From An Old Tattoo Through Laser Removal To Fresh Permanent Makeup: A Brow Story.
- Julia Wojkiewicz
- 2 sty 2024
- 7 minut(y) czytania
Transformation after unsuccessful microblading: Step-by-step tattoo removal and modern pigmentation - a case study from Manchester.
Mrs. Olga's Journey to Correct Poorly Made Cosmetic Tattoo
Mrs. Olga contacted me regarding the repair of her poorly made permanent brows. She had them done 8 years ago in a certain salon. At this point it was hard to guess if it was permanent makeup or microblading technique. The strokes gets blurry, colour had slightly faded, and there would probably be no major problem with refreshing them, but... their shape was worse.
Her right brow had two tails! How come two, you ask? The hairs of the natural eyebrow tail grew below the pigmented one. We will probably never know how it happened and what the artist had in mind. However, I can guess that in this case, the linergist was guided by the position of the brows in relation to the centre of the nose and the heart of the mouth during the preliminary drawing.
Bad Stencil Preliminary Drawing
Unfortunately, this technique would only work reliably if each client had a symmetrical face, a straight nose, and lip position. However, there is no such thing in nature, and every face is more or less symmetrical. In Mrs. Olga's case, her nose slightly slopes towards the right side of her face. So if we were guided only by the nose, the linergist probably created two relatively symmetrical brows in relation to the centre of the nose line. But what about natural hairline?
If this method is incorrect, how can a PMU artist determine the perfect shape when pre-drawing? The answer is simple. What are brows? Brows are the frame of the eye, which is why we mark the lines of symmetry in relation to the eyes. I will not go into detail about the stages of the preliminary drawing, but one thing is certain: when drawing the brows for pigmentation, the linergist should take into the loop the client's eyes, their distance from each other, the hairline on the brow area, and the shape of the face. Then, together with the client, she should discuss possible corrections and her preferences regarding the arch and length of the brows. We have a lot of scope here, but let's not bend what nature has given us. Instead, let's emphasise our advantages with natural pigmentation in the eyebrow hair area.
Botch Work = Laser Permanent Makeup Removal
8 years ago, it can be said that PMU was just in its infancy. There was no knowledge like there is now, and there were such and even worse situations, which only now our entire industry is trying to repair and spread around so vigorously. Nowadays, most salons offer tattoo and permanent makeup removal using a great quality lasers and removers to get rid of old pigment and ink from the skin.
My client has been trying to live with incorrect brow tattoo for years. Initially it was microblading but I called it tattoo for a reason. Pigment was definitely applied to deep and the pigments that were used in the past weren’t much different from tattoo ink.
With well made permanent or semi permanent makeup we don't need to worry about long removal process after a while. Pigments are fading slightly over the time and techniques we are using now are very delicate and natural. It give us more opportunities to refine the colour and shape after a few years and we don’t have to remove pigment in first place.
Instead of not worrying about her makeup everyday - which was the main reason for applying permanent makeup at first place, Mrs. Olga had to cover the additional tail, thinking that maybe the makeup would soon disappear completely.
I wonder how much more my client would have suffered if it weren't for the encouragement of her daughter, my dear friend, and regular customer.
Challenges and Solutions - Eyebrow Tattoo Removal
Mrs. Olga finally showed up in April 2022 for her first laser removal session. We decided to removed with laser as it is quicker way. Below, you can see the brows at the beginning and after the first laser removal session, when they were completely healed.
Laser Tattoo Removal
The laser tattoo removal itself takes about 5 minutes, and during the procedure, you may feel slight discomfort, similar to being snapped by a rubber band. Treated area may be slightly swollen and red, and there may be temporary whitening of the skin during removal.
The pigment particles gets absorbed by the body. You can read more about laser removal treatment, healing process and aftercare in the article:
My client then had to repeat the laser session two more times, with a minimum of 6 weeks between treatments, until the skin was clear for new pigmentation. We can’t never be sure how many session client will need. We can be more specific after first session when after a month pigment lighten a bit.
Tattoo Remover Solutions
As you probably know there is another removal method when the technician is using special removal solution and permanent makeup machine to literally take the pigment out from the skin. The pigment remains pushed to the surface of the skin with the scab. This kind of removal is an effective not only for old permanent makeup but also as an emergency removal during the permanent makeup procedure. It also lighten or remove colours that laser doesn't see like yellow, light blue, and aquamarine. It is also great solution for lip tattoo around the actual lips. You can find this treatment under "saline tattoo removal" where saline solution contains milled sea salt, or "tattoo/pmu remover" which is lactic acid based removal solution.
Overcoming Fear and Misconceptions in Correcting Permanent Makeup
Before the PMU procedure, I noticed that the client was a bit hesitant and asked if we could just do Henna Powder Brows. I sensed that due to her previous bad experience with failed permanent makeup, she wasn't entirely convinced. She was afraid that something might go wrong again, and that the money she had spent would be wasted. However, after making a preliminary drawing in the hairline and selecting a delicate pigment that matches her natural hair colour and ensuring that we do not saturate too intensely in the first treatment, we will be able to correct everything with additional pigmentation if the effect is too delicate after healing. Here is the effect immediately after the first treatment.
The effect after healing was delicate and natural. The brow with fewer hairs healed slightly lighter than the other one, so after more than 6 weeks, I could quickly correct the difference and make the eyebrow even in shade during touch up appointment. Here is a photo after healing after the first session and immediately after the second treatment.
New Permanent Makeup
The client is very satisfied with the final result. She no longer has to hide the second tail of the brow after unsuccessful pigmentation or fill in the eyebrows with pencil after removal. It is finally as it should have been after the first visit about 8 years ago. You can read their opinion from the Treatwell platform here.
What's Stopping You From Removing Old Permanent Makeup?
I perfectly understand the concerns of women who have been victims of unsuccessful permanent makeup. It's hard for you to trust another specialist because you also visited a reputable salon back then. You are afraid of the pain associated with the laser or new makeup because the microblading method performed years ago was so traumatic that you will remember it for the rest of your life. You think that after the first laser treatment, nothing will be left of your brows, even hairs (not true). And that the deadline for new eyebrows is so long and expensive that you prefer to spend the rest of your life with unsuccessful permanent makeup.
Well, in the example of my client, you can see that brows often need several laser treatments. The hairs remain intact, as does the skin, so you can easily apply makeup the next day. Sometimes one session is enough to slightly warm up the eyebrow colour, and if the shape is correct, this may be the end of the entire brow refreshing process. As I wrote earlier, the treatment itself takes 5 minutes, and the time between treatments is at least 6 weeks, and then we are another 8 weeks away from new pigmentation.
For example, if, like Mrs. Olga, you needed 3 laser removal treatments (it is individual), you could enjoy new, delicate eyebrows just like her in just half a year. However, if scars from old makeup are visible on your brows, we will need to loosen them, and if the previously used pigment changes colour to one that the laser will no longer be able to remove (yellow, light blue, and aquamarine), we need to use a remover.
The time between remover sessions is longer, and it is 8 weeks, but such repair procedures should not be performed halfway so that it won't have to be repaired again after some time.
1st Laser | 6 weeks | 2nd Laser | 6 weeks | 3rd Laser | 8 weeks | PMU 1st Session | 6 weeks | PMU Touch Up |
If the costs scare you, keep reading… In our salon, we will take comprehensive care of your eyebrows. If you decide to remove and make new brows with me, you will receive a discount on new permanent eyebrows. For clients returning for refreshment, I also have a discount appropriate to the time that has passed since the previous treatment. The cost of a laser permanent makeup removal session is £40, and new permanent makeup with a discount are £160. In total, Mrs. Olga paid £280 for all treatments, paying from treatment to treatment so not the whole amount at once. If the cost of eyebrows alone is too expensive for you, we can divide the cost into two meetings (the permanent makeup treatment consists of the main treatment and additional pigmentation after 6 weeks).
Things are not always as bad as they seem, right? Time will pass anyway and it's your decision. Do you want to continue dealing with permanent makeup that makes you feel embarrassed, or are you ready to take action and do something about it?
If you have uneven semi permanent makeup or you have a friends which are dissatisfied with their semi permanent makeup I am happy to help. I invite you to a free consultation, where we will choose the appropriate method of removal and design tailor-made permanent makeup. You can do all these treatment at one place: each removal technique and new semi-permanent makeup.
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