It is gaining popularity in the Okanagan and across North America, microblading. The semi-permanent procedure is similar to tattooing. A small blade and ink are used to help fill out or re-shape eyebrows.
“It’s been around in Europe and in Asia for a long time.” said Shar Kjorven. The long time cosmetician owns Shar Brows and says more and more people are turning to the procedure to enhance their eyebrows.
Microblading is so popular that there are now hundreds of people across the Okanagan valley offering the service. And that has the Interior Health Authority concerned. It says many people, with no prior cosmetic or aesthetics experience, are taking a one-day course and providing the service the very next day.
“It’s quite an expensive service,” said IHA’s environmental health manager Courtney Hesketh. “It can cost anywhere between $100 and $500 per session so a lot of people are trying to get into the business.”
Health officials are urging all of the new microbladers to put in safeguards to protect the health of their clients. IHA says anytime the skin is cut, there is a risk of infections or the transmission of bloodborne pathogens like hepatitis or HIV.
“The key things are to ask them about the equipment that they are using,” said Hesketh. “Watch them, are they opening a sterile package? What are they doing to make sure that what they are doing for you is safe.”
Those who provide the service should also be inspected by IHA but only about half actually are.
“We tend to work on ‘you come to us’ basis so if an operator comes to us for approval, the environmental health officer will work with them and get them approved, get their business on the books per say,” said Hesketh.
Kjorven, who is in the process of having her business IHA approved, says she takes great care in ensuring the health of her clients.
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