Photo of Healing Hues PMU owner with client.

Frequently Asked Questions

Understanding what to expect before, during, and after your services will ensure a pleasurable experience and successful healing journey.

  • You don’t need to have it all figured out before booking. During your appointment, I’ll evaluate your skin type, natural features, current pigment or scar condition, and your desired outcome to recommend what will heal the most natural and last the best. For permanent makeup, some skin types hold hair strokes better while others are better suited for a soft powder look. For paramedical tattooing, the area must be fully healed, typically 6–12 months, and we assess tone, texture, and suitability before starting.

  • Most clients say it’s much easier than they expected. I apply a topical numbing cream throughout the procedure to keep you comfortable. You may feel light pressure or a scratching sensation, but it is very manageable. For paramedical tattooing, it’s often described as mild, though sensitivity can vary depending on the area.

  • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and blood thinners like ibuprofen or aspirin for at least 24 hours before your appointment, as these can increase sensitivity and bleeding. Stay hydrated, get a good night’s sleep, and come in with clean skin with no makeup, lotion, or oils on the treatment area. For permanent makeup, timing may need to be adjusted if you regularly get Botox or fillers. For paramedical tattooing, the area should be free of lotions, oils, or self-tanner, and healthy, hydrated skin responds best.

  • Yes, but it depends on the current color, shape, and how much pigment is still in the skin. For permanent makeup, some cases may require correction or lightening first before we can achieve the best results. For paramedical tattooing, previous treatments and the condition of the scar will determine the safest and most effective approach.

  • If you are pregnant or nursing, currently undergoing certain medical treatments, prone to keloid scarring, or have uncontrolled skin conditions in the area, we may need to postpone. Some medications and health conditions can also affect healing and pigment retention, so if you’re unsure, just reach out.

  • Paramedical tattooing uses tattooing techniques to address skin concerns caused by scarring, surgery, or conditions like vitiligo — rather than for decorative purposes. At Healing Hues, this includes Inkless Revision, which uses medical-grade serums to stimulate your skin's natural healing response, and Camouflage, which uses custom-blended pigments to blend scars or areas of lost color into the surrounding skin. Not sure which is right for you? A consultation is required before any paramedical service and is the perfect place to start.

Before your appointment

  • Everything is customized and I take my time to ensure it’s precise. For permanent makeup, I map your brows or outline your lips first and walk you through the entire design, and nothing starts until you’ve approved the shape and feel confident. For paramedical tattooing, I custom-blend pigments to closely match your natural skin tone, then carefully implant that pigment to soften contrast and help the area blend seamlessly.

  • Most appointments take about 2–3 hours depending on the service and area being treated. This includes consultation, mapping, color selection, numbing, and the procedure itself.

  • Yes, this is completely normal. For permanent makeup, brows or lips will appear darker, more defined, and slightly more intense right after your appointment, then soften by about 30–40% as your skin heals. For paramedical tattooing, you will notice improvement right away, but the color may appear slightly different at first before it settles into a more natural result.

  • 100%. Nothing starts until you’ve approved the design and feel confident. I guide you through color choices so they heal naturally with your skin tone, not too warm, too cool, or too harsh.

  • Permanent makeup is typically a two-step process with an initial appointment and a touch-up session. Paramedical tattooing is more gradual and usually requires multiple sessions, often 3–6, since scar tissue does not always retain pigment evenly and building the result gradually gives the most natural outcome.

  • Both services are considered semi-permanent. Over time, your body naturally breaks down the pigment and your skin regenerates, causing the color to fade.

During your appointment

  • Healing happens in stages. For permanent makeup, the area may look darker at first, followed by light flaking or dryness, then appear lighter or slightly patchy before it settles, with full healing taking about 6–8 weeks. For paramedical tattooing, healing is typically mild with slight redness, sensitivity, or dryness, and final results develop over about 4–6 weeks as the pigment settles.

  • For best results, avoid sweating, swimming, saunas, direct sun exposure, and picking or scratching the area while it heals. For permanent makeup, you’ll also want to avoid applying makeup to the treated area. For paramedical tattooing, it’s important to avoid friction or tight clothing over the area.

  • This is a normal part of the healing process. Your skin holds pigment at different rates, and some areas may appear lighter or even disappear temporarily before the color returns and evens out. This is exactly why follow-up sessions are important.

  • Yes. Permanent makeup includes a touch-up session, typically 6–8 weeks later, to perfect the shape, adjust color, and fill in any areas that healed lighter. Paramedical tattooing requires multiple sessions to gradually improve coverage, color matching, and blending for the most natural result.

  • Permanent makeup typically lasts 1–3 years depending on your skin type, sun exposure, skincare routine, and lifestyle. Paramedical tattooing results are long-lasting but may fade over time, and some clients choose maintenance sessions to keep results looking fresh.

  • No. The goal is improvement, not perfection. Paramedical tattooing helps blend the area with your natural skin tone so it becomes much less noticeable, but it does not completely erase the skin.

After your appointment

View through an open door into a room with shelves containing neatly organized products and a black cabinet with yellow handles, seen through a metal door with vertical bars.

Still have questions?

We’d love to hear from you.