On the Importance of Aftercare.

     Aftercare is one of the most important steps of your Permanent Makeup journey. Following these steps is imperative to proper healing and color retention. We have designed our aftercare procedures to help ensure the best possible outcome and avoid the need for follow up sessions. By far the most common reason for follow ups is improper aftercare. We are very proud to say, only about 20% of our clients need follow up work.  While we strive to provide the best results in a single session, follow up sessions are sometimes necessary, or desired by the client. In these cases, we are more than happy to schedule a second session for additions and adjustments. If you feel that you need any additional work once your PMU has healed, feel free to reach out to us and we will schedule you follow up. 

    You will be sent home with a written copy of aftercare instructions, as well as your aftercare ointment(s), but feel free to use this page as needed to prepare for your service, or in the event your aftercare brochure is lost. You may also reach out to us and we would be happy to provide a new copy of the aftercare brochure. 

     Each service has a slightly different healing timeline and aftercare procedures, so we have listed them separately. Simply scroll down to the section regarding the service you are interested in to learn about the necessary aftercare procedures.

Eyebrows tend to have the most mild healing process. The swelling is minimal, if present at all, and redness is usually mild and fades within 12 hours of your appointment. Outer healing for the brows usually takes about 7-10 days.  The biggest complaint associated with the healing process for brows is usually itching, and we will provide you with an ointment to help reduce itching and dryness. This ointment will help to seal in color and protect the brows form moisture during the healing. We generally boil the care procedures down to 4 simple rules: 

• Use your ointment daily.  This ointment will help to prevent itching and dryness associated with the healing process. Depending on your skin type, we will advise you to use it 2-5 times per day. If you have noticeable itching or dryness, you can do an extra application as needed. This ointment will also help to protect your brows form moisture, so you can use it before you shower to help repel excess water that can leach color out of your brows. 
• Keep the brows as dry as possible. Moisture will leach color out of your brows, increasing the need for follow up work. In order to prevent this, avoid any unnecessary water exposure. Do not soak or scrub the brows, and do not let the shower spray you directly in the face. Washing your face is fine, so long as you use a gentle touch and a gentle facial cleanser. It is not necessary or advisable to avoid washing your hair. It's important to keep the brows and anything near them clean. You will want to avoid swimming in pools and lakes as well, because dirty/chlorinated water can increase your risk of infection or reaction. 
• Do not scratch or pick at your new brows! Your new brows will go through a peeling process. This is completely  normal. Some people find that the flakes can cause itching, and other people are prone to pick, but you must resist the urge! The epithelial crust that makes up the scab is there to protect your brows while the skin forms a seal over them. In the meantime, the scabbing is there to protect the wound. These little flakes will peel off as the skin heals, but if they come off too early, then the wound is left unprotected. Anywhere the scabs come off early will leave behind a little light spot in its place. 
• Keep your new brows clean! The greatest risk of infection is introduced by anything that touches the brows during the healing process. Because of this, its incredibly important to keep the area clean, and avoid touching the brows with your hands. When you apply ointment, it's best to use a fresh q tip every time, but if you find yourself without one, you will want to wash your hands thoroughly before touching your brows with them. Do not use any makeup on or around the brows while they are healing. Makeup carries bacteria that is not generally harmful, but when used on broken skin, the risk is increased. Beyond that, makeup is loaded with all kind of pigments and chemicals that you don't want in a fresh wound. Eyeliner and mascara are perfectly fine, but avoid eyeshadow and foundation, and absolutely no brow pencil while your brows are healing. Your brows will go through a flaking process that will leave them looking patchy for a few days during the healing process. Resist the urge to fill in these spots with a pencil for at least 10-14 days. The spottiness should go away once the outer healing is complete.

Additional reasons you might need a follow up: 

     Excessive sweating is a common cause for lightness in the brows. Certain skincare products, such as exfoliants and retinols can prevent you from retaining your color if you use them before the brows are healed. If you sleep on your side or your belly, you may rub the brows against your pillow when you sleep, which can cause lightness in the tails of the brows. Oily skin sometimes has more issues retaining color. This is not always the case, but can be a contributing factor. Age and health play a considerable role, as well. As you accrue years, the healing process can slow down, and your brows may take a couple of extra days to heal, which means more time for interference and mishaps. Some medical conditions can also interfere with healing such as: diabetes, inflammatory skin conditions, and immunodeficiency which can slow the healing process.

Healing Timeline 

• DAY 1: Immediately after your appointment, your brows will appear darker than expected and you may even notice slight redness or swelling. Some people report tingling as the numbing wears off, and the brows may be tender, but should not be sore or painful. 
• DAY 2: Redness will most likely be gone by the first morning after your appointment, but some clients occasionally notice some redness left over. Tenderness and dark appearance will persist. 
• DAYS 3-6: You may begin to notice itching, and the ointment should help to soothe this. If you find yourself getting itchy between applications, it's okay to apply ointment to soothe the itch. You will also notice the brows begin to shed and peel.  Do not scratch or pick, allow the flakes to come off naturally. The peeling process may cause the brows to look splotchy. As some flakes come off, you will see the brows start to lighten, but as other flakes hang on, some areas will look dark. What you are seeing is a sneak peek of the lighter, softer color that you will have when the brows are finished healing. 
• DAYS 7-14: As the flaking process comes to an end, you'll notice your color evening out again, and itching should start to subside. Continue using your ointment and keeping the brows dry until there are no flakes left. If dryness or itching persists beyond the scabbing, you may choose to continue using your ointment as long as you please. 
• 2+ WEEKS: If you still have some light spots, or if you feel that your color has lightened too much, or if there are any other tweaks or adjustments you require, you can give us a call and we will set up your follow up. Follow ups must be scheduled at least 4 weeks post procedure, but at this point in the healing, what you see is the final result. So if you know you will require a little extra work, we can go ahead and save your spot on the schedule. Otherwise, you are set and ready to go for the next 2-5 years!

Additional information about your healing process:

     Please be aware that it will take 4-6 weeks for your brows to heal completely. The first 7-10 days are what we call Outer Healing, or Primary Healing. This is the time it takes for your skin to heal and form a seal again. Once this has happened, you will still have a Secondary healing phase. During this time, lower layers of skin will rejuvenate. You may find that the brows are a little bit sensitive to pressure or friction such as rubbing your eyes. Be gentle during this time as the skin heals, it will go back to normal soon. Pigment is implanted with a needle into the skin, so it is normal that it will take some time to heal. It is also normal to have some anxiety while your brows are healing. The color will appear dark, and for some people it can be a huge change to your appearance. We are always here for your during the healing process. If you come across a source of concern, or if you just want to call and ask some questions, feel free to reach out. You can call us, text us, or message us on facebook. You can even send us photos if you feel the need to! We are more than happy to assist you during the healing to make sure everything is going smoothly.

Eyeliner tends to heal the most quickly of all permanent cosmetics, usually the outer healing is over in just 3-5 days. Eyeliner tends to swell a little, and redness is to be expected for the first couple of days. Some people also notice that their eyes are a little bit dry for a day or two afterwards. You are more than welcome to use over the counter eyedrops to help with the dryness if necessary. You may also feel the need to use ice packs to soothe swelling the first night or following morning after the eyeliner is done. To use an ice pack, simply fill a ziploc bag with ice or frozen peas, and wrap it in a paper towel. You can use this as a compress for up to 15 minutes at a time. Similar to the eyebrows, you'll be provided with an ointment to help moisturize the eyeliner as it heals. The rules for the eyeliner are much the same as for the brows.

• Use your ointment daily. We usually recommend 2-3 times per day for eyeliner, but you can use it as you feel it is needed. Eyeliner can have a tendency to feel dry and stiff early in the healing, you can use the ointment to alleviate awkward feelings of dryness or itching. You can gently dab the ointment over the liner, just like you might apply a topical eyeliner.
• Keep the liner as dry as possible. Water exposure will cause lightening of the pigment. Avoid soaking your face in water, or letting the shower spray you directly in the face. If you have watery eyes, you might notice your lower liner is lighter than the top. This is the most common reason for a follow up on eyeliner. You can and should wash your face and hair as normal, just be gentle with the eyes as they are healing. 
• Do not scratch, rub, or pick at your eyeliner. The liner will be tender for the first week or so, so it might not be comfortable to agitate it while it heals. More importantly, anything that disturbs the scabs will lead to lightness in the liner, so it's important to let it heal naturally in order to get the best color retention. 
• Keep the area clean. This is incredibly important during healing. You are essentially nursing a fresh wound, so you want to keep the area as clean as possible to reduce your risk of infection. When applying your ointment, it is best to use a fresh q tip each time for each eye. Absolutely no makeup on or near the eyes for at least 1 week. Makeup and makeup brushes carry bacteria, not to mention all the chemicals and pigments in the makeup that you do not want in a fresh wound! The good news is, with the application of eyeliner, you shouldn't feel as much of a need for eye makeup while you are waiting on the liner to heal.

Healing timeline for eyeliner: 

• DAYS 1-2: Your eyes will be swollen and most likely a little bit red. This is normal and should subside over the first couple of days. Some clients complain of eye dryness which can lead to burning. You can use over the counter eye drops to soothe these sensations, but be careful as too much moisture will lighten the color of your liner, especially on the bottom.  The eyeliner will look a little bit too thick for the first day or two due to swelling. Sometimes the liner will look uneven from one eye to the next. This is because we do not swell quite proportionately, so it is not a cause of concern if the liner doesn't look perfectly symmetrical right now. 
• DAYS 3-7: Swelling and redness will begin to subside, and the liner will start to peel and flake. The eyes may still be tender, so be careful not to rub the eyes as this can make them a little sore and itchy. After the scabs have all come off,  you will notice that your liner looks a little thinner than the day you left the appointment. This is because the swelling has gone down. As the swelling is gone, you should also notice that the liner has regained symmetry. 
• DAYS 7-14: The outer healing process is complete, but the tissues are still undergoing healing. You may find that your eyes are still sensitive when you rub them, and you may still feel a little dry or itchy. You can continue to use ointment as needed to soothe dryness. As soon as you no longer feel the need to use the ointment and all your little flakes are gone, you can return to using makeup as you please. 

Additional Healing Information: 

Though the outer healing takes only 3-5 days, inner healing takes a little more time. The eyelids may be tender or sensitive to pressure or friction for a couple of weeks. Full healing for eyeliner takes place in 4 weeks, and that is the soonest we can schedule a follow up to reduce risk of complication, but as soon as the outer healing is done, you can call to have your follow up scheduled if you need one. We will simply book it for a time within your follow up window.