Why is my Permanent Eyeliner Fading So Soon?

Question

3 wks ago, I had permanent eyeliner applied. I followed the aftercare to a tee, stayed out of sun, stayed away from direct shower spray, did A & D ointment 3 x's a day, etc. Just 2 days later, the lines faded to lt. gray! Last weekend I went for the follow-up visit & my eyelids were touched up.

	Now that the swelling has gone down & the line is thinner, I can see that they're fading to lt. gray again. Is it my skin or what? That was an expensive procedure & I should be happy with the results. :-(

Jeffrey W. Hall, MD · Answer

It is normal for the tattoo to fade about 30-50% after the first application and then fade again some after the retouch. The top layer of skin is shed and you are left with what is under the skin. Some people do, however, have more fading than others. If you are concerned about the amount of fading you've had, contact your provider for additional guidance.

Keshini Parbhu, MD · Answer

Everyone reacts to tattoo ink in different ways.  Some people reject the pigment altogether.  You may ask the person who did the tattoo to use a darker ink (if there is one).

Why is my Permanent Eyeliner Fading So Soon?

Answers (2)