Category: Blog

This is a case of microblading gone bad, real bad. Yes, this is or was supposed to be a microbladed eyebrow. Thank goodness for Li-FT® saline removal. As you probably already know by know, microblading is the technique of using a hand tool with a row of needles to implant pigment replicating the natural look of eyebrow hair. Microblading is a popular technique and a big part of the permanent makeup industry. It requires specialized training and can take several years to reach the level of high skill and beautiful execution. Unfortunately, right now, the permanent makeup industry is inodiated with people who possess no artistic ability, have taken a two day class and are responsible for they type of bad work this client received.  This is not only happening in the area of microblading, this is happening in all areas of permanent makeup.

What happened in this case is that the technician who did this went way too deep, they implanted the pigment way too deep causing the pigment to migrate and blur together.  Implanting the pigment is also why the color is ashy and unattractive. When pigment is implanted too deep it can it almost always will cause these problems and in many cases it can cause scarring. This is why it is so very important that anyone seeking permanent makeup, whether it be microblading, ombre brows,  powder brows, eyeliner or lips…to do their research and only allow a highly trained, experienced and talented artist get near their face. This is needles and ink we are talking about and too many people are going to unskilled and unqualified people. Look at portfolios and demand to see HEALED work and lots of it. Good eyebrows ain’t cheap and cheap eyebrows ain’t good. So…be prepared to pay for good work so you do not end up like this client and thousands of others.

This saline removal journey took a total of three sessions. The sessions were spaced 8 weeks apart to allow the skin to heal fully and completely. The healing time of 8 weeks is very important in keeping the integrity of the skin. She was awesome, patient and just wanted these puppies gone and that’s exactly what I was able to accomplish for her. I am grateful for her trust in me and the process of saline removal.

Once her brows have healed 3 to 4 months we can then give her a beautiful pair of brows…the brows she should have had in the first place. Due to the scar tissue caused by the person who did this, she will not be a good candidate for the microblading technique. However, she is now a great candidate for an Ombre or powder brow and whichever style she chooses, it will look amazing on her. I will make damn sure of that?

Saline removal is a procedure that uses a saline solution to lift permanent makeup pigment or tattoo ink up and out of the skin. It can be used to lighten or fully remove bad or unwanted permanent makeup or microblading procedure as well as some body tattoos. Saline removal is the most popular form of lightening and removing bad work or botched ink as some like to phrase it. The Li-FT^®  Saline Removal Solution was used to lighten these poorly done eyebrows to the point they are almost non-visible.

A permanent makeup artist trained in the area of saline removal will use either a machine or the hand tool and implant the saline solution into the area of unwanted pigment just as they would if they were implanting pigment to create a beautiful pair of eyebrow. Body tattoo artists are now seeing the value in learning and offering saline removal to their clients.  Body tattoo artists can use a saline removal solution to their advantage in cover up work. The artist can lighten a tattoo to their desired level, until they feel it is light enough that they are no longer restricted and can do a beautiful new design over the old one.

The Li-FT^® is a non-chemical, non-acid, high salt based, fruit seed extract saline tattoo removal solution that is so effective it can lighten a tattoo or permanent makeup procedure to the point it is no longer visible. was formulated in an FDA approved USA Lab by the team of female Chemists at Li Pigments.  We chose very specific types of natural, clean salts and combined them in different percentages to achieve the ultimate saline removal solution and results. The salts are ground down to an exceptionally fine powder eliminating any grit and allowing quick and easy implantation and absorption. We added Aloe Vera and Calendula Extract to promote quicker healing and help prevent scarring. Keep reading for a full ingredient list.

Written by Teryn Darling

What happened?

This client was referred to Angie for saline removal of botched eyebrows done by another artist who was inexperienced & lacked proper training. The client waited 5 days to reach out for saline removal because she was told by her artist that they were “just swollen” & to “trust the process.” So because it was 5 days after the initial treatment, we had to wait another 5 weeks to allow the skin to heal before beginning saline removal treatments.

What is the condition of the clients skin?

She has combination skin, dry in some areas but a little oily in the T-zone area. The client also has thin, sensitive skin so a gentle approach was important to prevent scar tissue from forming. She spent hundreds of dollars on high quality makeup and after her initial healing was done, she spent hours everyday concealing & covering up the brows only to have to redraw them on in a better shape.

What was the goal?

We saw good lightening taking place with each saline removal session and she was wonderful in her patience and trust in the process. Because of the trauma caused by this (both emotional & physical) our goal was complete pigment removal. After our last saline lightening session, I advised her to wait at least 6 months before considering re-doing the brows with new color, as her skin had been through a lot and needs time to rest for best results. She made it very clear that no one but me is ever allowed to touch her brows again and she’ll let me know when she’s ready for new color.

How many Li-FT saline sessions did it take?

After 9 saline removal sessions we’ve been able to lighten her botched brows so much you can hardly see them! It took about 1.5 years to achieve the end result.

Why did it take so long?

It is impossible to estimate how long, or how many saline removal sessions it will take to remove. Some cases may take less sessions and others might take more sessions. There are too many variables involved. How saturated is it? What type of pigment was used? What are the clients goals, to fully remove, or just enough to have them adjusted?

In this case the client’s eyebrows are dark and saturated. Which is a big indicator that it may take several Li-FT sessions to remove. The client was seeking to have them fully removed, which will take more removal sessions to achieve. The eyebrows were badly positioned and shaped, an adjustment was not an option. Other factors that can cause more sessions when it comes to saline lightening is oily, thick skin or if the pigment was implanted deep.

 

The pigment is about completely gone!

 

About Angie Radke

Hi, I’m Angie Radke, artist and owner of Lilikoi Artistry!  I am passionate about helping women feel more beautiful and confident, while looking as natural as possible.

I love learning and continuing to grow in my skills and in January 2017, I attended the Everlasting Brow Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. I got to meet and learn from PMU industry giants such as Tina Davies, Rita Romo, Jenn Boyd, Will Anthony & Monika Ludwiczak. I have also attended Master Class Trainings for Eyebrow Shaping and Microblading at Salon Precis in Orem, and receive on-going education from Bowler Esthetics. In 2018 I became certified in Li-FT Lightening & Removal Techniques through Teryn Darling at Girlz Ink Studio in Las Vegas. In 2019 I completed 2 advanced trainings for Permanent Tattoo Eyeliner through Will Anthony and Teryn Darling and I am now also certified in the most advanced hairstroke technique in Tattoo Eyebrows with Dora Hollos’ Blowzy Brow 3D Hairstroke technique .

I’ve completed an advanced Lip Blush course through Shea Danielle Academy. My newest certifications include the exclusive PixelBlading Artist certification from Brow Tricks Academy and the Advanced Eyeliner Tattoo certifications from Beauté Academy & Girlz Ink Studio. I’ve also taken advanced classes in Removals, Micro Tattoos, and multi-service protocols from my amazing mentor, Kara Gutierrez of Spot On Beauty. I am always so excited to continue to learn & grow in this industry and bring the best services to my clients.

I am proud to say that I have over 14 Permanent Makeup certifications to date, and I’m looking forward to learning more! I am currently seeing clients by appointment only at my studio in West Jordan.

I believe that supporting each other in this industry benefits everyone! The biggest tip I can give to other artists is to practice, practice, practice! We perfect the things we practice, so invest in practice skins, and spend a little time everyday practicing your technique. It will show in the quality of your work and the satisfaction of your clients!

 

Case Study written by Angie Radke

Edited by Girlz Ink

 

One of the biggest questions we get asked all the time is, “How many Li-FT® saline sessions will it take?” The answer, as simple as it may seem is, we really don’t know. There are several factors that play a roll in how many Li-FT® sessions a particular client may need. So just ask yourself a few questions and you can narrow it down to a solid guestimate.

1. What color of pigment are you removing?
   • The color of pigment plays a big roll in how many Li-FT® sessions you will need. Different colors will remove more quickly than others. Carbon, being the smallest molecular pigment tends to remove the fastest. Because of it’s size you can think of it in a way that carbon would be the “lightest” pigment, therefore when performing Li-FT® it will reach the surface much more easily then colors such as Red, Pink, or White.
   • Titanium (white) being the largest molecular pigment can be considered the “heaviest” color to remove.
2. How deep was the pigment implanted?
   • The depth of pigment is important because Li-FT® works off the process of osmosis. If the pigment you are trying to remove was implanted very deep, it will take longer to Li-FT® that pigment to the surface of the skin.
3. How saturated is the pigment?
   • Saturation is a key factor in determining the number of Li-FT® sessions. You can see saturation immediately. What this means is that the previous artist really implanted a ton of pigment into the skin. The more saturated the pigment, the more sessions you will need.
4. Where is the tattoo located that you are going to remove?
   • Believe it or not, tattoos located in certain areas will take longer to remove.
5. What is the client’s skin type?
   • The same with Permanent Makeup, the client’s skin type during Li-FT® is also a determining factor. Are they oily? Are they a more mature skin type? Do they have big pores? These are all good points to consider when performing Li-FT® and “guestimating” the number of sessions it will take.
6. What is the client’s healing process?
   • The healing process is extremely important in Li-FT® removal. You should always make sure that your client is following proper aftercare. If a client is not following the aftercare, it can profoundly affect the progress of your Li-FT® removal.

Please keep in mind, that although these points can help narrow down the number of Li-FT® sessions, it is still not guaranteed. We recommend never promising your client how long it will take. You can always give them a general “Maybe 2-3 sessions” but make sure your client has proper expectations. And the most important thing of all, is to TRUST THE PROCESS!

©Ashley Rose

How many times have you turned away a client who had a migrated eyeliner? Maybe you just didn’t know that it could be fixed? Maybe you thought that something like migration wouldn’t be possible to remove. But luckily, Li-FT® can and WILL fix migration and it does so beautifully.

First, let talk about what migration really is. In the Permanent Makeup Industry, we think of migration as just eyeliners gone bad. But be aware that migration can be found in body tattoos as well. Migration happens for a couple of reasons.

1. Carbon Based Pigments
   1. Carbon is an exceedingly small particle sized pigment, so small in fact that it can travel underneath the surface if not used properly. The first thing to ask yourself when using carbon is, Does the client have visual surface capillaries. If they do, that is your very first indication that Carbon is not a good choice for them. Instead of using carbon, stay safe and go with an Iron Oxide pigment instead.
2. Depth
   1. As with all PMU, depth is vital. If an artist goes too deep while using carbon, even slightly too deep, they are risking migration.
3. Needle Angle
   1. Not using the proper needle angle with carbon can also cause migration.

When an eyeliner or body tattoo has migrated, it means that the carbon did not stay in the place that it was implanted. It actually spread out underneath the skin and this causes a cloudy, blurry or bruise looking effect. For a very long time, years even, Teryn would not even touch a migrated eyeliner. It was believed that removing or lightening a migration would just cause the pigment to spread further. And although this can happen, if you use the proper technique, you can Li-FT® migration safely and effectively.

Never use a spreading technique such as circular movements or whip shading when performing Li-FT® on migration. Instead, you should use the Pointillism technique which is a non-spreading movement. Also keep in mind that it is very important to already be skilled and experienced in tattooing permanent makeup eyeliners before attempting to remove eyeliner and migration.

Several artists who are not familiar with Li-FT® Tattoo Lightening, may think that the product itself contains chemicals or acids. But we can most definitely assure you that there are no acids or chemicals in this amazing product.

Li-FT® is an all-natural salt/saline lightening product with some of the best results in the industry today. Li-FT® is made by Li Pigments who are a licensed, highly credentialed, and respected cosmetics manufacturing lab. All Li Pigments (including Li-FT®) are Certified Vegan and Li Pigments follows all FDA guidelines. Li-FT® has gone through extensive testing from an outside, independent lab for safety and purity.

The Ingredients:

1. Salt!
   • Li Pigments chose certain types of natural, clean salts in combination with each other in extremely specific percentages to achieve ultimate lightening and results. These special salts are then ground down to a fine powder, eliminating any grit and allowing quick and easy implantation.
2. Lemon Seed Extract and Orange Seed Extract
   • Both extracts are remarkably effective in fading and exfoliation. The combination of the two are a powerful force to be reckoned with. Having not one, but TWO fruit extracts contribute to achieving optimal lightening results.
3. Aloe Vera
   • Aloe Vera is a rich emollient known to promote healing to damaged or dry hair and skin. Scientists have found that Aloe has anesthetic, anti-bacterial, and tissue restorative properties. Aloe Vera also helps in the healing of burns from flame, sun, and radiation. It can be used on abraded, blistered skin and cold sores. Aloe has salicylates which have both anti-inflammatory and pain killing characteristics. It also has magnesium lactate, which is a substance that can inhibit histamine reactions of the sort that can cause, among other things, itching and irritation of the skin.
4. Calendula
   • Calendula is a plant known for it’s moisturizing, soothing, astringent, antiseptic, healing, cooling, anti-inflammatory, invigorating, and aromatic properties. This flower can also be used to make medicine and is commonly used for wounds, rashes, infection, inflammation, among many other conditions.

In addition to these amazing ingredients, Li-FT® has no separation and the consistency is perfect for both machine and manual users. Because of the careful execution by Li Pigments to manufacture such a safe product, Li-FT® quickly became the number one saline lightening product in the industry and continues to prove itself worthy of that title!

I ask myself this question during every consultation for someone who has been botched.  “Can I simply color correct a bad permanent makeup procedure & enhance the shape or is it over saturated & requires saline removal and lightening first?”  Why do I ask this question?  Simple, because every time we touch that skin with a needle tattooing we are creating some level of scar tissue.  The more scar tissue created the potential for less retention, nothing tattoo’s quite as well as virgin skin.

We need to weigh the risk to reward every time we do a correction.  I do a thorough consultation & investigation to determine the best course of action.  I look at the area, I find out how many times that area has been tattooed (how many layers of color are there), what technique was done (specifically brows; were they microbladed, powder/shaded, or combination of both) & when was the last time it was worked on.  It is also helpful to know what pigment was used, was it an organic color, inorganic color, or a hybrid of both due to the molecule size differences of organic vs inorganic colors.  I know if it is an organic carbon based pigment the molecules with be smaller than an iron oxide inorganic pigment.  I also take a light to the skin of that tattooed area to see roughly how many pigment particles are still present in the skin.  If I shine the light & it looks solid I know there is quite a bit of ink still in that skin (even if visually it doesn’t look heavily saturated the colorants could of faded leaving behind the pigment particle that will affect how new color takes.)  If I shine the light and I see very little pigment particles present & visually it doesn’t appear over saturated as long as the present shape is workable I proceed with color correction.  (Brows I always color correct via powder/shading, never with hairstrokes because that undesired color with pop through in between each stroke.)

There is no need to remove/lighten & cause additional scar tissue if the shape is workable and the area isn’t over saturated.  If the shape is very off and not something I can correct without some level of removal (2 tails present for brows, very asymmetric, brows too close together/too long/too thick, pigment implanted in undesired areas ect.) then regardless of the area being over saturated or not removal/lightening must be performed.  If the shape is workable however there is just too much pigment present in the skin, AKA over saturated or heavily saturated then full removal is not my goal, however lightening is.  I need to pull some of that pigment out to make room for the new pigment.

If you try to tattoo & color correct an area that is already packed full of pigment the client will leave looking just fine, but once that tattoo heals that new color will not stick.  Therefore you just created more trauma & scar tissue to that skin for no reason.  Think of it like a glass of water, only so much can fit in that glass before it spills over.  We must dump some of that water out to make room for the new water.  Same with tattooing/PMU, we must pull some of that old pigment out to make room for the new pigment.  Depending on how saturated the brow is and how well the clients skin responds to Li-FT treatments will dictate how many sessions of Li-Ft I perform.

We take it a session at a time.  Roughly 30% comes out each session, sessions are 8 weeks apart.  Performing Li-Ft vs laser to lighten or remove pigment will result in less scar tissue therefore getting better retention once it is time to re-tattoo the area.  I let all correction clients know that results vary and corrections are a process to give them realistic expectations.

 

Elsa Torresiani, CPCP

Corrections can be made with color and shape if the pigment is not too saturated. However, if you are looking to have your eyebrows microbladed or powdered over old, highly saturated work, you will need to have the existing pigment removed for optimal results.

There are different modalities of removal — lightening peels, dermabrasion, surgical removal, laser removal, saline removal, etc. Of these techniques, most technicians remove permanent makeup and tattoos with lasers or a saline solution. Laser removal uses intense pulses of light to penetrate the pigment, breaking it up into microscopic fragments that the body then absorbs and eliminates through the body’s lymphatic system. Different wavelengths of light are used to target specific colors, making some colors difficult to eliminate. Lasers do not target Titanium molecules that can be present in lighter pigment colors, and have the capability of turning black after a session of laser removal. Once the titanium has turned black it is solidified in the skin and almost impossible to remove. Another risk you are facing with removing permanent makeup with laser is damaging the hair follicles indefinitely. Certain wavelengths that target specific colors overlap with the same wavelengths used in laser hair removal, so the client may lose eyebrow hair or lashes during the process.

The skin in the treated area also many times will not accept pigment anymore, meaning that the area will not have ability to be re-tattooed. Saline Removal will be a better solution for most clients with permanent makeup. With proper technique, saline effectively removes the pigment and leaves the skin capable of re-tattooing the area. The hair follicles remain healthy and functioning. The amount of pain a client should expect is equivalent to their initial tattooing/microblading session. Numbing agents are used throughout the process. A saline solution is implanted into the skin by a machine or hand tool. The salt in the solution causes a magnetic pull, by means of Osmotic Pressure, on the pigment particles and forces them to the surface layers of the epidermis. The treated area will scab, enclosing the lifted pigment. And as the scab flakes away, so does the pigment. The saline method is much healthier and safer for the body, as the pigment/ink does not have to filter through the body’s lymphatic system. Depending on the level of pigment saturation, removal can be accomplished in one to four sessions, spaced eight weeks apart. Saline removal can get your skin back to a “clean slate” and ready for Microblading or Powder, to get the brows you’ve always dreamed of.