Important: Hyper Real Academy is not responsible for any of the PMU work shown in this article. Hyper Real Academy is not affiliated with any parties responsible for the PMU work shown in this article.
Permanent makeup is a skill that must be trained, developed, and refined in order to achieve great results. Fortunately for many, there are many talented artists located all over the USA.
Many potential PMU clients will spend many hours researching about their procedure and reviewing countless portfolios before they choose their artist. The reason is clear: nobody wants a botched tattoo!
What is Botched PMU?
“Botched” work is defined as tattoo work that is not possible to correct without first completing a removal service. For example, we wouldn’t consider a tattoo that is undersaturated as botched. We would not consider a tattoo with areas of missing pigment as botched. Despite undersaturation being a result of incorrect technique, it can be easily corrected with another layer of PMU.
Botched work will involve one or more of the following: incorrectly placed ink, too much ink, and skin injury leading to scarring. You must never attempt to cover up botched work with more PMU.
Botched work is almost always expensive to correct, not to mention the client is robbed of their time, trust, and aesthetic as a result of their practitioner’s negligence.
How Do Mistakes Happen in PMU?
Every tattoo artist makes mistakes. For many artists, the bulk of their mistakes will happen during their training before they are licensed to legally work. Almost every artist that is serious about their work will practice hundreds, if not thousands, of times on silicone skin before they work on their first live model. This is a huge relief for clients everywhere, since tattoos cannot simply be scrubbed from real skin any more than they can be from silicone skin.
In the United States, licensing requirements for cosmetic tattooing and permanent makeup will vary by state. Some states require one or more of the following: over 100 hours of training, apprenticeship under a certified instructor, board certification, and a passing score on a licensing exam. However, some states do not require any of the aforementioned qualifications before allowing someone to apply for a license. This is one of the reasons why there is currently no shortage of botched PMU work.
Botched work is far more likely to happen when artists are not knowledgeable on how tattoos work. While PMU is similar to a tattoo, one of the biggest differences between cosmetic tattooing and body art is that the skin on the face is much thinner and more sensitive, therefore requiring a much more delicate approach for a successful tattoo.
These are some of the most common mistakes that can lead to botched PMU. Notice how there is a common trend of overdoing the tattoo:
*Please note: Hyper Real Academy is not responsible for any of the PMU work pictured below.
Incorrect Shape
The PMU is incorrectly mapped, it is not designed to fit the client’s face, or it is not designed with the client’s preference in mind. This is a common issue, as makeup artistry is equally as important as tattoo skill. Artists that will map the client’s eyebrows correctly but won’t adjust the mapped design to suit each client will also frequently produce unsatisfactory work. At Hyper Real Academy, every artist receives training in both makeup artistry and PMU tattooing.
Unnatural Hair Stroke Lines (Too Straight, Wrong Positioning)
Lines that are too straight will immediately stand out as unnatural, and these unnaturally stiff lines will not blend successfully with the client’s natural eyebrow hairs. The direction of PMU hair strokes must match the natural growth of the client’s hair, otherwise the results will be unflattering.
Blowouts
Blowouts happen when the tattoo needle enters too deep into the skin and permeates into a deeper level of the skin where the cells are more active. The skin will then push the pigment particles around, causing it to migrate. This creates an unattractive “bleeding” effect that will continue to migrate. Blowouts cannot be corrected without tattoo removal.
Oversaturation
Holding the machine at an uneven pressure may potentially oversaturate an area. This is especially damaging for tattoos that require sheer pigmentation such as Ombré Brows and Sheer Lip Blush. Oversaturation cannot be corrected without tattoo removal.
Skin Injury Leading to Scarring
While skin injury is common with microblading, it is very uncommon to experience skin injury with cosmetic tattooing using a machine. The biggest cause of bleeding and any injury leading to scarring is when an artist uses excessive hand pressure during the procedure. Misuse of the tattoo machine can tear the skin. Bleeding is not common in PMU.
While some mistakes can be corrected with tattoo removal treatments, scarring and oversaturation of pigment are extremely difficult to correct, even with advanced corrective treatments. Any damage to the hair follicles will be permanent, and the hair in the affected area will not grow back.
For more information about red flags to look out for when searching for a PMU artist, read our article Red Flags to Avoid From PMU Artists
