Women born in the 1940s and 1950s grew up hearing the admonition that "beauty is skin deep." Now these baby boomers are taking it to heart as more turn to permanent makeup to stave off aging.

Permanent makeup, also known as micropigmentation, is technically cosmetic tattooing. The difference between this procedure and tattooing, said micropigmentation technician Robin Hays, is that the needle doesn't pierce the skin as deeply as in tattooing. Ms. Hays works in feathering freehand strokes to place color pigments within the dermis (second layer) of the skin.

Ms. Hays, a board-certified therapist, is the president of the American Academy of Micropigmentation. She practices in Chattanooga and Atlanta.

As women age, they lose natural color in the lips and eyebrows. Lips begin to thin and vertical lines from aging may cause lipstick to feather out of the lipline.

The micropigmentation artists say that the aging eye loses definition, but permanent liner gives clients a younger, fresher look.

"I apply permanent cosmetics on 25 patients a week," Ms. Hays said. "Permanent eyeliner and eyebrows are the two most popular choices of baby boomers, and lips are a close second."

"Permanent cosmetics are for women who don't want to be concerned with smearing makeup, who have poor vision, contact lenses, limited dexterity, allergies, hair loss," Ms. Hays said.

Convenience is why Sandi Stafford, 59, said she chose permanent makeup.

"I never wore eyeliner because I saw so many women with it running, half on and half off," Ms. Stafford said. She had Ms. Hays apply permanent eyeliner and lip color and add color to her eyebrows.

"I love it. It's given me freedom from makeup. There are weekends now that I don't even wear makeup," Ms. Stafford said. "I go white-water rafting and don't have to worry about perspiration making my makeup run or come off. It's made my life easier."

A patient's skin is numbed before the procedure with a topical medication, and the patient is awake throughout the process. Ms. Stafford said she occasionally felt a little tingle, but no pain.

Ms. Hays said consultation and application takes from one to two hours, depending on procedures. Ms. Stafford said she returned to work after her procedures.

The two technicians said a popular misconception is that permanent lip color will result in ruby red lips or the Angelina Jolie pout.

Cosmetic tattooing is a growing choice for cancer patients, the professionals said. Patients ask for eyebrows and lashline applications before beginning chemotherapy. Areola repigmentation re-creates a breast's natural look after breast reconstructive procedures.

For more information, contact Robin Hays at 870-3223 or check her Web site at www.robinhays.com