Why you should not pick off scabs after PMU
Why clients should not pick scabs after brow PMU: infection risk, slower healing and scarring. How to explain it to them and how wet healing helps.
Many women are bothered by the fact that after PMU (permanent makeup) they will have to walk around with scabs on their eyebrows for several days. It does not look attractive, and they want to pick the scabs off as soon as possible.
How do you explain that the scabs must flake off on their own? I will tell you below. And I strongly recommend saving this article for conversations with your clients ;)
Why do scabs form after eyebrow PMU?
Scab formation is normal. This is how the skin reacts to the micro-injuries it receives while the pigment is being implanted.
Let's look at the tissue reaction in more detail: the tattoo machine damages the skin, and a yellowish serous fluid (lymph) comes out of it.
The body has reacted to the skin damage by putting on natural armour, and as a result scabs have formed.
With very "light" techniques, scabs do not appear — there is only flaking. With denser application, scabs may form to a greater or lesser extent.
Can't you pick off a scab if the PMU has already healed?
If you remove the flakes yourself, two problems appear at once:
Risk of infecting the skin area
- You can introduce an infection through the open wounds left by the scab.
Healing will take longer
- You disrupt the skin's natural recovery process. The wounds will not heal, they will flake again, and the picking story will repeat itself. At the same time, the risk of scarring increases!
By the way, PMU and tattoo artists probably know about "wet healing". These are special gels and ointments — a protective coating that prevents coarse scabs from forming.
Such moisturising products interact well with the epidermis and with the skin in general. A way out for those who are bothered by scabs after PMU!
To sum up: if scabs have formed on the eyebrows, they must not be picked off.
If you do not use gel or ointment coverings for healing, let the body restore the skin on its own.
Crust after PMU: what to do?
Choose what to do with the crust.
The crust forms from serous exudate (ichor) — this is how skin reacts to the micro-injuries of pigment implantation.
Frequently asked questions
Can you pick scabs after eyebrow PMU?
No. Picking them can introduce an infection through the open wounds and disrupts the skin's natural recovery, so the area flakes again and the risk of scarring increases.
Why do scabs form after PMU?
It is the skin's normal reaction to the micro-injuries received while the pigment is implanted: serous fluid (lymph) comes out and forms scabs. With very light techniques there is only flaking; with denser application, scabs may form.
How can you avoid coarse scabs after PMU?
Wet healing: special gels and ointments form a protective coating that prevents coarse scabs from forming. If you do not use them, let the body restore the skin on its own.
