry is not comparing apples to apples so to speak when you are looking for a provider. This is why you might see quite a range of pricing for the same service if you choose to compare one practitioner to another. Look at EVERYTHING and be sure you select what is best for you, your expectations, and your budget. Experience means something in this industry and your provider should be well versed in the many aspects of providing these services.
Additionally, beginning in July of 2012 Butte County began regulation enforcement from the Department of Environmental Health. Fortunately for Butte County consumers, the Department is now actively implementing enforcement standards for tattoo shops and permanent make-up facilities. In 2009 Michelle participated in the presentation of the upcoming regulation with county officials and has authored a handbook endorsed by Butte County for Exposure Control and Infection Prevention practices for tattoo facilities and body modification professionals. You will be pleased to know that Le Beau Visage passed every one of our inspections with a perfect score!
The Le Beau Visage Difference.....
What makes Le Beau Visage Permanent Cosmetics stand apart from the rest?
With the growing number of online courses that can be taken to learn "how to do permanent makeup", our industry is seeing many technicians displaying certificates for OSHA courses and as well as other areas of permanent make-up that "look official" but are nothing more than printed pieces of paper out of a computer at home. Does your technician speak intelligently and have experience protecting YOUR health? We want to share these things with you, and because you are here reading this page, you are already taking the appropriate steps to protect yourself and your choice about permanent make-up!
Since 1989 Michelle has worked in the clinical dental field, where infection control practices are governed by state regulation and OSHA. Some of the skills used to protect you, the consumer, as well as the practitioner, are skills which are learned through experience and time. For example, cross-contamination is a widely prevalent with inexperience, as one may reach up with gloved hands and touch their hair or reach down and open a drawer. With time, an experienced practitioner learns to remove gloves before touching ANY environmental surfaces not part of the "work area".
Because of over 30 years of experience in this type of setting, Michelle is proud of her second nature practices with disinfection and sterilization and brings these skills into her practice of permanent cosmetics. Additionally, Michelle has taken annual OSHA certification since 1989 which is required for her license as a dental hygienist, and this valuable information, which protects your health, has been learned and relearned since 1989. Because of this experience, Michelle volunteered to provide valuable input to Butte County Environmental Health about standards which occur in industries exposed to blood borne pathogens.
Le Beau Visage Permanent Cosmetics hopes that this information provides you with an insight of the permanent cosmetic tattooing industry. We invite you to come into our facility for a consultation, take a look around and ask questions. Your health is very important at Le Beau Visage, and we want you to be well educated in the choice you make for your practitioner regardless if you chose Le Beau Visage Permanent Cosmetics for your permanent cosmetic procedures or chose to seek services elsewhere. We feel that all consumers have a "right to know" about our industry; and we are pleased to part of your decision making process.
Regards,
Michelle Thau, Owner
Le Beau Visage Permanent Cosmetics