Objective: The appearance of the periorbital area can be improved with eyebrow permanent makeup (PMU); however, the effect is not always acceptable, and the patient may seek to remove it. This study aimed to confirm whether the removal of unsatisfactory eyebrow PMU influences quality of life, and to analyze the factors related to any improvement in quality of life after treatment.
Methods: The study included 75 participants recruited consecutively (mean age: 42.8 ± 10 years); all were female, with Fitzpatrick skin type I-III, who accomplished PMU removal in one Clinic. During an initial visit, the patients indicated their demographic data, motivation, and reasons for dissatisfaction with PMU in a questionnaire and completed the WHO quality of life brief form (WHOQOL-BREF). Two treatment modes were implemented: laser treatment or laser plus chemical remover. The WHOQOL was completed a second time at least three months after treatment.
Results: The most frequent cause of dissatisfaction was color (43.8%), followed by color and shape (37%), color intensity/saturation (19.2%), and shape alone (11%). Significant differences in the WHO-1, WHO-2, DOM-1, and DOM-3 domains of the WHOQOL-BREF were found between baseline and after treatment.
Conclusion: Removal of unsatisfactory PMU in Caucasian women with Fitzpatrick skin types I-III resulted in significant improvements in overall quality of life and its physical and social domains. The physical aspect shows that the patients consider unwanted PMU as a physical impairment, which, although not being disabling, nevertheless affects body-related quality of life. In addition, a significant improvement in the psychological domain was also observed after treatment.
Keywords: WHOQOL‐BREF questionnaire; permanent make‐up; quality of life.
© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.