Permanent makeup (PMU) brows

Permanent makeup (PMU) brows

from 60 min

Pigmentation of the brows with a PMU machine, for shape and colour that last over time.

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Brows, extra touch-up within 8 weeks

from 60 min
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Brows, yearly refresh

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Brows, yearly refresh of another salon's work

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New brows

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New brows with touch-up

from 120 min
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Applied to Eyebrows

About the treatment

At a glance

Duration
from 60 min
Downtime
Usually 7–14 days of visible healing

Benefits

  • Powder, ombré, nano or combo
  • Suits most skin types
  • Lasts one to three years

Expected results

The brows look fuller and more defined. The final result shows after four to six weeks and lasts one to three years.

Overview & Procedure

What the treatment is and how it's performed

What it is

PMU brows are done with a PMU machine and a very fine needle. In the powder technique, the pigment is placed as tiny dots, so the brows look filled in with brow powder. Ombré is lightest at the front and darker towards the tail. Nano brows draw fine hair strokes by machine, and combo brows mix hair strokes and powder. The machine technique suits most skin types, also oily skin.

  • The first treatment sets the shape and colour.
  • A touch-up after 6–10 weeks, once the skin has healed, evens out and completes the result.
  • A yearly refresh after 12–24 months, depending on how much the colour has faded.

  1. The practitioner goes through shape and colour with you, and draws the brows to the measurements of your face.
  2. You approve the shape before the treatment starts.
  3. Numbing cream is applied to the skin.
  4. The pigment is placed in the top layer of the skin, and the treatment ends with a thin layer of ointment.

  • Avoid sun, sunbeds and self-tan on the area for the last two weeks.
  • Stop using retinol and acids on the area one to two weeks before.
  • Avoid alcohol for the last day before, because it can cause more bleeding.
  • If you take blood-thinning medicines, check with your doctor before you book. Do not stop taking them on your own.

A new treatment takes about two hours. Touch-ups and refreshes take less time.

Experience & Recovery

Pain level, downtime and healing

With numbing cream, most people rate it 2–4 out of 10. It feels like a light vibration and prickling.

  • Common: redness, swelling and tenderness in the first days, and scabs or flaking while the skin heals.
  • Uncommon: uneven colour or patches that need a touch-up.
  • Rare: infection, an allergic reaction to the pigment, scarring or the pigment spreading in the skin.

  • Keep the area clean and dry in the first days, and follow the clinic's written advice on cleansing and ointment.
  • Do not pick or scratch scabs.
  • Avoid make-up on the area, saunas, swimming, hard exercise and sun until the skin has healed.
  • Use a high-factor sunscreen on the area once the skin has healed. Sun fades the pigment.

Usually 7–14 days of visible healing. In the first days, the brows are darker and sharper than the final result. They then flake, and the colour can look uneven or almost gone for a while. The colour returns and settles within four to six weeks.

Expectations & Safety

Who it's for and safety information

  • Permanent makeup is a form of tattooing. The pigment fades over time, but does not disappear completely on its own.
  • Removal or correction often needs several laser treatments. Choose shape and colour with care.
  • Skin type affects the result. Oily skin often gives a softer, more blurred result.
  • Mention your permanent makeup if you are having an MRI scan. Some pigments can cause warmth or swelling during the scan.
  • If you have permanent makeup from another salon, the practitioner first assesses whether it can be refreshed.

  • Thin, light or uneven brows.
  • Anyone who wants filled-in brows without daily make-up.
  • Most skin types, also oily skin.

  • Anyone who cannot take a few days of visible healing.
  • Wounds, eczema, spots or irritated skin in the brow area.

The result lasts one to three years and fades gradually. A yearly refresh keeps the colour and shape.

  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
  • Infection, wounds, eczema or psoriasis in the area.
  • Tablet treatment for acne in the last six months.
  • A tendency to keloids or large, raised scars.
  • Diabetes that is not well controlled, a weakened immune system or ongoing chemotherapy.
  • A known allergy to the pigments.

Contact the clinic or a doctor if you get increasing pain, swelling, warmth, spreading redness, pus or a fever after the treatment.