Work on the mistakes: why did the tattoo not take?

Victoria Rudko , stylist-make-up artist, head of the Rudko Artline permanent makeup center (Kyiv), certified international trainer and teacher and official representative of Purebeau in Ukraine

Today I would like to discuss the main reasons why the pigment did not take after the healing of permanent makeup - it came out partially or completely.

Situation one: "perfect result"

This is the rare case, but existing in nature, when after the first procedure the pigment lay down evenly, without gaps, the client is satisfied with the color saturation and color in general. Such a situation is the pinnacle of skill, the peak of experience and, most importantly, the ideal skin of the client (dry, without fibrosis, recurrence of herpes, etc.). And although the client can be 100% satisfied with the result, the master virtuoso will still find something to complain about (in fact, masters evaluate their work much more critically than clients), and on correction will bring the result to an absolute ideal.

Situation two: "common"

Most clients fall into this group - the pigment takes root partially after the procedure. Partial pigment release occurs for the following reasons:

1. Incorrect tattoo technique chosen by the master or client (for example, “hairs” on oily skin, on which it is better to spray or shade).
2. Increased secretion of lymph , which pushes the pigment out of the skin and does not allow it to be introduced sufficiently. This situation happens often and for various reasons. For masters, I recommend using secondary anesthesia with a vasoconstrictive effect, such as Sustain. The client must refrain from drinking alcohol 48 hours before the procedure.
3. The master, out of inexperience, not “feeling” the skin enough, works in the uppermost layer of the epidermis . In such cases, the pigment, as a rule, completely disappears along with the crusts during healing. But that doesn't mean you have to go deep. It is important to learn to understand at what depth the work is permissible, and constantly monitor this moment.
4. The use of tint pigments . In many palettes, there is a division of pigments into basic and tint. Basic - dense and give the desired covering effect in the work. Tinted ones are not used independently, since they do not have a sufficient density of coloring particles. Carefully study the recommendations for the palette of pigments you work with!
5. When working on fibrous, healed tissue . The technique of effective work on scars and compacted is strikingly different from the usual one. If this information is ignored or there is no experience / knowledge of the nuances, the pigment may completely disappear after healing. The "spotting" of the result can also be caused precisely by the wrong tactics of the master's work in certain areas.
6. Herpes relapses . In 98% of lip tattoos, unfortunately, ends with just this nuisance. Herpes is able to "beat" the result of the work, as a rule, spoils the contour or affects the density of the pigment. Preventive measures that involve taking medications also do not work in 100% of cases. Therefore, sometimes two correction procedures are necessary to bring the result to the ideal.
7. Violation of the requirements of post-procedural care by the client himself. Accidental or intentional scratching, tearing of crusts, prolonged contact with steam or water provoke undesirable errors in the healing of the work.
8. Often, clients begin to sound the alarm immediately after the convergence of the crusts , and in fact the final stabilization of the color occurs only a few weeks after the procedure. You need to be patient.

In the event of such situations, the master must necessarily establish the cause of such behavior of the pigment in the skin and draw the appropriate conclusions!

Situation three: "exceptional"

This category, according to various sources, includes from 2 to 7% of clients whose pigment does not take root in the skin. There is currently no clear explanation for why. But usually the cause of such an outcome of the procedure is the peculiarities of the metabolic processes of the skin (which are not visually identified during examination), the use of hormonal and some other drugs, diseases in the acute stage, the state of immunity.

Our body is a very complex mechanism, the master does not draw on paper, and it is impossible to predict many things. If even after the correction procedure the pigment is completely rejected, the mistakes have been corrected, all the obvious (see above) causes have been eliminated, and the pigment does not take root again, then your client is in those unfortunate few percent of the “lucky ones”.

I strongly recommend that my colleagues analyze any situation, pay maximum attention to the client's history and, of course, share experience with each other.