Microblading and permanent makeup: what the FDA says about inks, risks and removal

Microblading is a form of superficial micropigmentation: a hand tool with a blade of stacked fine needles deposits pigment in the upper layers of the skin to look like eyebrow hairs.² Permanent makeup, such as eyeliner or lip color, puts pigment in the skin with a tattoo method.¹

Here is what the FDA says about the inks, what reviews report about microblading and why removal is hard. Whether to have it is for you and a clinician or licensed practitioner.

What it is

The FDA considers the inks used in intradermal tattoos, including permanent makeup, to be cosmetics. The pigments in them are color additives, which are subject to premarket approval, but the FDA has traditionally not exercised that authority over tattoo pigments. The practice of tattooing is regulated by local jurisdictions.¹ Ask who regulates the studio where you plan to go.

A 2021 review describes microblading results as semi-permanent, lasting only 12 to 18 months. It also notes uses beyond looks, in people who have lost eyebrows to alopecia or chemotherapy.²

The inks

The FDA says more than fifty pigments and shades are in use and the list keeps growing. It says none of the color additives approved for cosmetics is approved for injection into the skin, so an ink made with an unapproved additive is adulterated. Many pigments are not approved for skin contact at all, and some are industrial grade colors suited to printers' ink or automobile paint.¹ In 2003 and 2004 the FDA learned of more than 150 reports of adverse reactions to certain permanent makeup ink shades, and the inks were voluntarily recalled in 2004.¹

The FDA also describes reports of infections from contaminated inks in 2012, and a recall of tattoo inks for microbial contamination in 2017.¹

Risks

The FDA lists these as the main complications of tattooing.¹

For microblading in particular, a 2023 review of 21 cases of granulomatous reactions found half were foreign-body granulomas and the rest were linked to sarcoidosis. The authors call these reactions rare and say microblading is generally well tolerated.³ A 2021 review reports that as microblading has grown more popular, more untrained people are performing it, with more side effects.²

Fading and removal

The FDA says removing tattoos and permanent makeup can be very difficult. It adds that permanent makeup that looked right at first can later clash with changing skin tones and facial contours, and that people planning facial cosmetic surgery are advised that their permanent makeup may become distorted.¹ Our laser tattoo removal page covers what removal involves.

What med spas offer

619 of the 7,475 med spas we list offer tattooing, microblading or permanent makeup. Laser tattoo removal isn't counted. That doesn't tell you who does the work or how the studio is regulated, so ask.⁴

Here is what to bring to a consultation.

Cost

We don't give prices on this page.

Common questions