THE BAIS HAVAAD HALACHA JOURNAL: Volume 5776 Issue VIX Parshas Vayeishev COSMETIC TATTOOING Is micropigmentation permitted? By HaRav Yaakov Rapppaport of South Bend, Indiana, Dayan of the Bais HaVaad L'inyonei Mishpat.

There is a current trend of cosmetic tattooing, in which needles deposit a colored pigment made from iron oxide, into the skin's dermal layer. This creates a permanent layer of makeup around the eyes or the lip area. Many women choose cosmetic tattooing to free themselves from applying makeup every day. Is cosmetic tattooing permitted or forbidden according to halacha? Meseches Makkos, daf 21, discusses the halacha of tattooing, Hakosev kesovos kaka. The issur of tattooing applies when one puts color inside the skin. This question of cosmetic pigmentation has arisen many times over the past few years. There is a beautiful teshuva written by HaRav Nosson Gestetner, on this topic, in Teshuvas L’Horos Nosson, chelek 10, siman 14. Let us review some of the main points that he covers in that Teshuva. How long does the color last?