Getting a cosmetic eyebrow tattoo, whether it’s microblading, powder brows, combo brows or some other treatment, requires certain aftercare during the healing period. Once you finish the treatment, the eyebrow tattoo artist will give you specific tips to follow to ensure good healing results, and one of them is to keep your eyebrows dry during the first days of the healing process.
But does it mean that you shouldn’t wash your eyebrows or your face? Let’s find out and answer the question when can I wash my face after eyebrow tattoo.
So, When Can I Wash My Face After Eyebrow Tattoo?
The answer is immediately after. Yes, you can wash your face after the treatment as long as you avoid the eyebrow area. The best option is to wash the bottom part of the face normally, but without splashing water around. You can also use a clean cloth and use it to wash your face gently.
Washing your forehead can be tricky, so it’s best to use a cloth or damp cotton pads to clean it.
You can wash your whole face normally, including the brow area, after all the scabs have fallen off, so 10-14 days after the treatment.
Does That Mean I Shouldn’t Wash My Eyebrows After the Treatment?
Definitely not. You must wash your eyebrows after getting them tattooed but in a certain way.
Here’s how to do it day by day:
Day 1 – since your brows are freshly done, they will be oozing lymph. The lymph needs to be removed, to prevent lymph build-up and heavy scabbing.
Day 2 – you need to start washing your eyebrows. The most often recommended way is to clean them with antibacterial soap and a little bit of water on a cotton pad. This way you will remove sweat, dust, and sebum and prevent infection and again, heavy scabbing.
Days 3 – 10 – during this period you should keep cleaning your eyebrows gently, without splashing them. It’s important to dry them afterward and protect them from steam and sweat. So, protect your eyebrows when you take a shower and avoid heavy sweating.
During this period, you may be advised to use an ointment and moisturize your eyebrows after cleaning them. You should never apply a new layer of ointment before cleaning off the previous one.
After 2 weeks, it’s safe to stop the aftercare routine. Your eyebrows are not a fresh wound anymore and they are taking their final shape. The entire healing process lasts up to 6 weeks.
But My Eyebrow Tattoo Artist Told Me To Keep the Brows Completely Dry? You may be confused because some eyebrow tattoo artists just tell their clients not to get their eyebrows wet. That usually means that they shouldn’t expose them to too much water, splash water onto the brows or swim or go to a sauna.
But cleaning them is a must. If you don’t clean your eyebrows, you risk the build-up of lymph and oils which leads to heavy scabbing. When the scabs fall off, they pull some pigment with them, and if you end up with heavy scabbing, the pigment retention may be poor.
Wet vs Dry Healing
Sometimes, clients think that they shouldn’t wash their brows if they were recommended to dry heal them. Wrong. Both wet and dry healing include cleaning the brows regularly. The only difference is that the wet healing includes applying the ointment afterwards, while the dry healing doesn’t.
How to Protect My Eyebrow Tattoo When I Wash My Hair?
This sounds tricky – you need to wash your hair without getting your eyebrows wet. But there are ways to endure those 2 weeks of the healing process.
The first 3 days are critical and it’s best to avoid washing hair completely. So, wash your hair before the treatment and use dry shampoo if you need to in the first 3 days.
One option is to lean forward and flip your hair over and wash your hair like that, but some water may reach your eyebrows, so it’s not really the best idea.
You can get a protective shield and wear it while in the shower.
There are protective patches you can use to cover freshly tattooed eyebrows in the shower. Your artist may be able to give you some or tell you where to get them, or you can search for them online.
You can also wear snorkeling goggles. They may look funny but will protect your eyebrows perfectly.
Another option is to go to the hairdressers to wash your hair, because they can do it without getting your eyebrows wet.
When Can I Shower After Eyebrow Tattoo? If you can, avoid showering immediately after the treatment. The steam can affect your pigment retention. If you really need to, make it quick and of course, be careful not to get the brows wet.
Most eyebrow tattoo artists will advise you to apply a thin layer of an ointment before showering, to protect the brows from the steam.
Does This Apply to All Eyebrow Tattoos?
Basically, yes.
It doesn’t matter if you choose microblading or powder brows, or microshading or nano brows, all of them imply breaking the skin and will need special aftercare. It’s true that powder brows may heal faster so you’ll be able to wash your face normally sooner, but in the first days, the aftercare is pretty much the same for every treatment.
To Sum Up
So, there you go. The answer to the question when can I wash my face after eyebrow tattoo is on the same day, as long as you keep the area dry and start cleaning it from the second day on. To learn more about the aftercare routine during the healing process, head on to our guides:
Microblading Aftercare
Nano Brows Aftercare
(Ombre) Powder Brows Aftercare
Microshading Aftercare
Thank you PMU Hub for all the great information!!