Removing Yellow Eyebrows

Why Do Eyebrow Tattoos Turn Yellow After Laser Removal- and Can Yellow Pigment Be Removed?

If your eyebrow tattoo has turned yellow after laser removal, don't panic. This can happen during the removal of permanent makeup, particularly with certain modern brow pigments.

The yellow usually hasn't suddenly appeared because the laser has damaged your brows or “turned” the pigment yellow. In many cases, yellow was already present within the original pigment mixture- you simply couldn't see it before.

As the darker colours are removed, the yellow component can be left behind and become much more noticeable.

Unfortunately, yellow is also one of the more challenging tattoo pigment colours to treat with laser.

So, why does this happen, and more importantly, can yellow eyebrow tattoo pigment be removed?

Why do eyebrow tattoos contain yellow pigment?

To understand why brows can turn yellow, it helps to understand how permanent makeup pigments are made.

The brown used for an eyebrow tattoo isn't necessarily a single brown pigment.

Different colorants can be blended together to create the shades used for microblading, powder brows and other permanent eyebrow treatments. These formulations contain combinations of blue/ black, red and yellow colorants.

Yellow may also be incorporated into a formulation to help create a particular warmth or modify the finished brow colour (think blonde colours).

When all of these colours are present together in the skin, you see the intended brow colour.

During laser removal, however, things can change.

Why do brows turn yellow after laser tattoo removal?

Tattoo-removal lasers work by delivering wavelengths of light that are absorbed by particular tattoo pigments.

Different colours absorb different wavelengths more effectively than others.

This means the different colour components within a permanent makeup pigment don't necessarily respond to laser treatment at the same rate.

The darker colours of an eyebrow tattoo usually respond very well. Red or orange components may also respond to an appropriate wavelength.

But unfortunately, yellow pigment absorb many commonly used tattoo-removal laser wavelengths poorly.

As the colours that respond well to the laser are gradually reduced, the yellow colour can become increasingly visible.

The result can be eyebrows that initially looked brown, grey or even very dark but eventually become yellow, mustard or yellow-orange during the removal process.

In other words, the laser hasn't necessarily created the yellow.

It just revealed it.

Why can't the laser just remove the yellow?

This is where eyebrow tattoo removal can become more complicated.

For laser tattoo removal to work effectively, the pigment needs to absorb enough of the laser's energy.

Dark tattoo pigments are generally much easier for commonly used tattoo-removal wavelengths to target because they absorb light effectively.

Yellow reflects a large amount of visible light and can be a poor target for many commonly used tattoo-removal wavelengths.

This is why someone may have several successful laser treatments that dramatically reduce their old eyebrow tattoo, only to reach a point where yellow pigment remains and further laser treatments produce very little improvement.

It doesn't necessarily mean the previous laser treatments haven't worked.

They may actually have worked extremely well on the colours they were capable of targeting.

Is yellow permanent makeup pigment impossible to remove?

Not necessarily.

Yellow eyebrow pigment can be more difficult to remove, but laser isn't the only method available for permanent makeup removal.

When we've reached a point where the remaining pigment isn't responding well to laser, we will consider a non-laser removal method such as saline removal.

Rather than relying on a particular colour absorbing laser light, saline removal uses a different process and therefore isn't dependent on the pigment being dark enough for a laser wavelength to target effectively.

This can make it a useful option for certain stubborn cosmetic tattoo colours.

Can saline removal remove yellow eyebrow pigment?

Saline removal may be considered when yellow pigment remains following laser treatment, particularly when further laser sessions are unlikely to effectively target the remaining colour.

However, every case is different.

How successfully pigment can be removed depends on several factors, including:

• The pigment formulation originally used
• How much pigment remains in the skin
• How deeply it was implanted
• How saturated the original tattoo was
• Previous laser or removal treatments
• The condition of the skin
• How your individual skin heals

This is why we recommend assessing the brows before deciding on the next treatment.

Should I keep having laser treatment on yellow brows?

If your eyebrow tattoo has reached a stage where it is predominantly yellow and isn't changing with further laser sessions, it's worth having the remaining pigment assessed before simply continuing with more treatments.

Laser is extremely useful for permanent makeup removal when there is a pigment present that the laser can effectively target.

But more treatments aren't automatically better if the remaining colour isn't responding to the wavelength being used.

At that point, it may be more appropriate to consider a different removal method.

Can I just tattoo brown over the yellow?

It can be tempting to simply cover yellow brows with another eyebrow tattoo.

Sometimes correction is possible, but continually adding more pigment isn't always the best solution.

If there is already a significant amount of pigment within the skin, adding another layer can create an increasingly saturated cosmetic tattoo. It may initially disguise the unwanted colour but make future fading, correction or removal more complicated.

Where possible, reducing the unwanted pigment first can give us a much cleaner foundation for new permanent eyebrows later.

How do I know whether I need laser or saline removal?

There isn't one removal method that's best for every eyebrow tattoo.

Laser can be extremely effective for certain colours, while saline removal may be useful in situations where the remaining pigment doesn't respond well to laser.

Sometimes the best approach can involve more than one removal method at different stages of the process.



That's why seeing the brows- and knowing what treatments you've already had-  is important before recommending what to do next.

Yellow eyebrow tattoo removal in London

If you've been having laser eyebrow tattoo removal and have been left with yellow brows, it doesn't necessarily mean you've reached the end of the removal process.

Dana specialises in permanent makeup and understands both how cosmetic tattoo pigments are implanted and the challenges that can arise when removing them.

We offer laser and non-laser permanent makeup removal, allowing us to assess the remaining pigment and recommend an approach based on what is actually left in your skin rather than simply continuing with the same treatment.

If you're unsure what to do next, you can send us clear photographs of your brows for an initial assessment or book a consultation to discuss your options.

Your yellow brows may be stubborn... but they don't necessarily have to stay that way.