Aftercare is such a huge part of the permanent makeup procedure and to get the best out of their treatment, clients must follow aftercare advice as closely as possible. We have a whole blog post dedicated to healing and aftercare which you can read here.

The most obvious mistakes clients can make include getting the area wet or picking at scabs, which will pull pigment out of the skin.

One piece of advice that clients may be surprised to hear is that they need to check the ingredients in their skincare products (particularly those found in anti aging creams) in order to avoid accelerated fading of pigment.

Using specific skincare ingredients prior to semi permanent makeup treatments could also lead to thinning of the skin, which can cause excessive bleeding, difficulty implanting pigment, or poor healing. So, incorporating questions into your consultation about skincare routines is key to avoiding these issues cropping up unexpectedly!

The main skincare products to avoid are those with exfoliating properties or those which aim to resurface and regenerate the skin. To be extra cautious, we have listed below the specific ingredients you and your client can look out for.




Retinols


Retinol is an ingredient found in most anti-ageing skincare products, which aims to boost collagen production and reduce fine lines, pigmentation and scarring. Retinol achieves this by speeding up the natural regeneration of skin cells meaning that dead skin cells shed twice as quickly as normal.

Due to this, retinol is very likely to cause drastic fading of pigment and the client may need a colour boost far sooner than expected. Use of retinol also thins the skin and increases sensitivity – which could lead to bleeding, scarring or slow healing if a client uses this ingredient prior to treatment. We would suggest asking clients to avoid this ingredient (and the others listed below) for up to 30 days before the procedure.


Acids


Glycolic, lactic or AHA’s are all types of acids that can be found in creams, toners and cleansers. Vitamin C is also a type of skincare acid, and all of these ingredients work in a similar way to retinol. If used, these ingredients can cut the lasting time of PMU in half – meaning clients will need a touch up much sooner.

Similar to retinols and acids, any products aimed at skin lightening, bleaching or chemical exfoliation (such as fruit enzyme products) will have a similar effect on results and cause pigment to fade dramatically in a short space of time.

Manual exfoliating products such as scrubs should also be avoided during the healing process completely and clients should still avoid using them on the area once healing is complete.



Accutane


Unlike the other ingredients above which can be store bought, Accutane (also referred to as Roaccutane) is a medication usually prescribed by a health care professional to treat skin complaints.

This medication significantly thins the skin, so it is important that clients who have previously used Accutane wait at least 1 year before having PMU. Failure to do so could result in a whole range of complications such as hyperpigmentation, bleeding and scarring.


Beauty Treatments


Alongside the skincare ingredients clients need to be aware of, there are multiple treatments they need to avoid before and after PMU to prevent any adverse effects. For example, most artists would request clients wait 4 weeks before treatment and 4 weeks after to have any anti-wrinkle (botox) or dermal filler injections.

During healing, clients should avoid any professional facials, chemical peels or microdermabrasion treatments. Once healed, if a client wishes to undergo any of these beauty treatments, they should always make the technician aware that they have permanent makeup to ensure that no harsh acids or exfoliators are being applied to the area.


As with any aftercare advice, the best an artist can do is educate their client on the importance of following guidance and what can happen if they fail to do so. Some clients may insist that these skincare ingredients are a staple part of their routine which they do not wish to eradicate completely. In which case, always stress the importance of avoiding these products during healing to prevent infection or irritation.

Once healed, if the client wishes to use them, they must ensure they do not apply it directly to the PMU and leave a sufficient gap between the treatment area and where the product is being applied to the skin.



So, to answer the question: will retinol fade permanent makeup? Yes, the active ingredients in retinol products will lead to drastic, premature fading of pigment in clients who have undergone a PMU procedure.

As well as retinol, acids and skin bleaching products will also have a similar effect and all these ingredients (as well as other facial treatments) should be avoided before and after a treatment to prevent adverse effects.