Questions & answers
The things people ask me
before they book
Almost nobody hesitates over the price. They hesitate because they don't know what to expect: what it feels like, how long it lasts, what it looks like a week later. So here is everything I get asked, answered the way I'd answer it sitting across from you. If reading this talks you out of a treatment, that's a good outcome. I would far rather do that than take a booking that was wrong for you.
However you found me
Before you book anything
Four things that apply to every treatment on this site, whichever one brought you here.
Do I need a consultation before I book a treatment?
Yes. Every treatment starts with a consultation, in person, and nothing is booked before that conversation. We go through your health history, what you are hoping for, and whether the treatment you have in mind is the one that actually gets you there. It carries no obligation. This is not a formality I put in front of you to fill a diary. It is the part of the process that stops the wrong treatment from happening.
Book a consultation →Will you guarantee my results?
No, and I never will. Skin heals differently on different people, hair behaves differently, pigment settles differently, and anyone handing you a guaranteed outcome is telling you what you want to hear rather than what is true. What I will give you is an honest read on what your result is likely to look like and how long it is likely to take, including when I think a treatment will not deliver what you are picturing.
Where are you located, and where do your clients come from?
My studio is at 2503B St. Johns Street in Port Moody, BC. Plenty of my clients are not local, they travel in from Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Burnaby, New Westminster, Vancouver, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows and Tri-Cities. If you are coming a distance, tell me when you get in touch and we will plan the appointment around the drive.
Studio details and directions →Do you offer electrolysis?
Yes, though it runs under my other practice rather than this one. Permanent hair removal by electrolysis, the treatment that works where laser does not, including grey, white and fine blonde hair, and hair driven by PCOS or hormonal change. I run this through Dermatech Electrolysis, a practice that has been serving clients for three decades and which I took over in 2024. It is priced by time, at $100 per hour. If laser is not the right tool for your hair, because grey, white and very fine blonde hair carry too little pigment for it, this is the treatment I would point you to instead.
Visit Dermatech Electrolysis →How is this different from a normal lip filler?
A traditional dermal filler is designed primarily to add volume. SkinFill BACIO is formulated to hydrate, stimulate and redefine. It uses free hyaluronic acid alongside Vitamin B12 to improve the condition of the lip rather than simply inflating it. That difference is the whole reason people choose it: the result reads as healthy, well-defined lips instead of obviously treated ones.
How long does it last?
It varies from person to person depending on your metabolism, your lips and your routine. This is a treatment people typically maintain over time rather than have once. I will give you a realistic timeline for your own lips at consultation instead of quoting you an average that may not apply.
Does it hurt?
Lips are a sensitive area and I am not going to pretend the appointment is nothing. Most people find it very manageable, and we take it at your pace. If you need a break at any point, we stop.
Who is not a good candidate?
We go through your full health history, medications and any allergies at consultation before anything is booked. There are situations, pregnancy and breastfeeding among them, where I will not proceed. If I do not think this is right for you, I will tell you rather than take the booking.
What is the difference between microblading and powder brows?
Microblading is done by hand: a fine hand tool places individual hair strokes, so it looks the most like real hair up close. Powder brows build a soft gradient of pigment instead of strokes, closer to a brow filled in with pencil or powder. Microblading suits normal to dry skin; on oily skin the strokes blur over time. Powder brows hold on oily skin and last longer. Nano brows sit in between: hair strokes drawn with a single machine needle, which keep their definition better than strokes from a blade.
How much are microblading and powder brows in Port Moody?
With me it is $450, and the price is the same whichever of the three techniques we choose. The first consultation is free, and that is where we pick the technique and map the shape. A follow-up visit is normal for cosmetic tattoo, and I will tell you at your first appointment whether you need one and what it costs.
Are powder brows the same as ombré brows?
Mostly, yes. Ombré is the name many studios use for powder brows: a soft gradient of pigment instead of hair strokes, lighter at the front of the brow and more defined through the tail. It is the most durable of the brow techniques and the one that holds best on oily skin.
Can you fix or remove old microblading?
Often, yes, and correcting cosmetic tattoo that did not go well elsewhere is a real part of my work. Faded brows with a good shape usually just need a refresh. A shape, colour or placement that is wrong may need correcting, and sometimes lightening with laser first. I do both brows and laser tattoo removal in this studio, so send me a photo and I will tell you honestly which route you need.
Read: refresh, correct or remove? →Where is your studio, and do people come from Coquitlam and Burnaby?
I work from 2503B St. Johns Street, Port Moody, V3H 2B3. A lot of my clients come from outside Port Moody, from Burnaby, New Westminster and across the Tri-Cities, including Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.
Which brow technique is right for me?
Skin type decides most of it. Oily skin blurs fine strokes, so powder or nano tends to hold better; normal to dry skin can carry microblading beautifully. Beyond that it is about the look you want. Hair strokes read more natural up close, powder reads more groomed. I will give you a straight recommendation at consultation rather than selling you the most expensive option.
How long do brows last?
Generally one to three years depending on technique, skin type, sun exposure and aftercare. Powder brows usually outlast microblading. Most people come back for a refresh before the colour disappears entirely, because topping up faded pigment is easier work than starting over.
Do I need a touch-up?
A follow-up appointment several weeks after the first session is normal and expected for cosmetic tattoo. Skin does not always take pigment evenly on the first pass, and the second visit is where the result gets refined. I will tell you at your first appointment whether I think you need one and what it costs.
What is the healing process?
The brows look considerably darker and sharper for the first week. That is the pigment sitting in the upper layers of skin before it settles. Around days five to ten there is flaking, and the colour will look patchy and far too light underneath. This is the stage where people worry. Give it four to six weeks before judging the result.
How much is laser hair removal in Port Moody?
With me it is priced by area: underarms $85, bikini $125, arms $135, legs $195 and full body $475. Anything not on that list, ask me and I will quote you. The first consultation is free, and that is where we talk through how many sessions your area and your hair are likely to need.
Is laser hair removal permanent?
It reduces hair growth, and I will not promise you permanent results. Each session only affects the follicles that are in their active growth phase that day, which is why it takes a series of sessions spaced weeks apart. Most people see meaningful thinning partway through the series, and some areas, particularly hormonally driven facial hair, need ongoing maintenance. For grey, white or fine blonde hair, electrolysis is the treatment that works, and I do that through my other practice.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on the area, your hair colour and thickness, and your skin tone. A series of sessions spaced weeks apart is the norm rather than the exception, and some areas, particularly hormonally driven facial hair, need ongoing maintenance. I would rather set that expectation honestly at the start than have you disappointed at session three.
Does laser work on every hair colour?
No, and this is worth knowing before you book. Laser targets pigment, so it works best on hair with real colour in it. Grey, white and very fine blonde hair carry little pigment and respond poorly. If that is your situation, electrolysis is the treatment that actually works, and I do that too, through my other practice.
Read: laser on grey, white or blonde hair →What do I need to do before my appointment?
Shave the area beforehand and avoid sun exposure and tanning in the run-up. Do not wax, pluck or thread the area between sessions, because those remove the follicle target the laser needs. I will give you the full list when you book.
How many sessions does removal take?
It varies enormously: size, ink colour, ink depth, tattoo age and placement all matter. This is not something anyone can answer accurately from a description, so I would rather see the tattoo first. What I can promise is a realistic estimate rather than an optimistic one.
Will the tattoo disappear completely?
Often it fades dramatically, but complete clearance is not something I will promise. Black ink generally responds best. Some greens, light blues and certain white or flesh-toned pigments are genuinely difficult and can persist. If I think your tattoo will not fully clear, I will say so before you spend anything.
Can you remove badly done permanent makeup?
Yes, and it is a meaningful part of my removal work. Cosmetic tattoo correction needs a careful hand because of how close the work sits to the eye and lip. Send me photos and I will tell you honestly whether removal, lightening ahead of a cover, or a straight correction gives you the better outcome.
Old brows: refresh, correct or remove? →When will I see results?
Not immediately, and anyone who tells you otherwise is overselling it. Because the treatment works by stimulating your own collagen, the visible change builds over roughly two to three months and can keep developing beyond that. Some people notice a mild tightening early on, but the real result is the slow one.
What is the difference between HIFU and Sofwave?
Both are non-surgical energy treatments aimed at lifting and tightening, but they deliver that energy differently and reach different depths in the skin. Which one suits you depends on your skin, the area you want treated and what you are trying to achieve. We work that out at consultation.
Is there any downtime?
No. Some redness or mild tenderness in the treated area is normal and settles quickly. You can go back to your normal day straight after the appointment, which is one of the main reasons people choose this over more invasive options.
Is this a replacement for a facelift?
No. It is genuinely effective for mild to moderate laxity, and it is a good option if you want to soften a jawline or tighten the neck without surgery. If you have significant sagging, I will be honest with you that this will not deliver what a surgical procedure would.
Still not sure
Ask me the question that isn’t here
If what you want to know isn’t on this page, it’s usually because the honest answer depends on your skin, your history or the thing you want corrected, and I’d be guessing in writing. Send it to me and I’ll answer it properly.