Laser Treatment on Eybrow Tattoo Has Turned It Dark Blue. What Do I Do Now?

Question

I had eyebrow tatoos a few years ago and they had faded to a very light brown - I could easily cover them with makeup but want to be able to go makeup free. They were badly positioned above my brow line so I had laser treatment to remove them and they are now darkish blue and have not faded after six weeks. They look dreadful. What should I do and how do I find a real expert in this field? What qualifications should I look for and what questions should I ask to ensure that I get best result?

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hi Dealwitit.  Our experience with permanent makeup removal is that even though it can turn a funky color after treatment, it will continue to fade and be removed with additional treatments.

	We make our patients aware of this fact before treatment and let them know that they may need to pencil over it after treatment.

Omar Ibrahimi, MD, PhD · Answer

I am sorry to hear about your treatment. I would highly recommend you see a dermatologist that has fellowship training in laser surgery. The entire field of lasers in medicine was started and advanced by dermatologists. This is a rare but real side effect in which ink particles can actually darken with treatment. It has to do with an oxidation-reduction chemical reaction which changes the ink particles slightly and makes them darker.

Laser Treatment on Eybrow Tattoo Has Turned It Dark Blue. What Do I Do Now?

Answers (2)