Since the beginning of the distribution of the Covid vaccine, permanent makeup artists have noticed some of their clients started developing unusually intense reactions to the treatment. They eventually realized that clients who’ve recently been vaccinated experience unpredictable reactions and that the vaccine even affects pigment retention.
Your body can react to the PMU procedure in different ways if you’ve recently had the COVID-19 shot, or are planning to get one soon. The reactions include:
intense swelling
increased sensitivity during and after the procedure
pigment rejection. Since the shot makes your immune system more alert, it will fight any foreign substance more aggressively. This can significantly diminish pigment retention.
That said, of course, it’s not impossible to get both permanent makeup and COVID vaccine. You just have to wait out the advised time period between the two – at least 2 weeks. Otherwise, you could suffer different complications. Extra note: The COVID-19 vaccine can have different side effects. If you get the shot and a PMU treatment around the same time, it may be impossible to distinguish between the side effects of getting the vaccine and PMU complications like infections.
Microblading and Covid Vaccine
When it comes to the effect of the covid vaccine, permanent makeup treatment where complications have most often occurred is microblading, but the recorded responses are similar for other brow PMU procedures, including powder brows. Artists report some of their clients who’ve had microblading up to 3 weeks after they’ve been vaccinated suffered intense swelling of the eyebrow area, the forehead, and even the entire face. The same has been happening to clients who first had their microblading and then got the vaccine a short time after. This is most likely due to the alertness of the immune system, which fights hard against the pigments in the days after getting the vaccine.
This is also why it’s possible that the pigment retention won’t be satisfactory. Your body will try to get rid of the foreign substance – the pigments – so if you’ve recently got the covid vaccine microblading may not work its magic.
Permanent Eyeliner and Covid Vaccine
Apart from the possibility of excessive swelling during and after the procedure which may impede your speech, the lip blush treatment, which is generally more uncomfortable than PMU treatments on other parts of the face, can be quite painful if you’ve recently been vaccinated. The swelling can start midway through the procedure, so your artist may not be able to finish the procedure. In that case, you’d have to wait until 2 weeks have passed after your second dose to finish the treatment. This could lead to uneven results.
Lip Blush and Covid Vaccine
Yes, hyperrealism brows are generally done in two sessions. After the initial session, the skin needs about 6 weeks to heal, at which point the majority of the pigment has settled, but some of it may not have been retained by the skin. That’s why you need to go back for a touch-up appointment, where additional strokes can be added and all potential imperfections that may have emerged during the healing stage can be corrected. After that, you can come back for a touch-up as often or as rarely as you like. You can book an appointment when you notice your brows have started fading in order to prolong the results. Keep in mind that if you have oily skin, you’ll probably need to have more frequent touch-ups.
Additional Measures for Staying Safe from COVID-19 While Getting PMU In the period after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, you should do whatever you can to protect your immunity. This especially means not subjecting yourself to the risk of getting the virus in the weeks to follow. PMU salons should follow strict guidelines to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in their salons. This includes:
paying special attention to hygiene
providing suitable protective gear
urging social distancing on the grounds of the salon.
Even if the salon does all this, the risk of getting infected still exists. The nature of PMU procedures prevents social distancing, and although both artists and clients should wear all the necessary protective gear throughout the procedure (unless you’re getting lip blush and can’t wear your mask), the distance between you is much closer than advised.
As an Artist, How Do I Handle Clients Who’ve Been Vaccinated Recently?
As an artist, you should do whatever you can to protect your business from liabilities. This includes informing your clients of the risks of getting PMU in the weeks before or after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Warn your clients of the possible consequences and ask them if they’ve had the shot or if they’re planning to get it in the near future. But don’t just take their word for it. You should include this question in your PMU consent form, which your clients will have to sign. That way, you cannot be held responsible for any consequences that may occur as the result of them not telling you about their vaccination status. This may lead to some last-minute cancellations, but the alternative could be being held accountable for different complications.
To Conclude Although the excessive reactions that may occur as a result of combining permanent makeup and COVID vaccine are short-term, they should be avoided as they can cause discomfort and stress. No matter how much you want to get permanent makeup, COVID-19 vaccination should be your priority, so reconsider your timing and wait at least 2 weeks before or after your vaccination sequence to get PMU.
-Source: The PMU Hub