Permanent Make Up treatments involve breaking the top layer of skin to apply colour in the lower layers beneath. Your body treats the area as it would any other wound by forming new layers of skin over the broken skin, and the four weeks following treatment are extremely important for this healing process to take place.

During this healing process, there will be a number of changes to the colour of the permanent make up before the final, expected colour appears.

At first, the permanent makeup will oxidise and appear a little darker than expected. As this top layer flakes off, the colour will then look extremely faded and ashy and you may be concerned that the treatment hasn’t worked properly. However; over the remainder of the 4 weeks, the colour will resurface as each layer of skin heals in turn, until your desired tone appears once the area is fully healed. You will only get the full effect of your treatment once the whole healing process has finished.

During this 4 week period, you may experience the following symptoms:

Minor redness/swelling/tenderness
Itchiness in the brow area
Dry flaking skin
Some scabbing or lighter crusting due to lymph surfacing

What you mustn’t do post treatment –

You must not sunbathe or use sun beds for at least 14 days after your treatment. If you need to go into the sun in this period, you should cover the brow area or use a 50+ sunblock and expose your face for as short a time as possible.

After the 14 days it is still highly recommended that you cover your brows or use 50+ sunblock on your face in the sun, and cover the brow area completely if using a sun-bed. Failure to take these precautions will cause the brows to fade at a fast rate and more regular touch-ups will be needed.

For the first 14 days following treatment, you should also avoid high levels of sweat, so avoid heavy exercise and do not use a sauna or steam room during this period. Sweat produces high levels of salt, which is used in the removal of pigment from the skin, so high levels of sweat will break down and fade the colour in your treatment.

You must not pick, scratch or itch the treated area for 14 days. This can cause the colour to heal unevenly.

Do not have facials, or apply any facial products to treated area for 14 days after your treatment. After 14 days, we further recommend that you do not have any facials touch the brow area as the skin will be shedding more than it naturally does due to the healing process. This will cause the brows to fade at a faster rate than normal.

At any time following treatment, do not exfoliate the brow area as again, this will cause the treatment to fade more quickly, resulting in your needed more regular touch-up treatments.

How to look after your brows post treatment –

Clean the brow area by using a cotton pad moistened with cooled boiled water to gently dab the brow. Do not pull away any of the scabs.

Apart from this gentle cleaning, you must keep the area dry for the first 14 days. If you do get your brows wet, pat them dry with a towel – do not rub. You may find washing your hair over the bath or going to a hairdresser to get your hair washed will help keep your brows dry.

You must also ensure that you apply the aftercare lotion provided to you as directed on days 2-10 post treatment. The aftercare lotion should be applied twice a day, preferably morning and evening. To do this, dip the tip of the cotton bud into the cream and gently smooth over one eyebrow. Use the other end of the cotton bud in the same way on your other eyebrow. Take care not to rub in the lotion as this can rub off skin before it is healed properly. We will demonstrate how to apply the lotion after your treatment.

Once your brows are healed…

We will book a touch-up appointment with you on the day of your treatment. This is for any alterations or gaps that may need filling in once healed. If you are unable to make the touch-up appointment please contact us to rearrange. Please remember, everyone’s skin is different, therefore everyone will experience different healed results. In many cases some unevenness of colour is to be expected. This is the purpose of the re touch visit allowing us to retune your enhancement.

Good aftercare is absolutely essential for your lips to heal with the best results. While can’t avoid using your lips there are a number of ways that you can protect them during the healing process. Permanent make up is applied by breaking the top layer of skin to insert colour in the lower layers. Your body then heals these breaks like any other cut. The healing process takes up to 14 days, however it can take longer if your immune system is compromised, or if you are stressed or keep a generally poor diet. Following your treatment, you should expect to experience some or all of these symptoms for up to 4 days. These are all part of the normal healing process.

Swelling and redness.
Tenderness
Flaking and mild itchiness as the lips heal
You may also experience dry skin for up to 3 weeks.

Post treatment, your selected colour will be stronger and sharply defined for 4 – 5 days before the top layer of skin sheds away. It will then appear as if little or no colour is present. This is completely normal and over the following two weeks the colour will blossom into a softer version of the original colour.

Aftercare

For the first 2 days

Keep hydrated and drink plenty of Water – the lips will be dry!
Use a gentle lip balm as often as required to help with the dryness. Use a clean finger or cotton bud to apply this.
Reduce swelling by applying an ice pack as necessary. Ensure the ice pack is wrapped in muslin or a similar material so that it does not stick to the surface of your lip. Do not apply ice directly onto your lips. Over the counter remedies such as antihistamines and ibuprofen can also help reduce swelling.

For the following 7 days

Apply the aftercare healing balm provided every day, twice a day using a cotton bud. Extra lip balm can be applied if the lips feel dry.

To minimise the risk of infection, always wash your hands thoroughly before applying the balm and only use a separate cotton bud for each application. Never dip a cotton bud back into the aftercare balm after it has been on your lips.

If you need to clean your lips in the first week, gently wipe them with a cotton pad dipped into cooled boiled water and gently pat them dry using a clean tissue.

Do not use a make-up remover or other artificial wipe.

Apply a layer of Vaseline to your lips before you clean your face, to avoid them getting wet. You should also apply a layer of Vaseline before brushing your teeth for the same reason. Gently remove the excess Vaseline with a make-up pad or sponge once you have finished.

For the first two weeks

Do not expose your lips to direct sun, tanning treatments, Jacuzzis, saunas, salt water, chlorinated pools and direct shower spray. Do not receive bleaching, waxing, electrolysis or laser hair removal treatments close to your enhancement. All of these can affect the healing process or cause infection.

Some itching is normal, however you must not pick, peel or rub your enhancement as the colour may heal unevenly and you will risk infection, which in turn could lead to scarring. Always allow the colour to flake away by itself.

Do not apply make-up close to, or on your lips for at least 3 days post treatment.

Do not eat spicy spicy, salty or highly dyed food and drink for 3 days. You should if needed drink through a straw for 3 days.

To prevent infection, do not kiss for 5 days after treatment.

Do not use or have any skincare beauty treatments for 5 days after treatment.

Cold Sores

If you have ever had a cold sore, then lip treatments may trigger an outbreak. To help prevent this, you must use an anti-herpes medication, such as Zovirax 5 times daily for the first 7 days after treatment. If an outbreak does occur it will generally begin on day 3 of the healing process.

Touch up appointment

Once your lips have healed fully, you may notice some unevenness of colour. This is not uncommon and a touch up treatment is recommended. You should book this treatment within the first 3 months of your initial treatment.

Long Term Care

Use a good sunscreen. Sun exposure will fade your permanent cosmetics. If you are planning a chemical peel, laser treatment or an MRI scan, please inform the technician of your permanent cosmetics. Please inform the National Blood Service if you donate blood, as you may not be eligible to give blood for a year post application.