Permanent Makeup Needle Sizes and Depths

Permanent makeup or micropigmentation needles come in a dizzying array of types like 1R, 3R, 5F and 7F. What do these numbers and letters mean? First, lets look at a permanent makeup needle. Right away, you will see there are 3 distinct parts to it. The needle bar is the longest part, this is the thin long piece that inserts into the tip of the pen. The needle bar connects to the stopper, on some needles, the stoppers are made with rubber and on others they are metal. This is essentially the joint where the needle grouping is soldered to. The third part is the needle group, this is the most obvious part, it contains the pins that inject pigment into the skin. These three components make up one needle.

Permanent Makeup Needle Sizes and Depths

The permanent makeup needle comes in various sizes and groupings. We carry 1R, 3R, 5R, 7R, 2F, 3F, 5F and 7F. What do these numbers and letters mean? The number designates the number of pins. The letter designates the formation. R equals to round and therefore would be a round formation. A F equals to flat and therefore would be in a flat or line formation. So a 3R would be a needle with 3 pins in a round formation. A 7F would be one with 7 pins arranged in a flat formation.

Needle Bar and Stoppers

Needle bars come in 0.6, 0.8 and 1. Ours are standard size, the size that most machines use, which is 0.8. Depending on the manufacturer, stoppers may be colored, made with rubber sheaths or made with metal. Our stoppers are non-colored and our rounds are made with rubber sheaths with the exception of 1R and 7R Our flats are all made without rubber sheaths. Stoppers prevent the bar from inserting too deep into the permanent makeup machine chamber. When you insert into the chamber, use your thumb and index finger to hold the needle by the stopper, press firmly on the stopper with your fingers while pushing inwards. Push until you feel a snug grasp by the chamber, do not force any further.

What Micropigmentation Needle Group Should I Use?

Different micropigmentation needle groups are used for different kinds of jobs. There are many group styles like round, flat, magnum and curve magnums. We will cover the most commonly used ones for micropigmentation, rounds and flats. Smaller rounds are generally used for lining and fine detail work. Larger rounds are generally used for shading in larger areas. Flats are used for filling in geometric areas and shading and blending. Large number Flats like a 7F are especially good for filling in lips after using a small round to do the outline of the lips. It is best to practice on contoured practice skin with all the different formations to get a feel for how the grouping covers area and how certain pigments behave with the group type. As always, it is highly recommended that any practitioner undergo hands on training before even attempting to try their skills on another human being.