Are you a victim of botched brows?
Sara Mac, owner of OHMYBROW has seen an alarming number of clients coming in for consultation needing corrective work. More than 50% of her clientele are individuals requiring a fix-up from other people’s poor workmanship. And more often than not, the solution is not as easy as getting another treatment done. Sara’s clinic now performs up to 500 cosmetic tattoo removals a year. A number that has tripled since 2020.
“Having a luxury treatment should be an exciting time and a safe space for creative exploration,” Sara says
Unlike other cosmetic procedures such as BOTOX, the cosmetic tattoo industry is largely unregulated nationwide. You don’t need to be qualified to offer the service and there are few legal requirements to uphold those offering the service. The industry has recently become saturated with budding artists being trained by YouTube and other brow artists with less than a few years of experience themselves.
“Everybody sees dollar signs in the training phenonium but very few are being responsible for the upkeep of standards when graduating others from their program,” Sara says
There has been an increase in amateur artists not disclosing their level of experience or being totally honest with their portfolios. Clients who are new to cosmetic tattoo don't yet know the "in's-and-out" and it's easy to assume they are being treated by an experienced tattoo artist.
“I have seen new artists literally weeks out of training charging prices that are comparable to top-tier artists. It can be really confusing for the consumer when making a decision.” Sara says
“This results in many emerging artists falling short of client expectations and I, as a reputable operator, am having to deal with the repercussions.”
“To be frank, I am getting quite sick of fixing up other artists’ work,”
Unfortunately, this happens all too often and companies like OHMYBROW end up removing HUNDREDS of brows each year!!
“We are living in 2023 and clients are still hesitant to book this luxury treatment, referring themselves to Guiana-Pigs as they take the plunge because the industry is so broken,” Sara says
“Iv heard everything,” Sara says
“From being treated on a garage floor to having the resident cat jump on their chest mid-treatment.”
Amongst some of the obviously crazy tales, Sara has also uncovered many artists are short cutting their ethical obligations that are not so obvious to the consumer.
“There was no consultation, there was no guidance and the entire service lasted a mere 20 mins,” One of Sara’s clients confessed.
Other industries like the injectable space are becoming OVER REGULATED, whereby technicians are being restricted down to the nitty gritty details like which emoji is suitable on social media whereas, the cosmetic tattoo space has absolutely nothing! There is no consistency amongst cosmetic industries and efforts to evaluate each sector should be equal.
The heartbreaking fact is, Sara’s clients didn’t know this was not standard practice until they came to her studio and experienced a first-class experience. Since the influx of botched brows and client horror stories, Sara has started documenting detailed case studies in the hope to fast track the change the industry so desperately needs.
Are you a victim of botched brows (or any other PMU)?
OHMYBROW strongly urges you to report any businesses that have provided you with unsatisfactory service. Regrettably, the healthcare sector often operates in a responsive manner rather than a proactive one. Without your voice being heard, the necessary changes cannot take place. This leads to the question: where is the most effective avenue to lodge your complaint?
SKIN DAMAGE/SCARRING - Government Health Department
POOR BUSINESS CONDUCT - Office of Business and Consumer Affairs
HEALTH/HYGIENE - Local Council
PIGMENT/ANAESTHETIC MISCONDUCT - Therapeutic Goods Administration