You Can Fool Father Time

Anonymous

Remember in Star Trek when the doctor would use a dermal regenerator to instantly heal a skin wound flawlessly. God! how I desperately wish there was such a gadget! However, for anyone suffering from acne scars in the real world, I've found the the next best thing, it's called needling. Needling is a simple and safe procedure that can break up the scar tissue and allow the scar to rise. I have some rolling scars on my face (due to acne), along with it, major depression and social insecurities. Believe me, I've tried everything: lasers, chemical peels, collagen, and saline injections. The lasers and chemical peels helped with my uneven skin tone, but did nothing for the deeper scars. The collagen would only last a couple months and it always looked lumpy to me. The saline gave some results but not enough to justify the cost of driving one hour on the freeway and paying a ridiculous amount of money for some simple saline injections. I read about needling on the web, but was a bit tentative about trying it. When nothing seemed to help my deep scars, I started doing more research on the subject. Everything I read seemed to be very positive and everyone had excellent results. So...I took the plunge! I found Athena in Beverly Hills, a permanent makeup artist, who also does needling on scars. Athena was so positive and caring form the start. She gave me hope, a factor that was missing in my other scar treatments. (What a concept!) We tried it on one scar that day, just to see how my skin would react. there was a relatively short healing period (about 4 days). After that, I was amazed to see that the scar improved almost 50%. I'm not kidding, the scar looked so much better in one needling session than in all the other procedures I have had done combined. I was ecstatic, and couldn't wait for my next session, which are scheduled about a month apart. Another nice thing about needling is that, unlike lasers or peels, which will strip your skin, needling builds new skin and collagen from underneath. That means: 1) it's permanent 2) you can keep on needling every month till you get the results you want and 3) your scar becomes more shallow each time. Oh, one more glorious thing, everyday the scars look better and better, so it continues to heal and rise, it seems. I've had some saline injections in between needling sessions, and the saline works a lot better. I haven't finished my sessions yet, but some of my scars are almost level. I feel so much better about myself and I love Athena for her honesty and meticulous work (she doesn't miss a thing!). She is an angel here to help. there is hope, so hang in there, do your homework, and go for it!

 

Robert C.

Athena is a true life saver - I regrettably had a hair transplant ten years ago and the large scar it left on the back of my head was very visible and upsetting. I went to Athena and sought her advice on permanent make up solutions. I wanted to keep my hair cut short and diminish the scarred appearance. My first session of Athena was immediately positive, she was honest and caring. She took the time to sit with me and talk about my options, the pros and cons and listen to what it was I was trying to accomplish. As I sat in her presence I became more at ease - she truly has a calming demeanor and a very positive aura about her. She was different than any other provider i had met with. She was genuinely concerned with helping me feel comfortable and solving my problem, this was not just a sale or a service, she was interested in helping me heal and finding happiness with my appearance. If you have a scar due to a hair transplant or an accident i would highly recommend talking to Athena, the odds are she has seen your situation and has a solution. The idea of permanent make up seemed strange to me at first but as I saw more of her work I became more comfortable. I have never ventured onto the internet to recommend anything or anyone else, but the difference Athena made in my life was so positive I needed to make sure it was shared. She is the best and I am glad I came in touch with her, she truly has fixed a problem I suffered with for a long time. I know there are other guys out there who have the same issue, hair replication' simulation via cosmetic tattooing can help you with the issue. I looked all over the internet - met with multiple people' groups and ultimately chose Athena Karsant. After you are burned by a bad cosmetic procedure, you tend to do your due diligence and everything I was able to learn about Athena was positive and I am now truly grateful. Thank you Athena.

 

Sarah T. 

I spend no less than 10 minutes per day filling in my eyebrows. Add that up and that's over 60 hours. I knew the insanity had to stop. Not to mention I have a toddler who gives me approximately 5 minutes to get my makeup on in the morning, so efficiency is key. At my last appointment with Dr. Ellis at Gentle Spa I told him about my eyebrow plight. Dr. Ellis mentioned that some of his other patients had gotten their brows tattooed by Athena (I think the professional term is "permanent makeup"). I trust Dr. Ellis, but I still wanted to check out Athena's reviews. So, I "yelped" her and was thrilled that all of the reviews were amazingly positive. I was, admittedly, a little apprehensive about getting my brows tattooed because I know some people say it hurts really bad and not all my friends who have done this procedure have been satisfied. But, I have 3 tattoos so I figured I could deal with the eyebrows and didn't think that all of Athena's enthusiastically positive feedback could be off. I called Athena on a Monday and she answered her phone immediately. She booked me for that Friday (this past week) at noon! I seriously had no idea what to expect when I ventured into the city for my appointment. First of all, Athena is on the 24th floor of her building with views of North Beach and the Golden Gate Bridge. The lighting in her place is amazingly perfect. Athena was super warm and made me comfy in her stainless steel tattoo shop meets Barney’s with some loungey music playing in the background type of office. Athena talked to me about what I wanted - color, thickness, height of arch, length of brow, etc. She was very thorough and took a lot of pictures each time she outlined my brow as a guide for the ink. Once we settled on the perfect brow she went to work. Athena applies a topical anesthesia so you're fairly numb during the procedure. I was a little worried it would feel just like a tattoo, but it wasn't bad at all. A couple of the brush strokes made me wince a little, but nothing bad. Athena had me check out her progress and involved me in the process. Once she was done and handed me the mirror I almost started crying because she made my brows more symmetrical and the arch was perfect. Seriously, they look freaking great. Athena charges a flat rate for her services and you can get touch-ups as much as you like for a year. I didn't even bother to ask how much it was because I knew she was the best. You'll definitely spend more than other places, but Athena really is an artist and it's your FACE! My brows are healing perfectly and although I don't think Athena will have to tweak anything, she's still called me 2 times already to check on my progress. This morning it took me 90 seconds to do my makeup. 90 SECONDS! My face and my toddler are both indebted to Athena forever!

 

Sue U.

Athena is more than an artist - and when it comes to her work she is completely knowledgeable about all the latest medical cosmetic enhancement procedures available for men and women. She guarantees her work and consistently strives for perfection. She has done my lips and eyeliner and no one can ever tell that I have permanent makeup. Athena always provides helpful aftercare products and instructions. Most important, she uses topical anesthetic creams that make the experience painless...and believe me...when you are getting your eyeliner tattooed--which is extremely unnerving process--Athena says and does the exact right thing to make you feel comfortable!! She has a good heart and really cares. You will pay more for her services, but you GET more.

 

Jennifer V.

Nobody can come close to the art of perfection when it comes to permanent make-up. Athena takes the cake. Her work is simply amazing. You have to see it to believe it. I "shaved" (yes shaved) my eyebrows off when I was about 13 years old. And a number of years later I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. Needless to say, my brows never made a full recovery! Dealing with my brows, or lack thereof, was a nightmare. I drew them on when I woke up in the morning, when I was done working out, when it rained, when I exited the shower and/or got out of the pool. It was embarrassing and time consuming. Finally, in December of 2008 I decided to investigate hair restoration surgery. After meeting with a number of hair restoration surgeons, I was referred to Athena (by a top hair restoration surgeon). He raved about Athena's work and said I should definitely make an appt to see her; he told me I wouldn't be sorry. From the moment I contacted Athena she was incredible. She returned my call within minutes and, from what I understand, she wasn't even in SF at the time - she was returning home after the holidays -from Paris! I made an appt and I went in to see her the very next weekend. I left her office that day with a huge smile on my face. After a few short hours, I had incredible looking brows. They didn't look fake or drawn on; they looked completely natural - they looked similar to tiny strokes of hair, I couldn't believe the work she did. Athena is so very talented. She is so more so than a tattoo specialist or permanent makeup guru - she is truly an incredibly talented artist. My new brows have earned me a number of compliments including from my dermatologist, Dr. Vic Narurkar; they have made my life so much more enjoyable. They have saved me time in the morning and have saved from embarrassment at the gym or when exiting the pool. Athena is honest and ethical and does not push her clients to do anything that is unnecessary. She approaches her work in a professional, honest, manner and takes her time to ensure the job is done just right. In addition, she is more than happy to answer questions and address your concerns. I am deeply committed to Athena and her practice - I would never think of going anywhere else! I owe her .. so much. Thanks for being great, Athena!

 

Dr. B

I wanted to give you an update. You suggested that I might want to consider micropigmentation and referred me to Athena Karsant. I must admit that the concept of a facial tattoo made me quite nervous, but I finally contacted Athena about 10 months ago and she has done a terrific job! It's actually been a more involved  and gradual process than I anticipated, as I've seen her at her Beverly Hills office for a total of 10 visits. She suggested a very conservative strategy at the outset which she thought would itself would improve pigmentation and help fill in the scar.... I can honestly say that the scar filled in to a measurable extent with this and the hypopigmentation also improved. As you reflected when referring me, Athena is an artist. Beyond that she truly goes out of her way to achieve the best possible cosmetic results and was extremely compassionate with me. I would certainly recommend her without hesitation to other patience that could benefit from micropigmentation. The scar is still not perfect, nor will it ever be, but for Athena's part, it's now far more acceptable. Thanks for your referral and for all of your kind care over the years.

 

Sheila

I feel so fortunate to have met you and to have had the benefit of your expertise. I am so pleased with my appearance. Now when I look at myself in the mirror there is a smile on my face instead of a frown. Your vivaciousness and integrity are very evident, and I wish you all the best.

 

J Vu

I am writing to recommend Athena Karsant at the Cosmetic Imaging Center in San Francisco for her excellent work on cosmetic tattooing for corrective scars left from my breast surgery. Due to my ethnicity, I tend to scar easily which prompted me to see whether Athena could help camouflage my scars around my areolas. After a couple of sessions with her, my breast looks perfect. It's almost as if I never had surgery. Athena is a very professional, talented cosmetic and paramedical specialist. Thus, I highly recommend her for any patients who require cosmetic tattooing post breast surgery.

 

Sandra

I am very pleased with Ms. Karsant's work. At the initial session, Ms Karsant explained how she would use tattooing techniques to slowly match my skin color; showed me before and after photos of people who have had similar treatments, and explained that she only uses new, packaged sterilized needles for each client. To this date I have had three treatments, and the color is slowly changing. I expect that it will take two or three more visits. After working with Ms. Karsant and seeing her portfolio, I decided to have her tattoo permanent eyebrows and eyeliner. To date I have had three treatments, each one lasting a few hours. She takes great care to obtain a very natural look. I am very pleased with the results.

 

Valetta

I've been to Athena twice now and she has done an incredible job on my lips. I don't know if you remember, but my lips were very scarred from years of cold sores/herpes and I had completely lost my lower lip line. Not anymore. For the first time in 20 years, I can go out without a pound of lipstick on. I told Athena that she was a miracle worker, and she is. I would not hesitate to recommend Athena. She's extremely professional with a vivacious personality and is very dedicated to providing only the best and complete satisfaction to her clients. Thank you again, and I look forward to working with you in the near future.

 

Maureen

Athena is a skilled technician as well as a true artist in her field. I've seen excellent results from the work she has done. Not only has she done excellent work, but she has been a joy to work with. She has bent over backwards to accommodate my schedule. Living 6 hours from San Francisco, I am not always flexible as to when I can make my appointments. I encourage any patients to take advantage of her services. I know they will not be disappointed.

 

Robyn

After asking many questions about your work and getting straight answers, I am grateful that I trusted my intuition. Your dedication to your craft and professionalism is awesome. Your technical cosmetic skills and finely-tuned hands are a big plus, but more importantly, it is your refined artistic sense with its aesthetic of balance and subtle use of color which has made all the difference. Gratefully (after all the horror stories on TV), I do not look like a clown, but rather natural-looking, which is very much in keeping with my aesthetic. You demonstrated great bedside manner and caring follow-through. This may be weird given the circumstances, but I have found myself actually enjoying the treatment sessions. They gave a better sense of who you are, your sense of humor and your interest in the outside world. I am so glad that you were the one who did the work. It was so expertly done that even close friends can't tell! Now that's what I call success. With your discretion I know my secret is safe with you. Thank you so much, Athena.

 

Estelle

I met you (Athena) approximately one year after seeing your ad in the San Francisco Focus magazine. My eye caught your ad because of the phrase "Wake Up With Makeup." For the past year I contemplated lip enhancement surgery but due to the price and lack of guarantee, I opted to see you. I was very impressed by how comfortable you made me feel during our first appointment. You treated me as if I had known you for years. I completed a questionnaire about my history and I took a test to see if I hadan possibly allergies to the dye used in the process. Your work was outstanding and I left feeling very positive about my new full and luscious lips. I was also informed that the process involves several sittings (or layering). I appreciate the fact that whenever I need a touch-up you always accomodate my needs. Whether you are in Florida or in Los Angeles, you always return my calls promptly. I was so impressed by your work that I decided to have my brows done after seeing some of your client's photographs. I never considered myself a "brow" person but after you pencilled in my brows I understood your statement, "Your brows frame your face." After my initial sitting I just couldn't get enough of my "new brows" and have seen you on four occasions to have my brows touched up. I love your work so much that I plan on having permanent eyeliner done in the future. Meeting you has made me feel as good inside as I look on the outside. Do no hesitate to have anyone who has second thoughts about cosmetic imaging call me.

 

 

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