Has this happened to you? Maybe you know someone that had this experience?
There are a few reasons it can happen. In this post I’ll mainly address medical reasons that permanent makeup doesn't seem to stick. There are others like the depth of application and pigment choices which I’ll address in other posts.
I had a client who came in two years ago for nano brows, also known as machine stroke brows or hyperrealism done with machine, in short, not microblading. While I was working I could tell her skin was very sensitive and she bled easily even with the lightest touch and appropriate needle and machine combo. This was a red flag as bleeding definitely affects healed results but when I voiced this concern she also informed me that she is on a long term antibiotic regiment. This is another red flag as antibiotics will amp your body’s reaction to permanent makeup.
Sure enough she came back with very poor retention. I didn't see her for two years after until she walked through my doors this week. She told me her antibiotic regiment was over about a year ago and she is now ready to give this procedure another go.
When I was finished with her that afternoon I went down a rabbit hole of what types of medication is sure to affect your permanent make up retention. Here is the most accurate list to date!
Blood Thinners and Anticoagulants
Blood thinners cause extra bleeding during the procedure, which pushes the pigment out of the skin and leads to poor color retention.
Over-the-counter NSAIDs: Aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen (typically stopped 24 to 72 hours before, per provider guidelines).
Prescription anticoag
ulants: Coumadin (warfarin), Plavix (clopidogrel), Xarelto (rivaroxaban), Eliquis (apixaban), Pradaxa (dabigatran), Effient (prasugrel), Brilinta (ticagrelor), and similar agents (do not stop prescribed blood thinners without consulting your physician).
Retinoids and Acne Medications
Retinoids and systemic acne therapies change the structure and thickness of the skin.
Accutane (isotretinoin): Thins and sensitizes the skin. Most studios require waiting 6 to 12 months after stopping Accutane before getting permanent makeup.
Topical retinoids: Over-the-counter retinol or prescription tretinoin/Retin-A should be paused several weeks prior to treatment.
Steroids and Immunosuppressants
Corticosteroids: Topical steroid creams, hydrocortisone, or oral steroids slow down skin healing and reduce long-term pigment retention.
Immunosuppressants / anti-rejection meds: These interfere with proper dermal recovery and raise the risk of infection.
Hormonal and Thyroid Medications
Hormone-based therapies: Birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and fertility treatments can shift skin oil production and healing.
Thyroid medications: Can sometimes cause permanent makeup to fade faster, requiring more frequent touch-ups
Supplements
Certain herbal supplements and high-dose vitamins act as mild blood thinners or impact bleeding times:
Fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo biloba, and St. John's Wort
Garlic and high-dose vitamin C
Antibiotics:
System Overdrive
When you are taking antibiotics, your body is actively fighting off an infection. Because your immune system is highly elevated, it is much more likely to view the cosmetic pigment as a foreign invader and actively "push" it out of the skin, resulting in poor color retention or patchy healing.
Delayed Skin Healing
Antibiotics mean your body's resources are split between fighting an illness and healing a new cosmetic wound. This can delay cellular turnaround and prolong the scabbing phase, which often pulls pigment out with the scabs.
Increased Bleeding
Certain broad-spectrum antibiotics can mildly thin the blood or alter blood clotting mechanisms. Increased pinpoint bleeding during the procedure physically pushes the ink back out of the dermis as the artist works.
Photosensitivity
Many common antibiotics (like doxycycline or tetracycline) make your skin hyper-sensitive to UV light. Sun exposure on a freshly healing cosmetic tattoo causes rapid fading and color shifting.
Hope you found this helpful!
Xoxo
Utah Microblading