Days 1 and 2 Your eyebrows are swollen and there is redness around them. The area is tender to the touch. The strokes look too dark and thick and you might feel that this was a bad idea. The area around your brows is very sensitive and prone to infections, so you have to be careful. What to do? Don’t panic! The color will change into the desired one. Brows will become almost 50% lighter once the microblading healing process ends. Follow the microblading aftercare instructions religiously. Don’t wash your face, don’t apply any makeup, don’t sleep on your face, avoid extensive sweating, swimming pools, saunas, and sunlight exposure. Days 3-4 Your brows will look better and you will be satisfied. You are getting used to the fact that you don’t have to draw or fill them in with a pencil every morning. They are still too dark but are slowly starting to fade. What to do? Keep taking special care of the microbladed area. Don’t be worried if your brows still look too dark – this is perfectly normal, the pigments just haven’t settled yet.
Days 5-7 Somewhere around day 5, the scabbing stage begins. The microbladed area is itchy. You might feel irritated, but scratching is strictly forbidden. The area is still pretty sensitive and scratching can cause complications. The pigment has been inserted relatively shallow into the skin (basal level of the epidermis). It does not go as deep as with traditional tattoo. Because of this, scratching can take it off, and picking at your scabs can literally rip out the pigment from larger areas and leave you with patches. The flaking starts and the scabs emerge. If you are not familiar with the stages of microblading healing process, you might freak out. Bear in mind that this is quite normal and almost everybody has to deal with the scabs during microblading healing. Some people’s skin flakes extensively, while others barely have any scabs. What to do? Calm down and patiently wait for the scabbing stage to finish. You can now wash your face gently but be careful with the microbladed area. Do not scratch the area around your brows because you might pull the pigment out. If you accidentally scratch and take off the pigment, it can be fixed at the touch-up.
Image source: Instagram @brow_geeks
Days 8-10
The scabs are starting to come off and your brows are much lighter than they should be.
You might think that your skin is rejecting the pigment, but this is usually not the case. After all the scabbing and peeling, your brows are still recovering. Now they are light and patchy.
You might notice the baby skin beneath the scabs looks unnaturally light – don’t worry, it will blend in within a few days.
What to do?
Again, don’t freak out.
Don’t run to the microblading artist asking for a money refund thinking that the whole treatment was unsuccessful. This happens to almost everyone who has had their brows microbladed.
If you are really unhappy with them, you can wear makeup, but only if the scabbing is over so as not to cause an infection. Otherwise, relax and wait for the color to come back.
Days 11- 28
The hardest period is behind you and your microblading recovery is almost over.
Your microbladed brows are taking their final shape. They might look patchy at the beginning, but some microbladed strokes will reappear. This is still not the end of the microblading healing process, and you need to be patient just a bit longer.
You might feel excited because the final look of your brows is just around the corner. You are also relieved because all the scabbing is over. The skin of the treated area is not so sensitive anymore, so you can slowly start behaving normally, but keep following your artist’s instructions and avoid certain products and activities.
At the end of the third week, you will see what the brows look like and how the skin has taken the pigment.
If it is still patchy, don’t worry, they can be corrected at the touch-up appointment.
What to do?
Schedule the touch-up.
It is supposed to be done at the end of the healing process, i.e. 4-6 weeks after the treatment, but some artists prefer to wait as long as 8 weeks to pass.
The touch-up is there to correct all the imperfections. For example, if the brows look uneven or if they are patchy, additional strokes are added.
Days 28-42
The microblading healing process is finally over.
Some brows heal faster, some take more time. It depends on:
your age
skin type
overall health
and daily routine and lifestyle.
After the touch-up, your brows will take their final shape and color.
If you followed the aftercare tips and if the microblading artist has done a good job, you will probably be head over heels about your new brows. They will make your self-esteem go through the roof.
PMUHub Tips to Endure the Microblading Healing Process
Tip #1
Before even booking a microblading appointment, make sure you don’t have an important event at least a month after it.
If an unexpected celebration pops up in the middle of your healing process, you will probably have to go with scabbing and swollen brows.
So, plan the date of your microblading treatment carefully, bearing in mind that your brows will not look their best for a few weeks after that.
Tip #2
Try to spend less time in front of a mirror.
If you are obsessed with your brows you might check them every couple of minutes. The color does not change that fast. The redness goes away gradually.
Do something else instead. Read a book, watch TV, try not to think about them.
Tip #3
Don’t let scabbing freak you out.
The fear that you will tear off scabs in your sleep or by accident might bother you, but don’t worry about it too much. If something like this happens, contact your microblading artist.
Tip #4
If you feel desperate when you see how dark and swollen your brows are after the treatment, go online and search for pictures of microbladed brows immediately after the treatment and after the first touch-up.
You will see that it just takes some time for them to be perfect.
Tip #5
Some people take more time to heal, and if you are one of them, don’t be devastated.
Don’t compare yourself to other friends whose brows took less time to heal. Think about the future and how pretty you will be with your brand new brows.
Tip #6
If you notice any symptoms other than the ones described, like intense redness, swelling, or itching not subsiding when they’re supposed to, you might be dealing with a skin infection.
Contact your artist. They’ll probably ask you to send them some pictures of your brows and assess whether there’s any reason for concern.
If you follow aftercare instructions, the chances of getting an infection are extremely low, and even if it does happen, most of them are mild. Nevertheless, don’t ignore signs of an infection – severe ones can happen and antibiotics might be necessary.
Microblading Healing Process After a Touch Up
The microblading healing process after a touch-up, be it the first, mandatory one, or a later one, depends on the amount of work done.
If many additional strokes were done, or if there was some additional shading, you might go through all the described stages. The amount of scabbing you’ll experience depends on the number of new incisions made.
Generally, it will only take a few days for your brows to heal, since the skin didn’t suffer as much trauma. The patches of first darker, then lighter pigment may be visible for a couple of days, but they’ll soon blend in with the rest of the strokes.
Your Microbladed Brows Months Later
Once you soldier through the microblading healing process, you’re set for months.
Six months after the treatment your brows will still look great. Microbladed brows generally last from 9 to 15 months without the need to refresh them.
It depends on your skin type and lifestyle, but also how well you treat them.
Frequent touch-ups will prolong them.
Microblading Healing Process – Main Takeaways
For some people, the microblading healing process can be emotionally exhausting.
If you prepare for it properly, read about all the microblading healing stages and side effects, you won’t be caught off guard and you’ll deal with it more easily, as you won’t be as anxious.
Microblading is definitely worth all the trouble because once the healing process is through, you can enjoy your perfect eyebrows for months, even years.
Image source: Instagram @brow_geeks
Days 8-10 The scabs are starting to come off and your brows are much lighter than they should be. You might think that your skin is rejecting the pigment, but this is usually not the case. After all the scabbing and peeling, your brows are still recovering. Now they are light and patchy. You might notice the baby skin beneath the scabs looks unnaturally light – don’t worry, it will blend in within a few days. What to do? Again, don’t freak out. Don’t run to the microblading artist asking for a money refund thinking that the whole treatment was unsuccessful. This happens to almost everyone who has had their brows microbladed. If you are really unhappy with them, you can wear makeup, but only if the scabbing is over so as not to cause an infection. Otherwise, relax and wait for the color to come back.
Days 11- 28 The hardest period is behind you and your microblading recovery is almost over. Your microbladed brows are taking their final shape. They might look patchy at the beginning, but some microbladed strokes will reappear. This is still not the end of the microblading healing process, and you need to be patient just a bit longer. You might feel excited because the final look of your brows is just around the corner. You are also relieved because all the scabbing is over. The skin of the treated area is not so sensitive anymore, so you can slowly start behaving normally, but keep following your artist’s instructions and avoid certain products and activities. At the end of the third week, you will see what the brows look like and how the skin has taken the pigment. If it is still patchy, don’t worry, they can be corrected at the touch-up appointment. What to do? Schedule the touch-up. It is supposed to be done at the end of the healing process, i.e. 4-6 weeks after the treatment, but some artists prefer to wait as long as 8 weeks to pass. The touch-up is there to correct all the imperfections. For example, if the brows look uneven or if they are patchy, additional strokes are added.
Days 28-42 The microblading healing process is finally over.