BLOOMSBURG -- Daniel Mustafa-Gomez is an expert permanent makeup technician, ophthalmic assistant, optician and aesthetician ready to put his skills to work for you. He specializes in eyeliners, eyebrows and lipliners and was recently certified in areola pigmentation. His practice, The Permanent Touch, is available at locations in Bloomsburg, Danville and Wilkes-Barre. The majority of his patients are 32-60, but he's had some as young as 20 and old as 85. As people age, their hair tends to thin, and their eyebrows and eyelashes lose definition. Plus, lips can lose their color and definition. This is where Mustafa-Gomez can help. "They want to keep presenting themselves to the world in the way they are used to," Mustafa-Gomez said. "They're not looking for something radical, they just want to enhance the way they look." The permanent makeup options include eyeliner (upper and lower eyelids), lipliner (upper and lower lips with fill in) and eyebrows (fill-in or hair-stroke method.) The hair-stroke method for eyebrow enhancements is more detailed and natural looking, mimicking the appearance of real eyebrow hairs. The permanent makeup technique involves micropigmentation, which is a process that places pigment into the cutaneous dermal layers of the face, lips and/or periocular areas. Mustafa-Gomez has performed dozens of the procedures with outstanding results. He said convenience is the main reason women choose permanent makeup, especially those who are allergic to makeup or have sparse eyebrows (which can be caused by everything from aging, hormone changes, over-plucking and over-waxing to chemotherapy treatments and some prescription medications). In addition, it can be a big help to those who can't see well up close, have arthritis or whose hands shake, all of which make it difficult to apply makeup. Also, for those with oily skin, even the best waterproof makeup can smudge, but that doesn't happen with permanent makeup. Plus, Mustafa-Gomez said, most people don't have perfect bone symmetry, so he tries to bring balance to the face with his procedures. The Permanent Touch also offers Latisse (a prescription treatment to grow eyelashes) and other eyelash growth products. The areola pigmentation is primarily used by patients who have had reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy. Mustafa-Gomez got his areola certification from the Beau Institute in New Jersey. Medical setting Mustafa-Gomez is a certified practitioner in advanced micropigmentation techniques and, because he works in medical offices under doctor's supervision, he uses topical medical-grade anesthetics most other permanent makeup artists do not have access to. "The lip is particularly sensitive, and having the doctor or physician assistant administer nerve blocks have made a world of difference in patient comfort," Mustafa-Gomez said. He works in a medical setting with a soothing, sterile environment and takes patients' medical histories into account. There are many prescription and non-prescription supplements and vitamins -- and even green tea -- to take into account before, during and after the procedures. Patients who want a lip liner and get cold sores need to be treated prophylactically with antivirals. Patients with joint replacements need to take antibiotics. Many health issues can have an impact on cosmetic procedures, and having the doctor being able to write the necessary prescription can save the patient a visit to their general doctor. Mustafa-Gomez said most people are never told that when they get tattoos. In addition, he talks to the patients prior to and during the procedures, so they will know what to expect and what is happening. This all helps put patients at ease and feel comfortable. Mustafa-Gomez sets aside three hours for each procedure and schedules no more than four procedures a day to ensure he has the time to do everything properly without being rushed. "After all, it is 'permanent' makeup," he said. Most patients can expect little or no pain and at most a little swelling that makes it look like they have allergies, Mustafa-Gomez said. Unless they've taken oral medications, most can drive home after a procedure. Most return to work the next day, yet it is advised that a day off after the procedure would be more comfortable for the patient, since the tenderness can take from 12 up to 24 hours before it subsides. "Daniel has the inherent artistic talent and medical knowledge, along with a meticulous attention to detail and symmetry, to insure an aesthetically-pleasing result," said Ronald J. Avenia, M.D., a board-certified ophthalmologist in Bloomsburg and colleague of Mustafa-Gomez. "He incorporates details as much or more than an operating room for cataract surgery. He leaves no stone unturned." Much of Mustafa-Gomez's business comes by word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied patients. "He has excellent rapport with patients," Avenia said. "People rave about their experience, and he goes out of his way to make them comfortable. The assurance of comfort is as important as the execution of artistic skills." Pleased patients Cynthia Good, 55, Bloomsburg, had an eyeliner procedure at The Permanent Touch's Bloomsburg office last spring. She is very happy with the results. "Daniel is very professional and explained everything in great detail," she said. "The office was very clean and nicely decorated. Everything was sterile and professional. It was just like going to a doctor's office." Good was impressed with Mustafa-Gomez's professional license in anesthetics, knowledge and personal attention. She has recommended him to others who liked her results. "Daniel made sure I was comfortable from a pain standpoint, and that was very important," she said. "I felt very comfortable and would definitely recommend him. If I had to, I'd have it done again." Another patient, Barbara Warunek, 48, of Mount Pleasant Township, also had the eyeliner procedure. She, too, was very happy with the results and absolutely would recommend Mustafa-Gomez. "I was extremely pleased. It was a very good experience," she said. Great value Patients who invest in themselves by getting permanent cosmetics are as pleased as those who use Botox and fillers, Mustafa-Gomez said. Yet patients get a lot more value with permanent makeup. Depending on the procedure, the prices range from $350 to $700. Most patients can expect the end results to last three to six years. Those who spend a lot of time in the sun or in a pool can expect the lower end of that range, perhaps less, and those who don't may go up to six years before they need a refresher. Patients can expect half an hour to an hour of initial consultation, three hours for the procedure and a two-hour touch-up, four to eight weeks later --when necessary. Mustafa-Gomez offers his services in the Professional Building adjacent to the Geisinger-Bloomsburg Hospital at 410 Glenn Ave., Third Floor, Suite 302, Bloomsburg; the Geisinger Center for Aesthetics and Cosmetic Surgery, 115 Woodbine Lane, Danville; and 115 S. Washington St., Wilkes-Barre, two blocks from Public Square in the recently-revitalized downtown. Interested patients are invited to make an appointment with Mustafa-Gomez. For those who have difficulty taking off work, he can arrange procedures on Fridays and Saturdays or early mornings or evenings to accommodate the patient's schedule. Additional information can be found at www.thepermanenttouch.com. You can also call 570-709-7755.