Treatment category
Permanent Makeup (PMU) — safety by condition
Semi-permanent cosmetic tattooing — microblading, lip blush, eyeliner, and powder brows.
In short
Permanent Makeup (PMU) covers 6 treatments, with 440 published verdicts across 300 conditions. The conditions with the most restrictions here are A high temperature (fever) and A mole that is changing.
In this family
Treatments in this category
- Areola TattooAlso called: 3D nipple tattoo, post-mastectomy tattooMedical tattoo creating the appearance of an areola — typically after breast reconstruction.
- Eyeliner TattooAlso called: permanent eyeliner, lash line enhancement, lash line tattooSemi-permanent pigment along the lash line for enhanced eye definition.
- Lip Blush / Lip TattooAlso called: lip tint tattoo, permanent lip colour, aquarelle lipsSemi-permanent tattoo of soft pigment into the lips for tinted, enhanced colour.
- Microblading (Eyebrows)Also called: eyebrow embroidery, feather brows, hair-stroke browsSemi-permanent eyebrow tattooing using a manual blade to create hair-like strokes.
- Powder Brows / Ombré BrowsAlso called: machine brows, ombre brows, shading browsMachine-applied PMU technique that creates a soft, powdered makeup look for brows.
- Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP)Also called: SMP, hair tattoo, scalp tattooTattooing tiny pigment dots into the scalp to mimic hair follicles — for hair loss or thinning.
Where it is restricted
Conditions this category is restricted for
Computed from the verdicts on the condition pages — most restricted first.
- A high temperature (fever)6 to avoid
- A mole that is changing6 to avoid
- A new tattoo6 to avoid
- Alcohol intoxication6 to avoid
- An open wound or broken skin6 to avoid
- Anaemia (severe)6 to avoid
- Angina (unstable)6 to avoid
- Blood clot in the leg (active DVT)6 to avoid
- Boils6 to avoid
- Brain haemorrhage (acute)6 to avoid
- Breastfeeding6 to avoid
- Bullous pemphigoid6 to avoid
- Cellulitis6 to avoid
- Chickenpox6 to avoid
- Common cold6 to avoid
- COVID-196 to avoid
- Dementia and Alzheimer's disease6 to avoid
- Dermatitis herpetiformis6 to avoid
- End-of-life and palliative care6 to avoid
- Erysipelas6 to avoid
- First trimester (weeks 1–12)6 to avoid
- Flu6 to avoid
- Heart attack (first six weeks)6 to avoid
- Impetigo6 to avoid
- Keloid scars6 to avoid
- Keloid-prone skin6 to avoid
- MRSA6 to avoid
- Pemphigus6 to avoid
- Psoriasis6 to avoid
- Recent chemical peel6 to avoid
- Recent laser treatment6 to avoid
- Recent surgery (any operation)6 to avoid
- Second trimester (weeks 13–27)6 to avoid
- Severe dehydration6 to avoid
- Shingles6 to avoid
- Stroke (first six months)6 to avoid
- Third trimester (week 28 to birth)6 to avoid
- Tuberculosis (TB)6 to avoid
- Tummy bug6 to avoid
- Anaemia (mild)6 needing caution
- Angina (stable)6 needing caution
- Beauty treatments at 75+, living with frailty6 needing caution
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD)6 needing caution
- Congenital heart disease6 needing caution
- Dialysis6 needing caution
- Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS)6 needing caution
- Food allergies6 needing caution
- Fragrance allergy6 needing caution
- Hay fever and seasonal allergies6 needing caution
- Heart attack (recovery, after six weeks)6 needing caution
- Heart failure6 needing caution
- High cholesterol (hyperlipidaemia)6 needing caution
- Latex allergy6 needing caution
- Nickel and metal allergy6 needing caution
- Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)6 needing caution
- Preservative allergy6 needing caution
- Recent vaccination6 needing caution
- Trying to conceive6 needing caution
- Type 1 diabetes6 needing caution
- Cold sore4 to avoid
- Beard ringworm3 to avoid
- Facial ringworm3 to avoid
- Warts3 to avoid
- Blepharitis1 to avoid
- Conjunctivitis1 to avoid
- Conjunctivitis1 to avoid
- Conjunctivitis1 to avoid
- Dry eye1 to avoid
- Jock itch1 to avoid
- Recent cataract surgery1 to avoid
- Recent eyelid surgery1 to avoid
- Recent laser eye surgery1 to avoid
- Ringworm1 to avoid
- Scalp ringworm1 to avoid
- Blepharitis1 needing caution
- Dry eye1 needing caution
- Sjögren's syndrome1 needing caution
Sources
- EULAR (European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology)EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (Smolen et al.)
- PubMed Central (peer-reviewed meta-analysis)Methotrexate and infection risk in rheumatoid arthritis — meta-analysis (Ibrahim et al.)
- The LancetBiologic treatment and serious infection risk in rheumatoid arthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis of 106 trials (Singh et al.)
- British Association of DermatologistsGuidelines for the management of bullous pemphigoid
- International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid FoundationLiving with pemphigus and pemphigoid
- American Diabetes AssociationFoot care and diabetes
- Diabetes UKLooking after your feet with diabetes
- NHSDiabetes and foot problems
- NICENG28 — Type 2 diabetes in adults: management
- British Heart FoundationHeart Matters — patient information, massage and complementary therapy guidance
- NHSIron deficiency anaemia
- BMC Pregnancy and ChildbirthFatal pulmonary embolism following leg massage in undiagnosed deep vein thrombosis (case report)
- British Association of DermatologistsBacterial skin infection management
- NHSBoils and carbuncles
- NHSMRSA
- NHSCellulitis and erysipelas
- NHSImpetigo
- NICEClinical Knowledge Summary: impetigo
- UKHSAUK Standards for Microbiology Investigations
- NHSCommon cold
- NHSCOVID-19
- NHSFlu (influenza)
- NHSDiarrhoea and vomiting (gastroenteritis)
- UKHSALiving safely with respiratory infections, including COVID-19
- NHSChickenpox
- Royal College of Obstetricians and GynaecologistsChickenpox in pregnancy
- UKHSAChickenpox (varicella): guidance
- CDCUniversal precautions for prevention of transmission of bloodborne infections
- NHSHIV and AIDS — how HIV is transmitted
- National AIDS TrustHIV guidance for hairdressers and beauty professionals
- StatPearls / NCBIUniversal precautions (Kopitnik & Kahwaji)
- UK ParliamentEquality Act 2010, Schedule 1
- British Association of DermatologistsTinea (dermatophyte infection) management
- NHSAthlete's foot
- NHSRingworm and other fungal infections
- NICEClinical Knowledge Summary: fungal skin infection
- Primary Care Dermatology SocietyFungal skin infections
- British Association of DermatologistsHerpes zoster management
- NHSShingles
- UKHSAImmunisation against infectious disease (the Green Book), chapter 28a — Shingles (herpes zoster)
- NHSTuberculosis (TB)
- NICENG33 Tuberculosis
- UKHSANotifiable diseases and causative organisms: how to report
- UKHSATuberculosis: guidance, data and analysis
- MDPI (peer-reviewed)The Risk of Using Cosmetics and Cosmetic Procedures During Pregnancy
- Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government)Cosmetic procedures and beauty treatments during pregnancy and breastfeeding
- American College of Obstetricians and GynecologistsSkin conditions during pregnancy
- NHSPregnancy skincare guidance
- US Food and Drug AdministrationPregnancy and Lactation Labeling (Drugs) Final Rule
- Allergan (AbbVie)BOTOX (onabotulinumtoxinA) prescribing information
- Age UKWellbeing, touch and personal care in later life
- British Geriatrics SocietyFit for Frailty — recognising and managing frailty
- NICENG56 — Multimorbidity: clinical assessment and management
- American Journal of Medical Genetics Part CThe 2017 international classification of the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (Malfait et al.)
- Ehlers-Danlos Support UKLiving with EDS — skin, healing and bruising
- NHSEhlers-Danlos syndromes
- The Ehlers-Danlos SocietyEDS types, skin fragility and joint hypermobility
- Hospice UKComplementary therapies and personal care in hospice settings
- Look Good Feel Better UKNail care, skin care and makeup during cancer treatment
- Macmillan Cancer SupportComplementary therapies and wellbeing
- Marie CurieComfort, dignity and personal care at the end of life
- NHSBody image and self-esteem
- UK Obesity FederationDignity, equipment and access in service settings
- British Association of Aesthetic Plastic SurgeonsPost-operative recovery timelines
- NHSRecovering from an operation
- Royal College of Surgeons of EnglandRecovering from surgery — patient information
- JAMA DermatologyDelayed inflammatory reactions to hyaluronic acid fillers after COVID-19 vaccination — case reports
- Equality and Human Rights CommissionReasonable adjustments for disabled people — guidance for service providers
- MencapCommunicating with people with a learning disability
- RNIBServing customers with sight loss
- RNIDCommunication tips for serving deaf customers
- ScopeMaking services accessible to disabled customers
- UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk)Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended, Northern Ireland)
- British Association of DermatologistsSkin cancer recognition guidance
- NHSMoles and the ABCDE checks for melanoma
- National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceNG12 — Suspected cancer: recognition and referral
- American Academy of DermatologyPost-procedure healing guidance
- American Academy of DermatologyKeloid management guidelines
- British Association of DermatologistsGuidance for skin of colour
- British Association of DermatologistsPsoriasis guidelines
- National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceClinical Knowledge Summary — Psoriasis
- National Psoriasis FoundationKoebner phenomenon and trigger management
- General Medical Council (UK)Good Medical Practice
- UK legislationMental Capacity Act 2005
- Kidney Care UKLiving with kidney disease — patient information
- NHSChronic kidney disease
- NICEChronic kidney disease: assessment and management (NG203)
- Alzheimer's SocietyDementia — information and support
- Dementia UKPersonal care and wellbeing in dementia
- NICEDementia: assessment, management and support (NG97)
- British Association of DermatologistsPatch testing — patient information
- British Contact Dermatitis SocietyContact allergy guidance
- UK legislationThe Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013
- British Thyroid FoundationThyroid disorders — patient information
- NHSUnderactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
- NICE Clinical Knowledge SummariesHypothyroidism
- British Menopause SocietyMenopause — clinical guidance for patients
- NHSMenopause and perimenopause
- NICEMenopause: identification and management (NG23)
- The Menopause CharityMenopause symptoms and skin changes
- NHSOveractive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
- NICE Clinical Knowledge SummariesHyperthyroidism
- American College of RheumatologySjögren's syndrome — dry eye management guidance
- Sjögren's UKLiving with Sjögren's — dry eye management
- American Academy of OphthalmologyPatient eye health guidance
- College of Optometrists (UK)Clinical management guidelines
- NHSBlepharitis
- American Optometric AssociationClinical guidance on eyelash extensions, dry eye and contact lens wear
- College of Optometrists (UK)Contact lens care guidance
- American Academy of OphthalmologyEyelash Extension Facts and Safety (Mukamal & Taylor)
- Journal of Clinical MedicineEyelash extensions and the ocular surface (Grupcheva et al.)
- American Academy of DermatologyMedical tattooing
- Look Good Feel Better UKBeauty and confidence support during cancer treatment
- Macmillan Cancer SupportHair loss and cancer treatment
- NHSCataract surgery — recovery and aftercare
- Royal College of OphthalmologistsCataract surgery standards and patient information
- American Academy of OphthalmologyOculoplastic surgery guidelines
- British Association of Aesthetic Plastic SurgeonsBlepharoplasty aftercare
- NHSLaser eye surgery and lens surgery — recovery
- Royal College of OphthalmologistsRefractive surgery standards and patient information
- US Food and Drug AdministrationLASIK patient information
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation TrustConjunctivitis — patient information
- NHSConjunctivitis
- American Academy of DermatologyCosmetic procedure guidelines
- British Association of DermatologistsHerpes simplex management guidance
- NHSCold sores (herpes simplex) patient information
- NHS Scotland (Scottish Dermatology Society)Viral warts pathway
- NICEClinical Knowledge Summary: warts and verrucae
- Primary Care Dermatology SocietyWarts and verrucae — patient information leaflet
Written by Anna · London-trained cosmetologist
Last updated