Let’s face it (pun intended), sometimes the best option is to remove permanent makeup and start with a clean slate.
My team and I have a lot of tricks for fixing and updating existing permanent makeup, but there are some things that necessitate saline or laser removal before we can get to work on those beautiful brows, lips, and liners.
Done properly, you can safely and effectively remove unwanted permanent makeup from just about anywhere. BUT, because we’re talking about the face, and especially the eyes, there are some things to take into consideration before choosing a method and technician.
Laser and saline removal are both highly effective techniques for removing permanent makeup and tattoo ink from skin. They can be used alone or together to effectively remove all unwanted pigment and leave a beautiful result. Interestingly, these methods work in totally opposite ways to get ink out of the body.
LASER
Laser removal works by literally exploding the pigment particles inside the skin into tiny, tiny little pieces. Because laser treatment breaks the ink particles up under the skin, the particles actually sink deeper into the body and get flushed out by your lymphatic system.
Different lasers target different color waves, so specific lasers have to be chosen to break up different ink colors. Pico lasers can get every single color based on the settings they (laser tech?) put in. Unfortunately, they’re very expensive so not a lot of people have them.
Other lasers are going to leave behind red pigments–I’ve even seen clients come in with really bright highlighter yellow after laser removal.
SALINE
Saline removal works by moving ink in the other direction. Instead of pushing ink down and out, we’re drawing out and up. The saline removal process works by forcing ink molecules to separate from the skin cell. The skin will forms scabs after saline treatment because the process opens up the skin and encourages blood and lymph to come to the surface. Scabs post treatment are a good sign, because we want the ink to draw out during the healing process.
Occasionally, brow results after the first session may be a bit darker than laser removal, but this is because the ink is coming a lot closer to the surface. Also, because certain colors lift more easily than others, ashy brows can actually improve as the removal process goes on.
WHICH IS BETTER?
Because saline is literally removing ink from the skin, rather than pushing it deeper into the skin and your lymphatic system, I always think saline is a better go-to for permanent makeup removal. Saline removal also targets every color range. Some colors are always going to be harder to get out of the skin than others, so occasionally after saline removal we’ll see red residue (red is the hardest color to get out) but all color will come out eventually. Unlike laser treatment, saline removal is not going to be specific to the products in your skin, and there is nothing left behind (if saline is done correctly/long enough.)
CAN YOU DO BOTH?
These two methods CAN work really well together, but because saline is bringing everything to the surface it is always the better place to start. Laser can be faster sometimes, but if you want to do both and do laser first, you’ll likely end up needing more treatment. Remember that with laser, ink is going to sink into the skin. If that ink doesn’t come out completely before you swap to saline, you’re going to have to work harder and longer to bring the pigment out from the deep tissue and force it to the surface.
Sometimes, full full removal isn’t necessary. If, for example, your brow shape is perfect but the color needs tweaking, we can remove some of the color without going through the full removal process. This is one of the reasons why we require a complimentary consultation prior to starting any removal process. Consultations help us assess your skin and make a plan for permanent makeup removal and adjustment.
IN CONCLUSION
Both of these methods are very effective, both can give great results, but in my opinion saline is always the best removal method to start with. The only exception to this is removal from areas that are prohibitive to saline solution. For example, if you are working really close to the eye, sometimes laser is better. That said, it’s hard to find a removal technician who will use a laser that close to the lash-line.
Need more information? Want to get started? Harmony is taking new clients for removals and we’re seeing GREAT results from just one session. As always, I’m happy to answer any questions you may have and make referrals.
