Touch ups are used to replace pigment that has faded over time and to refresh the overall appearance of the cosmetic tattoo. Touch ups never involve correction and should not be confused with corrective work. Color adjustments may be needed immediately after a permanent cosmetic procedure to “tone” the color. This is usually done at the touch up or “finishing visit” that follows 4-6 weeks after the initial procedure. Touch ups are usually performed about 1-5 apart and are reasonably priced for periodic maintenance.

Unfortunately some individuals have a need to fix previous cosmetic work that is less than desirable. These are not the same types of adjustments needed after initial permanent cosmetic procedures. These are as a result of poor decisions both from the technician that did the work and also the lack of research on behalf of the client. Changes and alterations are very unique to each individual and are difficult in nature to correct for something as permanent as a cosmetic tattoo. There are many reasons that individuals need corrective work such as:

It is up to the discretion of the corrections artist if they are willing to take on a corrective case. Not all cases are able to be “fixed” and many times improvement is optimistic. Permanent cosmetic technicians who are well seasoned in corrective work are the best choice for the results you are looking for. If you choose a technician who has little experience or lacks formal training in this area it is likely you will not get a correction at all. Ask your technician if he / she have been trained in “corrective work” or “advanced permanent cosmetics” and look for their proof of training certificate.

Your technician may ask what the previous technician used in the case of tattoo removal, or if color correction is needed. It is possible to continue treatment without this information; however, it can eliminate some of the guess work. Depending on the severity of the correction the client may need as little as two sessions and as many as ten or more sessions to achieve the results they are looking for. Most cases are 2 to 4 sessions and are easy to moderate in terms of severity. Most of the extreme cases we see are referred to a reputable plastic surgeon.

Pricing is strictly based upon consultation due to the uniqueness of each client’s needs. It is impossible to determine how many visits would be needed and therefore impossible to know how much the cost would be without a proper evaluation. Corrective work usually comes at a premium due to the amount of liability it is to the business and technician, the cost of education to be able to take these types of cases, and the type of equipment needed. The technician not only has to fix what is already there but must also go over the area with a new design and color to turn it into something that looks nice. A professional technician will meet with you, give you a proper analysis, an estimated treatment program and fees. It is unprofessional to accept anything less.

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The images of the following subjects are actual clients of our clinic. The "Before" images below are of work NOT done by a Dermagrafix technician. The "After" photo's reflect the corrective work performed by a Dermagrafix master technician.

Subject A:

Lip liner correction.

Course of treatment: Client opted to decline tattoo removal and was happy to have corrective tattooing to correct the shape and address color fading. Immediately following first procedure. Temporary surgical markings present.

Final result: After two corrective sessions

Subject B:

Lip liner correction. The outline is drastically outside the vermilion border and unsymmetrical.

Course of treatment: Corrective color and shape adjustments without tattoo removal was desired by the client.

Final result: After two sessions

Subject C:

Eyebrow and Eyeliner correction. The client was not given the opportunity with her previously selected technician to choose a design that she liked. As a result she was dissatisfied with the outcome and desired a complete shape and color correction.

Course of treatment: After one corrective color session.

Healed results:

Subject had cosmetic brow tattoo by a previous technician; Shape and color corrections were wanted by the client.

After two corrective tattooing sessions.