PERMANENT MAKE-UP CORRECTION

HERE'S HOW WE CAN HELP

Lightening and/or removing unwanted pigment from microblading and lips is possible, affordable and can be done with minimal to no scarring. However, it is a long process and patience is required. 

Permanent Makeup Shape Correction

Sometimes the shape of permanent or microbladed eyebrows, eyeliner or lip liner is not “terrible”, yet it would look better with some tweaking. For these cases, additional permanent makeup tattooing might improve the shape, symmetry or balance of the makeup. 

There are various techniques used to correct the shape, and in the hands of our seasoned and certified professional, your outcome will be a vast improvement.      

Permanent Makeup Color Correction

All beauty-based tattoos will lighten and fade with time like a body tattoo. Factors such as exposure to the environment, your lifestyle and the age and quality of the pigment also affect the amount of fading. 

A corrective color technique is most often used when the shape of the permanent (semi) eyebrow, eyeliner, or lip liner is good, but there’s been an unflattering color shift – gray, green, blue, red or black. Just like body tattoos, the black pigment oxidizes and turns green over time. In some cases, only a percentage of the pigment needs to be lightened or removed.

The most effective correction process is by color correcting or color shifting. A corrective pigment is implanted (tattooed) over the discolored makeup to “neutralize” it toward a more natural shade. Some improvement is noticeable right away, but it may take several weeks for the correction color to heal and stabilize to the desired result. 

Most often, multiple sessions are needed to correct the color and be quite successful, however, the old pigments will eventually surface. 

Not everyone is a good candidate for color correction if the pigment is too dense or deep or in an unwanted area. If adding more new pigment will not look good, be too dark, thicken or scar the skin, then the options will be to remove some of the old pigment or do nothing.

Non-Laser Pigment Lightening 

Permanent makeup correction and pigment lightening is a removal process in which saline is tattooed into the skin to  draw the pigment to the skin’s surface. Removing as much of the pigment as possible is the ultimate goal.

This is most effective on permanent lips because laser removal might cause the pigment to oxidize and turn black.

After a thorough consultation to determine that pigment lightening is the best choice for you, a spot test is generally not necessary. A topical anesthetic is applied for 20 minutes after which, a proprietary formula of saline solution is implanted into the tattoo. Treatment time is about 1 hour. 

Saline removal is not a one and done treatment. It requires several treatments to effectively lift and shift the color. It is important to the process and to preserve the integrity of the skin that a 8 full weeks of healing take place before another lightening session can be done. No exceptions.

What will I look like after the treatment?

The area will be red and raw-looking and will ooze body fluids for several hours. In the following days, the area will scab. No cover-up or foundation cosmetics can be used over the treated area until the scabbing is completed. This process must not be disturbed by picking, scratching, or exfoliating. For best results, the scab must be allowed to fall off naturally. 

How long does it take to for non-laser lightening?

Expect visible and wanted results in 2 to 5 sessions. How many sessions you need will depend on how saturated the pigment is, how deep it was implanted and how much needs to be removed for the desired result. You need to be patient and give the process a fair chance to work.

What about eyeliner?

We treat color migration and bloops on a case by case basis.

Laser Removal

The most common and effective treatment for removing permanent makeup pigment is with laser. Our PICO laser’s superfast light penetrates beneath the surface of the skin, where the pigment is held, with bursts of light at 1 trillionth of a second breaking it up into fragmented particles. The fractured pigments are eventually eliminated from the body through the lymphatic system (the body’s waste disposal). For several weeks following the treatment, the body will continue to flush out the pigment particles. As the skin heals, a noticeable shift in color is visible. Once the pigment is lightened or completely removed, a reapplication of the new look can take place.

Before treating an entire brow, we recommend a consultation and a test spot with the laser. The test spot will give us an idea if or how the pigment may oxidize or change color and will allow us to craft a treatment plan for removal or lightening of the pigment. Flesh-colored pigments treated by a laser may turn black. Multiple treatments will be necessary to lighten and remove this darkened pigment.

We recommend scheduling your first appointment for a full treatment about 3-4 weeks after the test spot has healed.

Laser tattoo removal of the eyebrows doesn't end after one treatment. It usually takes between 3-7 treatments for removal, less for lightening. Your permanent makeup will fade after the treatment, continuing to lighten for several weeks.

Treatments last about 30 minutes. Sessions are typically spaced 8-10 weeks apart or longer. During a follow-up visit, we’ll evaluate the changes and recommend further treatments if needed.

Laser removal is not suitable for lips, we recommend only non-laser removal techniques.

What will happen to my eyebrow hair?

There is less than a 5% chance of hair loss or thinning. The picosecond lasers we use to remove permanent pigment do not affect the hair follicles. The laser may temporarily turn eyebrow hair a whitish color, however, this reaction usually subsides after a few hours and the hair returns to its normal color. For best results, we prefer to shave the eyebrow hair before the treatment.

What will I look like after the treatment?

You may have moderate redness and swelling and some pinpoint bleeding after treatment. Using an ice pack for a few minutes directly after will help resolve the swelling. Typically the swelling subsides within 24 to 36 hours. Your skin will continue to heal for days and be back to normal within two weeks or less.

What’s my recovery time?

Some people experience minor irritation from the procedure. Most people return to their normal routines immediately after a treatment.

Some medical problems such as diabetes or taking medications such as blood thinners may affect your suitability for laser removal. They may affect the healing process and there is an increased risk of skin infection.

What about eyeliner?

There is added risk to your vision when treating so closely to the eyes.  For this reason, we do not treat eyeliner with laser for removal.     

When can it be done?

Non-laser pigment lightening can be done immediately for the best results. For laser removal you should wait until the skin has healed. This could be 2 weeks to 2 months. You just need to give your skin a chance to heal, the pigments to stabilize, and the final color to be apparent.

How long does it take?

Permanent makeup pigment removal typically requires multiple sessions spaced at least 2 months apart regardless of removal technique. Even with the most advanced technology it’s still up to the body to process the pigment particle waste and clear the pigment. This takes months, maybe even years.

Do all colors remove the same for eyebrow tattoo removal?

There’s no FDA regulation for permanent makeup pigment, so removal results can vary. Typically, black and grey are the easiest colors to remove; dark brown pigment removes well too. Flesh tones and white pigments tend to darken and may not remove completely. 

Why do flesh tones and white pigments darken?

When placed on top of permanent makeup, flesh tones or white pigments look unnatural because the skin in that location will have a matte luminosity. Even if the flesh pigment matched the skin tone well, the color will change over time, as all colors will. White, flesh or skin-toned pigments contain titanium dioxide that darken (oxidize) with a laser treatment, like a sliced apple that turns brown when exposed to air. 

What is the homecare?

Each method of lightening and/or removal has specific after care instructions that are critical to follow to achieve optimum results.

Stay clear of makeup or lotions and creams on the treated area for 2-3 days.

No makeup or concealer until scabbing is complete.

Use sunscreen daily.

Your body needs support while it’s working to remove those pigment particles.

Stay hydrated

Enjoy exercise

Eat whole fresh foods, and

Don’t smoke