Does semi-permanent makeup hurt?

What it feels like

A numbing cream is applied first, and most patients describe a scratching or tingling sensation rather than pain.

The lips are usually the most sensitive area. If you are having lips done, expect more than you would for brows, and say so if it is too much — there is no benefit to enduring it quietly.

Why comfort is not the most important question here

Because it breaks the skin. Our treatment page is direct about the implication: it should be treated as a medical procedure, not a beauty appointment.

That reframing changes what you should be asking about.

The four things to ask any provider

Straight from our own treatment page, and worth putting to whoever you are considering — including if that is not us:

1. Medical-grade pigments?
2. Sterile, single-use needles?
3. Is a proper history taken first?
4. Is a doctor supervising?

Ask about all four. A provider who is comfortable answering all four is telling you something; one who is not is telling you something too.

What can go wrong

The recognised effects are swelling, redness and tenderness; darkening then flaking as it heals; uneven healing; cold sore reactivation; and allergic reaction or infection.

If you get cold sores, raise it before the appointment — particularly for lips. That is a foreseeable and manageable problem rather than bad luck.

Afterwards, and the week that alarms people

The colour looks considerably stronger in the first days than it will once healed, and it darkens before it flakes. This is normal healing rather than a bad result.

Wait until it has healed before judging it. The shape and colour can be adjusted at the six-week touch-up, which is part of the treatment rather than an extra.

Timing it

Because of that first week, do not book a first session immediately before an event you care about.

Full detail on the semi-permanent makeup page; see also how long it lasts. Consultation ₹500, waived against treatment.