Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/853501
92 | SignatureMT Cosmetic Tattooing FACIAL ART: FOR HEALTH & HEART Text by Mary Ellen Hendrickson Photography by Sara Young W e might think of our face as our "self " or at least a large part of our identity. Whether it's a "selfie", a mug shot, a celebrity pose, an image caught on video or a look into a mirror, what we see oen deter- mines how we think of our "self." Or not. What if a visual impairment prevented us from seeing our face clearly, if at all? What if a physical impairment, accident or injury affected our mobility, not to men- tion the ability to hold things, such as the delicate items involved in applying makeup. While surgeries and other procedures are options, and at times, necessities, for facial enhancement, the art of facial cosmetic taooing is gaining in popularity around the world, and with it, an increased recognition of the health considerations involved, from the procedures used by the technicians, to the commitment to post-taooing self-care on the part of the client. Tippy Burtch, owner of a bar in Cut Bank, Montana, shared her concerns, typical "When skin is your canvas," says Turk, "this work is a huge responsibility!" "You do need to possess artistry for facial tattooing," says Shelley Turk, Great Falls area cosmetic tattoo technician. Turk readies client Kris Sigle for her brow microblading procedure, drawing the brow design and choosing the color. Sigle good-naturedly awaits the next step: topical numbing.