The patch test: what it tells us about the pigment and the removal plan
A patch test is a small trial on a fragment of permanent makeup or a tattoo. It shows how the pigment and the skin respond to the chosen wavelength and laser parameters. That observation helps plan what comes next and explain it better to the client.
Written by Olena Yantsova
Co-founder of Gangsta Lasers · leads the whole programme
In short
- We watch for a change in the pigment's colour, its lightening or darkening, and the skin's response.
- The result helps decide whether to continue, change the wavelength, consider another method, or wait for healing and reassess.
- The test guides the treatment plan, but it does not reveal the pigment's exact composition or give a firm number of sessions up front.
One colour, many components
A pigment that looks like a single colour can be a mixture of several components. Under the laser, each component can respond differently: one colour starts to lighten, another becomes more visible, and part of the pigment may darken. That is why how permanent makeup looks before treatment does not yet tell us everything about how its removal will go.
Why we do the test
That is exactly why we do a patch test. We check what happens to the pigment after a specific wavelength is applied. Do we see a change of colour? Does another component of the mixture show itself? Is there darkening? After healing, is there lightening? The answers to these questions point to what the next step may be.
The skin answers too
We do not assess the pigment alone. We also watch the skin: its reaction straight after the test, how it heals, and any later changes in colour. Only these observations together make it possible to decide sensibly whether, and how, to continue the removal.
How permanent makeup looks before treatment does not yet tell us everything about how its removal will go.
Observation and records
A patch test does not end the moment the pulse is fired. Some changes are visible straight away, but the lightening of the pigment and the skin's response have to be observed after healing. That is why we document the result with photographs taken in comparable light. We also record the test site, the date, the wavelength and the parameters used.
A plan for the next sessions
On that basis we draw up a preliminary plan. We can anticipate whether the next stage is likely to need a different wavelength, whether to wait for the skin to respond further, or whether another tool is worth considering. We update the plan after every session, because as some components are removed, others may come to light.
The conversation with the client
It is also the basis for an honest conversation with the client. We can show her the real response of her pigment and her skin, explain the possible next stages and give an approximate range of treatments. The exact number of sessions, however, cannot be set on the basis of one small test.
A patch test is not a formality. It is the first step towards running the whole removal process with full awareness.
Subjects
- patch test
- permanent makeup removal
- wavelength
- skin reaction
- treatment plan