PMU: Is it Permanent or Semi-Permanent?

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Answer: Your cosmetic tattoo is: permanent.

When we deposit the pigment, the sweet spot is in between the bottom layer of your epidermis and the top layer of your dermis aka the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ).

Your epidermis is the outermost layer of your skin which consists of 5 layers (from top to bottom):
- statum corneum
- stratum lucidum
- stratum granulosum
- stratum spinosum
- stratum basale (basal layer)

Your basale is the area where cells are being produced and as it's over producing, the older cells gets pushed to the layer above. They will keep getting bumped up and eventually will die on the surface of your skin (stratum corneum) due to the lack of oxygen and blood from it's home base (stratum basale), will shed and eventually turn into dust 😱 😨 .

Since the timeline for the cell turnover is about 4-6 weeks, it is impossible for your tattoo to be semi permanent.

Here are some examples of semi permanent procedures:
✔️ henna
✔️ dye
✔️ lip tinting (gloss that lasts hours or days)

So people ask, "why does it only last so little vs. body art tattoo?"
1️⃣ The skin on your face is more exposed than anywhere in your body so the turnover is much faster.
2️⃣ Your face has much more oils that can break down the pigment, as well as your skin care routine. This will factor into the longevity of the procedure.
3️⃣ The pigment we use on our face is formulated to fade overtime (iron oxides).

Please keep in mind that if you use the term "semi permanent makeup" it can also be a big liability to your business because the client is now expecting the tattoo to fade sooner rather than later.

Hope this helps!

Have questions? 

Contact Us

Hudson Beauty Bar
Address: 1203 River Road, Mezzanine, Edgewater
Phone: (201) 228-0114
Website: hudsonbeautybar.com

Feel free to reach out with any questions or to schedule a consultation!