Getting PMU, whether it’s a brow procedure, permanent eyeliner, or a lip treatment, is definitely worth it, but for some clients, it can be a scary experience, whether the problem is pre-procedure anxiety and panic, or pain and discomfort during the actual treatment.
PMU shouldn’t be torture, and you should do everything you can to make the whole process as tolerable for them as possible. Automatically, you’ll make your job easier and make sure your clients leave positive reviews regarding your PMU-bedside manner.
Here’s a couple of things you may or may not be already doing which will help make your clients comfortable during PMU treatments.
How to Make Your Clients Comfortable During PMU?
A PMU treatment isn’t a quick 10-minute in-and-out procedure. It’s much more intimate than that: you will see your client at least 3 times (for consults, for the initial treatment, and for the 6-8 week touch up), you will be spending hours with them, and you will be tattooing their face, which, admittedly, is a big deal.
So establishing a warm, friendly rapport and trust is very important. If your client is feeling uncomfortable during any stage of the process, they won’t be happy with the whole experience, they’ll be difficult during the treatment itself, and they will develop a negative attitude towards you and your salon, which can be potentially harmful to your business.
Here’s a list of tips that will prevent this:
1. Explain the Whole Process in Detail
By this, we don’t only mean the actual treatment. When you meet your client for consults (and make it a point to always meet in person for consults at least a week or 2 before the procedure), talk them through:
- Pre-care – your client needs to understand why pre-care is important, and that if their skin is compromised, you may not be able to perform the treatment at all, or it can be more uncomfortable since the skin is thinned out, irritated or sensitive.
- The mechanics of the treatment – educating your clients on what you will actually be doing is important. First, they have the right to know, and second, they’ll know what to expect during and after the treatment. Plus, you’ll assure them of your expertise, which can calm down the more anxious clients.
- Healing and aftercare – clients should know in advance what the healing process looks like, so they don’t panic when they reach the scabbing or the ghosting stage, and you can never stress the importance of aftercare too much. Don’t be afraid of sounding like a broken record – they need to take aftercare seriously.
- Possible risks – be transparent with the possible risks and side effects. Clients appreciate honesty and they’ll value you as a professional more. On top of that, you have the moral obligation to let them know that yes, the treatment can go wrong, but you’ll do everything on your part to prevent that.
- The mandatory touch up – sometimes, clients don’t understand why the 1st touch up is important and they may think it’s just a money grab. Take the time to explain that PMU is actually a 2-step process, and not a one-off.
NOTE
We know that taking the time to explain all this to every single client may be exhausting sometimes, but it’s all part of the job. You might be tempted to just put it all in your consent form (which you should do anyway), send it to them, and tell them to read it.
But in reality, hardly anyone reads the fine print and while you may be in the clear legalwise, you want everything to go right and it’s not worth the risk. Just sit them down and talk them through everything – nothing beats face-to-face communication.
Image source: Freepik
2. Do the Patch Test
Never, ever skip the patch test, even if your client isn’t generally prone to allergies.
Most clients won’t react to the patch test – you can go your whole career without encountering a client allergic to pigments or numbing – but it’s not worth the risk. If you skip the patch test and start implementing pigments into the client’s skin and they turn out to be allergic, the reaction can be very severe.
They can feel intense sensations immediately, or they may go home and have swelling or a rash emerge. The reaction can be more or less serious, but it will definitely ruin the experience for them, and could potentially be problematic for your business.
It may not go as far as legal action, but bad reviews are every business’ nightmare, especially in smaller communities.
3. Take Your Time with Numbing…
Plan your schedule so you leave sufficient time to numb your clients. Even if your numbing formula generally works fast, set aside 10-20 additional minutes if your client’s skin needs more time to absorb it and for the anesthetic to work.
For microblading especially, leave the numbing on for longer.
You can use tricks like light exfoliation or plastic wrap. You can read more on that in this article.
The most important thing is to have open and honest communication with your client during the treatment. Let them know it’s okay for them to tell you whenever they feel severe discomfort or pain. The treatment shouldn’t be torture, especially if you can apply secondary numbing at any time and make it more comfortable.
If your client feels discomfort, they’ll wince and squirm and make it impossible for you to perform the treatment with precision.
Image source: Freepik
4. …But Also Explain That Some Discomfort Is Normal
If a client’s pain threshold is especially low or if you’re treating a sensitive area, warn the client that they may feel some discomfort regardless of how much numbing you apply. After all, the skin is broken over and over again and that entails certain sensations.
We all react differently to different sensations, and for some, the scratching or the pressure may be worse than straight-out pain. Warn each client of the possible sensations – if they’re expecting them, they’ll handle the whole thing much better than if they’re taken by surprise.
You may be worried that warning clients of this beforehand will drive some of them away, and it’s possible it will. But such clients may not even be worth taking – they can make your job very hard and frustrating.
You can find out what clients say microblading feels like here, and what lip blush feels like here.
5. Play Music During the Treatment
Okay, this may sound trivial after all the serious points we’re covered, but hear us out.
During PMU procedures, clients hear stuff. They hear the vibrations of the machine, and in the case of microblading, some report they can hear the very icky sound of a blade being dragged through the skin.
Music will muffle out these sounds. Now, there are 2 ways to go about the playlist:
- Ask your client about their music preferences. If they’re listening to something they like, they relax more and it’ll get their mind off the procedure. Just make sure it’s not something that will distract you.
- Play some relaxing ambient music. Many artists report they’ve had clients fall asleep during procedures, which is the best-case scenario – they won’t move and you can do the treatment in peace. Atmospheric ambient music can lull some clients to sleep and help you focus.
Image source: Freepik
Final Tip
Communication is literally the most important factor in doing a successful PMU treatment – ultimately, that’s how to make your clients comfortable. Since you’re the professional, the dynamics between you and your clients will be determined by your attitude to a large degree. So be friendly but firm, make yourself approachable and available for any questions, and make clients feel comfortable to speak their mind.
Still, respect is everything and if you feel your client is disrespecting you at any point, perhaps direct them elsewhere.
Cover image source: Freepik
