Letter to Those to wish to Attend IICE 2007 for Free

Dear Valued Permanent Cosmetics Professional,

This letter is to announce our decision to offer all Alliance members the opportunity to attend the International Intradermal Cosmetics Expo (IICE 2007), October 5-8, for FREE. If you are not currently a member and would like to join the Alliance for Safe Practice (and attend IICE 2007 for FREE), call 800-642-1096.

We will be discussing important impending permanent cosmetics regulations at IICE 2007. You are an important member of the permanent cosmetic community! Don’t miss this opportunity to offer your expertise and participation in our efforts to raise standards for permanent cosmetics practitioners, elevate our industry and change the face of permanent cosmetics forever.

For years, regulatory agencies, permanent cosmetic practitioners, physicians and consumers have been searching for a method to identify skilled practitioners who adhere to safe practice guidelines and exhibit a high level of ethics, competency and artistic expression. Throughout the past two decades, legislative boards, permanent cosmetic educators, vendors and trade associations have attempted in various ways to establish competency examinations, safety standards and training requirements that will protect the public and the integrity of the permanent cosmetic profession. Today, the standards in which we practice cosmetic tattoo procedures have improved. However, existing programs fall short of protecting consumers and they do little to identify and support permanent cosmetic practitioners worthy of professional and advanced credentialing.

Currently, introductory training programs vary dramatically. Face-to-face trainers typically provide 8 to 80 hours of instruction with sometimes long hours of “home study” and unsupervised practice on mannequins, leather pads, pigs’ ears or other practice materials. Internet or mail order based trainers merely provide a manual and some audio visual aids with no testing of any kind required. The Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals (SPCP) certifies its members with a 60 hour training program (20 of those hours can come from “home study”); no practical hands-on examination required. Other groups require little more than a purchase of a membership and manual to be certified by their organization. Only one organization, the American Institute of Intradermal Cosmetics (AIIC), requires technicians to perform procedures during their examination as part of the credentialing process.

Health departments are now calling for longer term training programs. Established apprenticeship programs typically mandate six to twelve months of supervised training. Regulators recognize the need for public protection, education and long term, ongoing support and education for practitioners. However, the standards for current apprenticeship programs fail to meet students’ needs and students often complain of being charged exorbitant fees while performing menial tasks just to meet the time requirements for their state’s program with little quality training time. In addition, the perceived time and money constraints leave some established trainers reluctant to offer such intensive one-on-one support to their trainees.

The Alliance for Safe Practice recognizes the need in our industry for quality apprenticeship programs and legitimate credentialing that identifies well trained technicians and qualified educators. The Alliance’s goal is to work with government regulators to establish sound regulations and legitimate industry protocols for certification processes and apprenticeship programs in each state. We are seeking permanent cosmetic professionals with a desire to represent their state in this process. Those individuals willing to participate will have the opportunity to impact the permanent cosmetic profession in a profound way by shaping the regulations that govern permanent cosmetics in their state.

The Alliance will present their new certification guidelines for delegates’ review at the International Intradermal Cosmetics Expo in Dallas October 5 – 8. The Alliance meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 5th from 5:00 to 6:30 PM. We invite you to participate in the review process and we are seeking nominees for state delegate positions. Don’t miss the opportunity to work with legislators and the Alliance to raise the standards of the permanent cosmetics profession and secure your position as a leader in the industry and in your state.
We are also in the process of developing a national advertising campaign to raise public awareness of the Alliance and our credentialing process. Before long, not only will regulators, physicians and the public seek the ASP logo used by participating technicians; but also legislators will look to Alliance members to help establish rules governing permanent cosmetics in their state.

We are targeting California, Tennessee, Colorado and Ohio in our initial efforts for legislative action. We have already requested nominations for delegates from those states. We will expand to other states rapidly once we have initiated our efforts for changes in legislation. As an incentive to participate in our inaugural certification meeting, the Alliance will provide all Alliance members a complimentary (FREE) ticket to the IICE convention. Again, if you are not currently a member and would like to join the Alliance for Safe Practice, call 800-642-1096.

Sincerely,

Chris Hart
Executive Director / Alliance for Safe Practice

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