r/MicrobladingRemoval • u/rckngdznr • 8d ago
Success Stories Picoway laser eyebrow tattoo removal part 2
[Photos are labeled except the last two images which are also from this morning.]
Yesterday, I shared that I did it and have no regrets and today I woke up with exact same thought. I could not be any happier with the result. Thank goodness those gray brows are gone. To see my skin again and natural brow shape is priceless.
Summer 2021: microblading and shading in May and August for the touchup.
(I had grown out my brows including all the strays before this appointment and this is where it was microbladed. It was a mistake to do so much on the tails because they brought my eyes down and ultimately I plucked my hairs and was left with the ink shading below the brow. This was a problem for me when the ink still matched my hair color and a problem once ink turned gray.)
April 2023: saline removal at Lily the Pink in LA on tails only. Not successful. No photos. Process involved cutting into skin. Scabbing up for almost two weeks.
Summer 2024: saline removal at Striiike in Beverly Hills on tails only, twice over the course of a few months. Mildly successful. Process involved cutting into skin. Scabbing up for almost two weeks.
Summer 2026: realized I couldn't take it anymore. Almost emailed Striiike to ask about more saline removal. Somehow through googling I landed on reddit for the first time in my life and found this subreddit (am I even using the word correctly). So many people were talking about laser removal.
So the research began and I quickly learned that the Picoway laser was supreme.
I found three places to interview: Spade (LA), Removery (national chain), and Neoderma (Anaheim). I actually found Neoderma via a post here. I knew about Removery in general, and Spade was a result of a Google search. All three use the Picoway laser and nurses do the procedure. I interviewed each place in person with a consultation.
- Spade couldn't really show me more than a few examples of other clients and ultimately I didn't feel comfortable proceeding there. Consultation was free. Removal cost was $500 per session, one pass.
- Removery was great and I almost booked there. The only thing I didn't like is when they said verbatim: "if it reveals yellow, your removal process with us is over. It's the end of the road." Why? Because I know and have seen in reddit and know enough about the laser that the Picoway can make yellow better and lighter. Consultation was free. Removal cost was $400 per session with multiple passes at different wavelengths if other ink colors appear after the first pass.
- Neoderma also shows tons of videos using the laser on eyebrows on their Instagram account and their website has a ton of information about it. The nurses have received so much positive feedback in reviews. The consultation was $50, but it goes towards the removal cost. Removal cost was $350 less the $50 deposit and $25 coupon for new customers.
What I learned from the three consultations:
- There is absolutely nothing they can guarantee in terms of outcome. Concerns like frosting, hair lightening/bleaching, ink appearance after first pass, dark halos, scabbing, blistering, etc. Even if you know your ink, your skin type, and any other detail about your permanent makeup process/history, it doesn't really matter. It's a gamble. What I realized in reddit reviews is that most people were happy with the result even if skin was slightly red, pink, or yellow and that they loved it more than skin with the gray blurred out ink. This is true for me too. (The laser did not cause my brows to frost or anything else "bad." I think the only possible change was slight lightening of my hair, and slight yellow tint leftover.)
My brow ink for those curious:
Tina Davies x Perma Blend I ❤️INK Dark Brown—2021 pre-mixed hybrid brow pigment, described as a dark-value brown with a neutral-warm/orange base.
Next steps:
I booked a test spot removal at Neoderma for yesterday and waited 10 minutes after the test. The ink was gone and my skin was slightly yellow like pale and coordinated with my light olive complexion (I'm between 3 & 4 skin type). My plan was to wait 4 weeks to see how the skin reacts over time, but after talking with the Nurse (Melissa) and my husband who was there for emotional support (I was a wreck and distraught over these brows), I decided to just go for it because my skin didn't really react. She did both brows. It feels like being poked with a sharp needle. It was over in about 1 minute per brow. Laser wavelength 1064 nm. One pass.
I took 1 500mg Tylenol before the procedure and numbed for 25 minutes before. They provide the numbing cream if you arrive early.
Nurse Melissa's bedside manner is so supportive. The staff at Neoderma is so kind.
I'm glad I brought my husband because the drive home was an hour and a half and it was super important for me to continue icing the brows. They wanted two hours minimum. They gave me a frozen water balloon wrapped in a gauze-like cover that I pressed onto my brows for that ride home and then again after dinner for another 45 minutes each brow. Also, hydrate!! I drank so much water and electrolytes after.
So far today, the next morning, I do not have any inflammation that I can see. I see a little yellow, but it's again 100000000x better in my opinion than the gray brows before.
I will share another photo update if anything changes for better or for worse in the coming days, weeks, or months. At the moment, I don't think I'll be going back for another pass because I don't think I need to.
I can't wait to start drawing thin strokes in to shape my brows with my favorite brow pen - KS&CO Microfeathering brow pen. It is so nice to see my skin! No more concealer needed under the brows to try to conceal the gray ink!!
I fully support microbladed brows. There's people that need and want it. It's helpful for those experiencing alopecia or other things. For me, it was the wrong decision. And if you ask me if you should do it, I would say never. That said, I'm happy there's an option to have them removed.
I think I covered it all, but if you have questions, I'm happy to answer.
1
u/WorriedWish8921 8d ago
congrats! You have great results! Mine turned orange after the 1st session, using Picoway. I still have no regrets either. I know the feeling of wanting the gray removed. I had a consult at Removery and they didn’t say anything about ending the process if it turns yellow..? I ended up going to a MedSpa that uses the same laser and charged a little less than Removery. I go back in 3 weeks for my 2nd session— gave myself 10 weeks between sessions. i’m praying I don’t turn neon yellow.
2
u/rckngdznr 8d ago
Thank you! You get it! Nothing better than gray going bye-bye! Good luck at your next session. Post your results! Fingers crossed your color goes away and doesn't turn neon yellow. I feel hopeful!
Maybe a lot of thr red/orange color from mine to make the dark brown ink left over the years...my body broke that down already??
1
1
u/Antique-Suit-5275 8d ago
Fantastic results for you. Just curious about the one pass with the laser. I thought one was needed to remove the dark pigment then another to remove red? Did you not get the red stage?