Robin Hays makes a living tattooing people. But her handiwork is not done in parlors. Ms. Hays, a dermapigmentation therapist, works only in doctor offices applying cosmetic tattoos to women and men.

Ms. Hays sees more than 5,000 clients each year in plastic surgeon offices in Chattanooga, Atlanta, and beginning next month, in Dalton, Ga.

Micropigmentation is a procedure in which organic pigment is embedded beneath the skin to add permanent color to enhance features of the body such as the lips, eyelids and eyebrows. It can also be used to mask scars, including those from hair transplants, Ms. Hays said.

Depending on the procedure, the cost ranges from $250 to $2,000, she said.

Dr. James Shire, a local plastic surgeon, said micropigmentation is safe if done properly.

“The majority of my colleagues across the country have utilized dermapigmentation therapists for many years,” he said. “It is safe if done properly with a well-trained technician – and that’s the key, who is doing it. The reason we allow Robin to work in our office is because she knows what she’s doing.

One of the fastest-growing areas of Ms. Hay’s business is applying “medical tattoos” to women who have undergone radical mastectomies, Ms. Hays said. She applies brown coloring in the areola area to women who have had post-mastectomy reconstructive surgery.

“I probably do at least 30 of these every month,” Ms. Hays said. “It’s very satisfying to me because I know how much it means to these women.”

But the majority of her clients are women wanting permanent cosmetic tattooing, mainly eyeliner and eyebrows.

The reason?

“For the most part, it’s time efficient,” she said. “Some of my clients are women who are very athletic and they don’t want the concern of sweating off their makeup, and some clients are women who suffer from arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, or women who ear glasses and have trouble seeing while putting on their eye makeup.”

Myra Stephas, 50, said she had eyeliner and lipliner applied last December.

“I am so glad that I had it done,” she said. “It is such a convenience to get up in the morning and not worry about having to put it on. I like that it’s permanent and it won’t wash off.”

Ms. Stephas said that she has bipolar vision and it’s hard for her to apply eyeliner.

“It is really making my life easier,” she said. “I love it.”

Ms. Stephas said she experienced only a slight discomfort during the procedure.

“Robin is very experienced,” Ms. Stephas said. “She’s been doing this for more than 10 years.”

Missy Richards, 26, had a lash-enhancement tattoo. Color was applied between her eyelashes to make them appear thicker.

“I was a little nervous at first to have a needle so close to my eye, but it only took 15 minutes. A topical anesthesia was applied and there was absolutely no pain,” she said.

Ms. Hays said that patients may feel a slight sensation during the procedure and swelling and possible slight bruising lasting about five days.

It’s not just women who seek her services. Ms. Hays has make clients as well.

“Men come in for eyelash enhancement, brow fill-ins, but mainly for covering up little pinpoint scars where they have had hair transplants,” she said.

E-mail Karen Nazor Hill at khill@timesfreepress.com