Patch testing is optional prior to treatment.

The Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals and the American Academy of Micropigmentation both set industry standards and neither body recommends patch testing as a way of clearly determining allergic reactions or colour changes in the skin. This is because although in the short term changes can take place, they may also take place much further down the track. Allergic reactions are extremely rare and none have been reported so far from the pigment manufacturers that I personally import from the USA.

Clients must bear in mind that there isn’t a pigment made yet, that the sun can’t fade. Colours will fade out over time and this gives you the option of adding to or changing the colour to suit your current needs.

The pigment should ideally be placed into the brow line area when considering a Brow treatment. Also a little spot in the hairline at the back of the head (like a freckle).

If the client has any sort of reaction immediately after patch testing a doctor can take a biopsy of the test patch in the hairline away from the face to determine if it is related to the pigment.

Please see this note from one of the prominent American pigment manufacturers (PDF format file):