PMU Skin Types & Pigment Behavior 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client with oily skin wants microblading. Which healed result should you prepare them for?
- Crisp, hairlike strokes that last 2+ years
- Strokes that may blur and fade faster due to excess sebum (Correct answer)
- Darker pigment retention than dry skin clients
- No change in appearance compared to dry skin clients
Correct answer: Strokes that may blur and fade faster due to excess sebum
Oily skin produces excess sebum that breaks down pigment bonds and causes strokes to spread and blur during healing.
Question 2: Which Fitzpatrick skin type is most likely to develop post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) after a PMU procedure?
- Type I
- Type II
- Type III
- Type V–VI (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Type V–VI
Deeper Fitzpatrick types V and VI have more active melanocytes that can overproduce melanin in response to trauma, increasing PIH risk.
Question 3: When implanting pigment into the dermal layer, which skin characteristic causes it to appear lighter at the surface?
- High moisture content
- Thick epidermis scattering light (Tyndall effect) (Correct answer)
- Low sebum production
- Tight pore structure
Correct answer: Thick epidermis scattering light (Tyndall effect)
A thick epidermal layer scatters light waves (Tyndall effect), making subdermal pigment appear lighter or ashen at the surface.
Question 4: A PMU artist selects a warm brown pigment for brows. Over time the client notices it healed with a reddish tone. What most likely caused this shift?
- The pigment was deposited too deeply
- Cool undertones in the skin neutralized the pigment
- Iron oxide particles remained while organic dyes faded (Correct answer)
- The client has a Fitzpatrick Type I skin tone
Correct answer: Iron oxide particles remained while organic dyes faded
Organic color molecules fade faster than iron oxide pigments, leaving behind the red-orange iron oxide base of the original blend.
Question 5: Which skin condition is a contraindication for PMU due to unpredictable pigment migration?
- Mild seasonal dryness
- Active psoriasis in the treatment area (Correct answer)
- Hyperpigmentation on the cheeks
- Sun-damaged but healed skin
Correct answer: Active psoriasis in the treatment area
Active psoriasis causes rapid cell turnover and inflammation that can push pigment out of the dermis and cause unpredictable migration.
Question 6: A client with combination skin (oily T-zone, dry cheeks) is getting PMU lip blush. Where is pigment most likely to fade first?
- The outer vermillion border
- The center of the lips near natural oils (Correct answer)
- The Cupid's bow peaks
- Uniformly across the entire lip
Correct answer: The center of the lips near natural oils
The center of the lips naturally accumulates more moisture and light friction from eating and drinking, accelerating pigment breakdown there.
Question 7: What does 'color theory correction' mean in the context of PMU pigment selection?
- Choosing the darkest available pigment to ensure visibility
- Adding a complementary color to neutralize an unwanted undertone (Correct answer)
- Always matching pigment to the client's natural hair color
- Avoiding all red-based pigments in fair-skinned clients
Correct answer: Adding a complementary color to neutralize an unwanted undertone
Color theory correction uses a pigment from the opposite side of the color wheel to cancel out an unwanted hue, such as adding orange to neutralize blue-gray brows.
PMU Skin Types & Pigment Behavior 2
A client with oily skin wants microblading.
Which healed result should you prepare them for?