Corrections

Unfortunately I am not able to take on all cover-ups or corrections and more often than not I will recommend removal (or partial removal) prior to the new treatment, in order to get the best result. This is to ensure the area is not over saturated with pigment, and so that I can give you a flattering PMU enhancement that is the best shape for your face. The type of removal most suitable will depend on several factors. These factors include skin integrity, possible scarring from microblading, the level of pigment saturation, and the tone of pigment remaining in your skin.

Coverups & Corrections

Cover-ups or corrections over old PMU or microblading comes with its limits. There are loads of factors to consider - skin health, tissue damage, shape and asymmetry, pigment migration, client’s expectations.... to name but a few. The biggest factor to consider is colour saturation. The more faded your brows are, the more likely I am to take you on. A cover-up will never look as good as someone who has had their virgin skin tattooed, no matter how faded they are. So it’s important to have realistic expectations.

If you have had a permanent makeup treatment done elsewhere, I need to know when you last had them done, and I need to see them, so please send me photos prior to booking in. This is so that I can establish if you are suitable for the treatment. These photos must be taken with your back camera on your mobile phone (not a selfie) and in very good lighting - and they must be in focus! I require a close-up image of each brow (or eyeliner, or lips), and a full face photo so that I can assess symmetry. (Tip - use a mirror so that you can see the screen of your phone. Or ask a friend). If I am still unsure after assessing the photos, I may ask you to come in for a face-to-face consultation so that I can make an informed judgement.

Occasionally, but very rarely, it is possible to go ahead with a cover-up/correction, in which case you should book in as a new client appointment choosing the "Correction/Cover-up of Another Tech's Work" service (not a top-up or colour boost). A top-up session must be booked in 8 to 12 weeks later. A 3rd session may be required at an extra cost.

One more thing....

In PMU, "Correction" has been the term for what we do with cool brows. Basically, there is no such thing as changing the colour of an existing tattoo. You cannot implant a new colour into an area that has an existing colour and make them mix to form a new colour. Wet paint will not mix with dry paint. What we are doing is a cover-up and for that to work the pigment added and the area pigmented will need to be bolder, darker and bigger.

Pigment has rules and one that everyone forgets is molecular weight and settling. We see this all day in the pigment bottles on our shelves but we sometimes ignore the fact that this also happens in the skin, just differently. Adding warm colours into over saturated brows is absolutely useless and does more harm than good and will not correct the situation.

To do a cover-up, the area has to be smaller and significantly light in colour to cover it! When we add warm colour to saturated brows, the warm colour will sink lower than the Iron Oxide, carbon (also an Iron Oxide) and Titanium Dioxide, creating the ashy cold colour thereby leaving you right back where you started in a few weeks. Clients will still need removal and we just made it 4 times more difficult to get it out!

Having the removal conversation is not easy but it is also necessary. There is a lot of over saturated work about with too many touch-ups and colours chosen for clients not based on their needs. In many countries around the world, touch-ups do not happen. Removal does, then a fresh set is reapplied. Why?? - because you can't correct the colour, you can only cover it up and only so much and so many times.

Previous PMU

If you have had permanent makeup elsewhere and you are happy with the shape and the colour, but they have just faded by at least 50% and need a colour boost, then you will be able to book in under the "Colour Boost of Another Tech's Work" option. I will also need to confirm, upon receipt of images, that I am in agreement and happy to proceed with the colour boost. During this appointment, I would not make any changes to the shape or style, and would purely boost the colour. This option is for one session only.

ISSUES WITH PREVIOUS PMU

Example: You had your eyebrows done with another artist a few years ago, but now you'd like me to tattoo them instead. Why do you need to inform me beforehand?

Well, this is because the skin has been compromised & the procedure that needs to be performed is now a cover-up and/or, in a lot of cases; a correction. Whether it's brows, lips or liner; when attempting to cover up or correct another artist's work, there are multiple contributing factors that need to be taken into account, and potential issues that can arise:

Poor design (uneven, too thick/thin, incorrect shape)
Poor technique
Scarring caused
Pigment ageing
Previous pigment choice

Of course it is not always the case that the previous work was badly done however; there will still be multiple factors from that list that will need to be taken into account. You wouldn't walk into a tattoo studio for a cover-up without informing the artist of what needs to be re-worked, and this is literally the exact same scenario. If you turn up on the day with previous PMU (and yes, microblading is PMU) that cannot be corrected, and that you did not let your PMU artist know about - you will still be liable for the full cost of that appointment!

So always disclose this information BEFORE making a booking. Always inform your PMU Artist.

We're often told that we have magic hands but PMU is actually a science. Unfortunately, it is sometimes the case that not everything can just be covered up, and a correction is simply not possible. It gives us no pleasure to have to deliver news that you don't want to hear however, we will always be upfront & honest with you. If it can't be done, it can't be done! That's not to say that nothing can be done however; there's just additional steps in your journey to beautiful new PMU! It’s science, not magic!

ACHIEVING THE BEST RESULTS

If you've been advised that a cover-up/correction is not yet possible then you will either need to wait for the previous work to fade further, or seek removal. The quickest and most effective form of removal is laser and your artist will either offer this themselves, or be able to recommend a knowledgeable technician to carry this out for you. Contrary to popular belief; laser is not as painful or expensive as you may think! Laser technology has come a long way in recent years and the education on the topic, even further! Removal is a very normal and necessary part of PMU - so you don't need to be afraid of exploring this option.

It is often the case that without seeking removal your chosen artist will never be able to achieve a result that both of you are happy with, as what's underneath will always compromise the finish. The thin skin on the face is not a never-ending reservoir for ink. More often than not - we need to take some out before we put more in.

IN CONCLUSION

Yes - you need to let your new artist know of any previous work in the area you're wanting them to tattoo
BEFORE making a booking!
Yes - microblading is a form of PMU!
No - not everything can be covered up or corrected!
No - you don't need to be afraid of exploring options for removal!
Yes - removal is a normal & necessary part of getting PMU!
A good artist will always have your best interests at heart!

If you still have any questions about the treatments, please visit our FAQ page or get in touch!

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