What Determines Healing?
Permanent eyebrow makeup is the trendiest way to create an ideal eyebrow design and eliminate the need for daily makeup application for a long time.
The treatment is performed only by experts in cosmetic clinics and beauty salons. The skill of a permanent makeup artist and the quality of pigments they use play a significant role in the treatment's outcome. However, post-treatment care is also important. Before getting an appointment for permanent makeup, you need to learn about the nuances of the treatment and the requirements for subsequent care.
We will place special emphasis on permanent makeup pigments. One of their crucial characteristics is retention after healing. Artists often prefer not to talk about it, but they often choose low-retention pigments. This tactic ensures clients return sooner for touch-ups and color restoration. Some pigments require multiple touch-ups, and it's typically expected that the client bears the costs for these subsequent treatments.
BROVI inks stand out with one the highest color retentions on the market. Depending on the formula of a particular color, post-treatment color retention can reach up to 90%. As a rule, only one touch-up will be needed sometime after the first PMU session.
Don't hesitate to ask your PMU artist what pigments they use.
Procedure and Recommendations
Permanent eyebrow makeup involves injecting pigments into the skin using special PMU needles. To maximize the treatment’s efficacy and minimize potential side effects, avoid sunbathing, using exfoliants, or plucking your eyebrows with tweezers for 7 days prior to the treatment. Refrain from consuming coffee, energy drinks, and alcohol the day before your treatment.
Part of the pigment will ooze along with the lymph, so the PMU artist will need to inject more ink. This will make the shade of permanent makeup appear different at first.
The skin might also show reactions to the PMU needle, but with time, the treated area will brighten and heal.
Eyebrow Healing: Timing and Stages
The healing process may last up to a month. The exact duration depends on the individual physiological differences.
First Week
Immediately after the treatment, redness and swelling may appear. This is a natural reaction of the body to the microneedle contacting the skin and the dye entering the skin. Irritation will reduce and symptoms will dissipate within days.
On the first day, the ichor appears. You need to moisten it with cotton wool or a swab dipped in chlorhexidine. Touching and scratching the eyebrows is not advisable. It is better to sleep on your back to avoid accidentally touching the eyebrows at night.
After the ichor dries up, the crust forms. Crusts will form after the ichor dries; they must fall off naturally to prevent potential scarring or infection.
As the crust comes off, the itching will intensify. This is a sign that the skin is healing. Instead of scratching, lightly press down on your eyebrows with a cotton swab soaked in chlorhexidine. Towards the end of the first week, when the skin has recovered more, the itching will gradually decrease.
After some time, the shade of permanent makeup will begin to change. This may be due to the pigment being washed out. If the ichor accumulates, the eyebrow shade will appear darker and more uneven. You need to continue to moisten your eyebrows with chlorhexidine or other antibacterial agents.
If possible, it is better to limit outdoor activities. When outdoors, wear sunglasses.
Second Week
During the second week, the itching reduces and your permanent makeup begins to take on the desired shape and color. But this is not the final result, the restoration process will continue and the color may change. Once all the crusts are gone, it’s safe to wash your face without fear of damaging the treated area.
Third and Fourth Weeks
After half a month, your permanent makeup will gradually acquire its final shade. Although the eyebrows might initially exhibit a distinct outline, this will fade, and the makeup shade will mellow. When the crust completely falls off and the skin is restored, the shade of the permanent makeup will lighten. At this stage, you can evaluate the saturation and depth of the color. By the end of healing, the eyebrows will take on a natural appearance.
Gaps may appear in the eyebrow pattern where the crust has fallen off. This may also be attributable either to individual metabolism or the artist's technique.
Post-Treatment Recovery
The aftercare recommendations to follow for expedited healing:
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight exposure; steer clear from sunbathing outdoors or in tanning beds
- Refrain from touching or removing emerging crusts
- Do not wash the makeup area until the crust fully disappears
- Avoid cosmetics for a minimum of 2 weeks post-treatment
Adhering to expert advice enhances both the healing process and the treatment's success.
In conclusion. The proficiency of the PMU artist, the quality of the tools they use, and attributes like ink retention after healing all greatly influence the outcome. Low-quality permanent makeup inks might not only fail to achieve the desired shade but also pose allergenic risks.
An unfavorable outcome might necessitate the removal of the prior permanent makeup and a new treatment, including touch-ups.