What is “pigment migration” in permanent eyeliner or dipliner procedures, and how can it be prevented?

Ink smudging, also known as pigment smudging, occurs when permanent eyeliner ink seeps into the capillaries or loose connective tissue of the eyelid, spreading around the eyes like ink on paper, creating a blue-purple shadow. The main cause is professional error, such as inserting the needle too deeply into the skin (into the subdermal fat tissue); the eyelid skin is the thinnest skin on the body and has a dense network of blood vessels beneath it. Getting too close to the anatomical junction called the “candide” at the outer corner of the eye also triggers smudging. To prevent this, the needle angle must be precisely adjusted, the procedure must be very superficial, and excessively deep strokes should be avoided near the tear duct/outer tail.