Can Permanent Makeup Be Corrected?
Like most states in the U.S., Idaho has few laws regulating permanent cosmetics. The best way to obtain attractive, safely-applied permanent makeup is to carefully select a qualified and experienced specialist.* Unfortunately, many consumers choose a technician based on a low price or convenient location and later regret that choice. Although permanent makeup will fade over time, inferior work can be heartbreaking. Fortunately, in many cases permanent makeup mistakes can be corrected or at least improved. (*Read our Consumer Guidelines page for help in selecting a specialist.)

Permanent Makeup Correction Techniques
Dr. Reed corrects other technicians’ poor work on a regular basis. If pigment removal is not necessary, she can improve the tattooed makeup using color correction and tattooing techniques:

• Color Adjustment: This technique is used when the shape of the eyebrow, eyeliner, or lip liner tattoo is good but the color is poor such as orange, blue, or purple. A corrective pigment color is implanted (tattooed) over the faded makeup to “neutralize” it toward a more natural shade. Usually the improvement is immediately noticeable, but it may take several weeks for the correction color to heal and stabilize to the desired result. Also, more than one appointment for corrective color micropigmentation may be necessary to achieve the best healed coverage.

Color Correction of Tattooed Eyebrow
Before (by another person)	Healed After, Before Touchup (by Dr. Reed)

• Shape Adjustment: Sometimes the shape of permanent or microbladed eyebrows, permanent eyeliner or lip liner is not “terrible”, yet it would look better with some changes. For these cases, additional makeup tattooing might improve the shape, symmetry or balance of the makeup. However, the tattooing necessary to correct the eyebrows, eyeliner or lips may increase thickness too much. Dr. Reed will demonstrate the changes with pencil, and then she and her patient will discuss the process to achieve the best looking results. If the extra tattooing will not look good, then the alternatives will be to remove some of the old pigment or do nothing.

Shape and Color Adjustment of Permanent Eyebrows
Before (by another person)	Right After (by Dr. Reed)

Can Flesh Colored Pigment Repair Mistakes?
NO! Idaho does not require a license to do permanent makeup, nor does it regulate anyone operating a “school” or calling herself an “instructor.” If a technician or one of her students has made an error on your face, DO NOT let her “fix it” by tattooing over with flesh colored pigment! Flesh or skin-toned pigments are used for advanced medical micropigmentation services. They contain white titanium oxides and are opaque. When placed on top of permanent makeup, it looks unnatural because the skin in that location loses its translucency (transparency). (See photos below.) Even if the flesh pigment matched the skin tone well, the color would change over time. Finally, if you decided to have it removed by a laser, the laser would turn the flesh colored pigment black. The best options for repairing permanent makeup mistakes are cosmetic tattooing to adjust color and design and/or one of the removal methods.

Flesh Colored Pigment Tattooed Over Permanent Eyebrow Mistakes
Error Below Brow (not by Dr. Reed)	Error Above Brow (not by Dr. Reed)

​Permanent Makeup Correction Gallery:

Recoloring of Faded Eyebrow and Eyeliner Tattoos
Before (another person’s work)	Healed After (by Dr. Reed)

Repair of Purple, Uneven Eyebrows (Salt Removal & Recoloring)
Before (by another person)	After (by Dr. Reed)

Recoloring of Faded Tattooed Eyebrows and Eyeliner
Before (by another person)	Healed After (by Dr. Reed)

Color and Shape Correction of Tattooed Eyebrows
Before (by another person)	Right After (by Dr. Reed)

Color and Shape Correction of Permanent Eyebrows
Before (by another person)	Right After (by Dr. Reed)

Faded Permanent Eyebrows Reshaped & Balanced (Hairstrokes)
Before (by another person)	After (by Dr. Reed)