Microblading is rapidly growing in popularity, with cosmetic tattoo studios booking more first-time appointments than ever before. As a semi-permanent solution to scarce, over-tweezed, or lost eyebrows, it can be a great alternative to everyday makeup or permanent tattooing. If you’re interested in microblading, it’s important to prepare for your appointment, including learning the basics of what to expect from microblading for optimal healed results.
MICROBLADING: WHAT TO EXPECT
First things first: microblading is a cosmetic tattoo procedure that makes sparse, over-tweezed, or over-waxed brows appear fuller. Skilled microblading artists can cover most scars and fill gaps by defining brow shape, creating an arch, or adding density. Microblading is semi-permanent, which means that it will last about 18-24 months before fading if done well. Certain factors can affect its longevity, including the artist’s expertise, products used, your skin type, and your dedication to aftercare.
Because facial skin is so delicate and microblading is such a hyper-realistic, highly visible, detailed form of tattoo, you’ll want to do as much research on your artist as you would with a conventional tattoo artist—maybe even more! Be sure to look through their gallery to ensure that you like their work and that they deliver consistent results. It can also be beneficial to reach out to the artist with a list of questions to ask before microblading or view the artist’s website for research purposes. You’ll want to verify their certifications, technique, reviews, and experience. You can also ask about what types of health conditions might not make you the right fit for microblading.
It’s also good to know what a microblading appointment looks like before your visit. The first appointment lasts two to three hours on average. You’ll collaborate with your artist to map out your desired eyebrow shape and agree on the mapping and measurements together. The artist will choose a color to match existing brow hair, and you can select a slightly darker color if you wish.
Many people wonder: does microblading hurt? While everyone’s pain threshold is different, you can rest assured that your artist will apply numbing cream to start and numbing gel throughout the process. While you will likely have some redness and tenderness afterward, most people find that microblading is relatively easy and painless.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR MICROBLADING
Proper preparation is another essential aspect of what to know before microblading. Your skin should be as fresh as possible, so arrive at your first appointment without heavy creams or sunscreen on your face. Avoid exercise and caffeine on the day of your appointment, and refrain from drinking alcohol 24 hours prior. In the week leading up to your appointment, avoid the sauna or tanning and discontinue any fish oil or vitamin E supplements you might be taking. Don’t schedule any deep exfoliation procedures or botox injections in the brow area for at least two to three weeks before your microblading appointment. You should also stop using retinol products, acne treatments, or salicylic acid on your brows in the month before your work. People who have taken antibiotics in the last two months, people using blood thinners and pain killers, and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding are not eligible for microblading.
MICROBLADING AFTERCARE
It’s also essential to understand how your brows will heal following your microblading appointment. Immediately after the procedure, your eyebrows might be tender and may look much more bold and dark than expected. The day after your appointment, just let your brows relax and begin healing. During the next seven days, you should use your fingertips to gently wash your eyebrows each morning and night with water and an antibacterial soap like Cetaphil or Neutrogena. Don’t use cleansing products containing any acids or exfoliants.
Moisturize your brows with aftercare ointment in the week following your appointment. Use a cotton swab to spread a rice grain-sized amount of ointment across the treated area. The ointment should be barely noticeable on the skin, so be careful not to over-apply. Limit your showers to just five-eight minutes during this period to avoid exposing your new brows to an excessive amount of steam. It’s also important to keep your face dry until the very end of the shower to prevent excessive rinsing and hot water on the treated area.
THINGS TO AVOID AFTER MICROBLADING
In the ten days following your appointment, you should avoid using makeup on your brows or scratching or picking at the treated area. You’ll also want to keep sweat off your brows, so no exercise, swimming, or saunas during the first ten days after treatment. Refrain from UV exposure or tanning, laser light therapy, or facials for 30 days after your appointment.
While these pre-care and aftercare requirements may seem restrictive, they’re designed to help you see the best results possible from your microblading procedure. After your initial appointment, you’ll need to come back for a touch-up about six to 12 weeks later to make any adjustments or add any hair strokes to achieve perfection! After that, artists recommend coming in for appointments every two years or so to maintain your eyebrows.
CONTACT DAELA COSMETIC TATTOO FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you have any more questions about what to know before microblading, want to talk about our artists’ qualifications or styles, or learn about preparing for an appointment, reach out to us at (971) 337-5401 or info@daelaportland.com. We’d love to talk about how we can create a highly realistic and natural-looking microbladed brow for you.
