Because all permanent makeup procedures are a form of tattooing, scheduling any permanent makeup procedure is something you should think through in advance.
To get the best possible results, make sure you are well-prepared for the treatment. The preparation of the skin is extremely important, but prep is more than skin-deep (pun intended); how to prepare your skin for permanent makeup is also about what you put into your body and the activities you expose it to.
Depending on the procedure you will be doing, there are several things to keep in mind. Let’s go through the most important tips for each treatment.
Tips on How to Prepare for Your PMU Appointment
Look through the general instructions on how to prepare for your PMU appointment whichever treatment you’re getting.
How to Prepare for Eyebrow Tattoos
The results of your treatment can depend on your microblading prep process. Think of it as putting on a primer to enhance the results of your makeup. No matter what treatment (microblading, powder brows, nano brows, etc) you are getting, your skin and overall system should be well-primed by the time you arrive at your appointment.
Here are some tips on preparing for microblading appointment (or any other form of eyebrow tattoo):
- 1 month before the procedure avoid using retinol, salicylic acid, aggressive chemical peels, acne treatments, and facials. Harsh chemicals can make your skin more sensitive and reactive. Also, retinol specifically can cause the pigments to fade prematurely.
- If you had Botox or fillers in the forehead area, wait 1 month before your brow treatment. Because Botox needs some time to take effect, there’s a chance your eyebrows end up asymmetrical. Ideally, microblading should be done before getting Botox. Botox won’t affect your PMU but you should let your skin heal before injecting it and causing further trauma to the skin.
- For 10 days prior to the procedure, avoid taking any medication and supplements that thin out your blood. This makes it harder for skin to retain pigment and makes the artist’s job more difficult as you will bleed more. If you need them for a medical condition, check with your doctor if it’s possible to pause the meds until you are done with your brow tattoo.
- At least 1 week prior to the appointment avoid any brow grooming such as tweezing, waxing, threading, dying, etc.
- At least 24 hours before your session, avoid consuming alcohol and caffeine and don’t work out the day of the appointment to reduce unnecessary bleeding.
For detailed aftercare instructions, check out these articles:
Ombre Powder Brows Aftercare Guide
Image source: Freepik
How to Prepare for Permanent Eyeliner?
When it comes to permanent eyeliner it’s very important that you know exactly which style you want to get. As the name suggests the results are, after all, permanent (well, at least for a couple of years). So arguably the most important step in the preparation process is knowing what style you want to get done.
Once you have figured that out and found the right artist, you can begin the actual appointment preparations:
- You need to avoid eyelash lifts and dyes for a minimum of 2 days before the procedure, although longer than that would be better (about 2 weeks).
- In case you have eyelash extensions, remove them minimum 3 days before your eyeliner appointment.
- At least 3 days before the treatment, avoid consuming medicine such as aspirin, ibuprofen, coumadin, niacin, fish oil, and vitamin E. All of these thin out your blood and make you bleed more during the procedure.
- Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine at least 24 hours before your appointment. These are also blood-thinners.
- If you are wearing contact lenses you should know that you won’t be able to wear them during the procedure nor for the next 24 hours. After the treatment, your eyes may be sensitive to the light so bring sunglasses to protect them.
- A part of preparation is also planning the after-care process. So make sure you do not have a holiday planned soon after as your eyeliner tattoo can’t get wet for the next 7-10 days (that means planning the hair wash in advance as well!). Learn all about aftercare instructions here.
NOTE
Informing your artist about your medical history is also part of the prep. If you have had any Botox, fillers, or eye surgery – tell them beforehand.
Image source: Freepik
How to Prepare for Lip Blush Tattoo?
As with eyeliner, there are a variety of styles for this procedure. Whichever option you choose will save you from having to constantly reapply lipstick or worry about smudging.
Finding the right style for you is the first step of lip tattoo preparations. It is advised to consult with your artist beforehand.
You should also do a patch test to prevent allergic reactions.
After figuring out which style it is you want, you can begin your preparation process.
- The most important steps are exfoliation in the days leading up to the treatment and moisturizing your lips. Having smooth lips helps ensure that pigment is implemented as evenly as possible.
- If you have lip fillers, wait at least 6 weeks and allow them to settle first. If you do not have lip fillers but want to get them after a lip tattoo, do the tattoo first and then add the fillers. Otherwise, there’s a small chance of filler migration due to lip trauma. This is rare, but you should be aware of the possibility.
- If you take blood-thinning meds, check with your doctor if it’s possible to pause treatment about 10 days before your appointment.
- Avoid supplements that thin out the blood for 24 hours before the appointment. That includes aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, niacin, and vitamins as well as alcohol and caffeine. This will minimize swelling and unnecessary bleeding.
- If you are prone to cold sores, take some anti-viral medication for a few days before your appointment, as there is a possibility of them surfacing due to skin trauma. Cold sores can affect the healing process so it’s best to avoid them. Consult your GP and have them prescribe a med.
Post-care is just as important for pre-care, so get familiar with the lip blush aftercare routine here.
Image source: Freepik
How to Prepare for Scalp Micropigmentation?
Scalp micropigmentation has the longest-lasting results out of all the permanent makeup treatments which is why it’s important you know how to prepare skin for permanent makeup.
- Days leading up to the appointment, avoid exposing your scalp to sunlight as tanned or sunburnt skin is more sensitive.
- Also, stop applying retinol and vitamin A products at least one month before your scalp micro pigmentation treatment because these can cause your skin to bleed more than necessary.
- Speaking of blood, consult with your doctor if it would be safe to discontinue the use of blood-thinning medication for a few weeks. The blood-thinning medication causes you to bleed more which in turn produces more scabs and lowers pigment retention.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and certain medication such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and fish oil supplements for at least 24 hours before your treatment. They too can cause excessive bleeding
- To ensure the procedure goes smoothly, some artists recommend shaving your head (if possible), scalp exfoliation, and moisturizing the skin the day before the treatment. But don’t do any of these if they are not recommended by your artist specifically.
If you want to get informed about the post-care process in advance, head over to our SMP Aftercare Guide.
Image source: Instagram @picassojeff
Additional Advice – Be Prepared for the Healing Process
Keep in mind that the healing process takes some time and you might not look your best during it, so maybe it’s better to avoid scheduling the appointment right before a big event. You should also consider that there will be certain activities you will have to refrain from such as swimming and direct sun exposure so booking a holiday will also be something to think about.
Final Word
In the end, we’d like to stress the importance of mental prep. Be prepared for waiting out the healing process and be aware that the results won’t be final for several weeks. Immediate side effects after the treatment can stress clients out even more but it’s important to remember that those results are not final.
Waiting for final results to show can be nerve-wrecking and if you’re impatient can ruin the outcome by meddling with the healing process.
So, our final piece of advice is: just relax. Trust your artist to do their job and help them out by prepping properly.
Cover image source: Freepik
