ALL ABOUT Microblading
MICROBLADING FAQ
WHAT IS MICROBLADING?
Microblading, is a type of eyebrow architecture. It is the process of manually implanting color pigment just beneath the surface of the skin by means of tiny, sterile, disposable needles to produce the appearance of hair strokes, makeup, and to naturally enhance the face. The process is very precise with 12-14 extremlely tiny needles just delicately scraping the surface of the skin much like a paper cut.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MICROBLADING AND TATTOOING?
The purpose of microblading is to enhance the features with what appears to be undetected, natural looking eyebrows. Microblading is more subtle – it is meant to be a natural-looking enhancement. Traditional tattoos use electric tools and ink while microblading procedures involve pigments (ours are organic) and an manual hand tool.
DO MY EXISTING EYEBROWS NEED TO BE SHAVED OFF?
Most definitely NOT! Please do not tweeze, thread, wax or modify your eyebrows in any way for as long as possible, and no sooner than two weeks. The beginning of your service includes a brief consultation, followed by shaping and finally a discussion about color. Your regular brow maintenance of tweezing, threading, waxing and/or tinting may continue once the brows have healed.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE PROCESS?
Step 1 ANALYSIS: We will take a look at your natural eyebrow shape and determine together where we want to give you a fuller more defined look. You should arrive with your brows made up how you normally have them, so we can see what you look like. Your natural eyebrows without any makeup are then examined and brushed back, so we can see what we are working with.
Step 2 MEASURMENTS: The next step involves using several methods to measure the position of your brows so they are even. It is important to remember that eyebrows are sisters not twins. If you have a prominent brow bone, your brows will be fuller. The opposite applies if you have a delicate brow bone, your brows will be slimmer. Your eyebrows should be similar in shape and size but may not be perfectly matched in every compared detail. Eyebrows should be balanced together and bring harmony to your face. We will discuss the shape which we will recommend is in line with your natural brow shape and what will best suit your face. You don’t want to end up looking like Spock from Star Trek, so remember that we are perfecting YOUR eyebrows, not stamping on another’s.
Step 3 PENCIL/COLOR: Once we have agreed on the shape and overall finish you desire, we will then draw on the eyebrows. This wont be representative of the final look, since the pencil outline is solid, rather than hair strokes. It is just to get an idea of the shape and positioning before we numb and begin the process. We will discuss color choice before we apply your numbing and begin!
Step 4 WORKING: After we remove your numbing we will begin working in sections flowing from one to another on each brow. Tiny emulated hair strokes are etched into the skin. We work carefully and controlled. Pain will vary based on tolerance but honestly most client report feeling a scratching sensation and sound. Your eyes may water a bit and you may feel like you have to sneeze! Once we finish our first pass of strokes we typically do what is called a pigment mask. We will leave this on to saturate the strokes and then finish our last passes adding any definition that is needed and/or reinforce any stokes. When we finish your brows will be well shaped and defined. Keep in mind to plan accordingly, your brows may be red around (similar to an after waxing session,) and will be 70% darker straight after compared to when they are healed.
Step 5 TIME TO HEAL: You will be given aftercare products instructions on how to use them. Remember that the skin is open like a wound so it is important to follow all instructions to detail. Your brows will look quite pronounced at first and you may get use to that fierce look but be prepared for them to fade. Days 5-7 they may start to itch which is perfectly normal but you must remember to try not to touch them other than any aftercare steps. As they fade you may fell disappointed but stay patient- it is perfectly normal for brows to get lighter while going through the healing process but the color will come back again.
Step 6 PERFECTING SESSION: You will need a second (shorter) session of microblading for the full effect. We will discuss the results so far and decide how much you want to add. The process will be the same (with less mapping,) and you will follow the same aftercare!
DOES IT HURT?
Everyone has a different level of sensitivity. An anesthetic is applied for numbing during the procedure to alleviate discomfort. Every effort is made to ensure you remain comfortable for the duration of the procedure. Clients are usually pleased to discover that it is no more painful than having your eyebrows tweezed or threaded.
PLEASE NOTE: Having this service performed during your menstrual cycle may increase discomfort during your procedure.
* If you are a frequent smoker, the topical anesthetics used during the treatment will not last as long.
* If you have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, be aware that this may affect your sensitivity tolerance to the procedure.
HOW LONG IS THE HEALING PROCESS?
It is normal to experience minimal swelling and tenderness following your procedure. It doesn’t take very long for it to disappear. Immediately following your treatment the pigment will appear 70% darker than how it will appear once it has healed. After about week 1, the surface color naturally exfoliates to leave a much softer color. During week 3 & 4 when the skin completes healing, you will see the pigment begin to darken a bit. A Touch-Up visit approximately 6 weeks after your initial appointment will be necessary in order to achieve that richness of color and density in the shape that you desire.
HOW OLD DO I HAVE TO BE TO GET TATTOOED?
You must be 18 years or older to receive Microblading
CAN I GET TATTOOED IF I AM PREGNANT OR NURSING?
As a precaution, we do not perform cosmetic tattooing on pregnant or nursing women.
WHO IS NOT A CANDIDATE FOR MICROBLADING?
Using Retinol/Retin-A products or Chemical Peels within the last 2 weeks
Botox within the last four weeks
Allergy to Nickel (blade)
Taking blood thinners
Skin irritations near the area such as sunburn or Psoriasis
Taking sun sensitizing medications
Accutane within last year
History of keloid scarring
Auto-immune deficiencies
People suffering from severe acne
Pregnant women
Chemotherapy patients will need to check with their physician and provide a doctor’s note
People with conditions that cause them to bleed very easily (this impacts results)
People with prior permanent makeup may not be good candidates. This is determined by consultation.
HOW LONG DOES MICROBLADING LAST?
Microblading is semi permanent cosmetics. The pigment will fade over time and we recommend to get a touch up bi annually to keep them looking their best.. There is no guarantee in how long it lasts as each individuals skin will respond differently.
Frequency of touch-ups depends on a number of factors including: skin type, pigment selection, lifestyle (sun exposure), iron deficiency (your body absorbs iron-oxide as a supplement), chemical peels, etc.
Please note that final results can not be guaranteed as each unique skin type will hold pigments differently and break down at different rates. We will re-evaluate how your skin has received the pigment at your touch-up appointment and make any changes necessary.
HOW MANY TREATMENTS ARE NEEDED?
For microblading, it is common to need two appointments to get to your desired outcome. Everyone heals differently and at different rates. If your semi-permanent cosmetic does not heal perfectly the first time, do not worry! We can always go bolder and add more density at your next desired appointment.
WHAT FACTORS WILL AFFECT MICROBLADING?
Sun exposure: The sun will extremely soften the look of your tattoo, so a physical sunscreen should be used (once healed) to prolong your enhancement.
The regeneration of skin cells: The longer the regeneration takes, the longer the pigment holds.
The speed at which the skin absorbs the pigment: The slower the absorption, the longer the pigment will hold.
The choice of pigment color: Some colors may fade quicker than others, e.g. a blonde pigment may fade quicker than a dark brunette pigment.
Bleeding during the procedure: Any bleeding during the tattooing procedure will reduce the amount of pigment absorption. Caffeine, alcohol, and certain medications act as blood-thinners and should avoided 48 hours prior to your appointment.
WHAT SHOULD I DO BEFORE MY EYEBROW PROCEDURE?
If you have an ideal shape and color in mind, please bring a couple reference photos with you to your appointment. You may fill in your eyebrows as you normally would so we may take into consideration the shape you feel most comfortable with. If you regularly get your eyebrows shaped, waxed, threaded or tinted, please refrain from doing so within a week of your appointment. If there are any stray hairs that fall outside of our final shape, we can remove them.
If you plan to go on a vacation, it is recommended to plan your trip a minimum of 30 days after the procedure.
We require our clients to avoid any blood thinning medication for a minimum of 48 hours prior to their appointment. This includes Vitamin E, Aspirin, Niacin, fish oil supplements, and Ibuprofen.
Do NOT drink any alcohol or caffeine 48 hours prior to your appointment. (Yes, decaf coffee has caffeine!)
NO Botox for 4 weeks prior to microblading and No Botox 4 weeks after microblading (We recommend that it’s best to wait until after your brows heal to get Botox, as an educated injector will take your new brows into consideration when choosing where to inject.)
If you have been on prescription Accutane in the past, you MUST wait at least one year before considering this procedure.
It is highly recommended that you avoid SUN and TANNING BED exposure for 30 days BEFORE and AFTER your procedure. If you show up for your appointment with a new tan or a sunburn, you will need to reschedule and will forfeit your deposit. As your skin exfoliates from a sunburn, it will take the pigment with it.
HOW WILL I LOOK IMMEDIATELY AFTER?
Your brows will appear 70% darker and more intense than expected for the first week or so. This will gradually lighten during the complete healing process. Redness and swelling is minimal.
WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER THE PROCEDURE?
Please review our detailed Pre & Post Care Instructions. It is highly beneficial to follow these instructions to ensure a comfortable healing process and to achieve the best possible results. DO NOT rub or pick the healing area as the color will peel off prematurely, and avoid extreme heat, sweating, and contaminated bodies of water (such as saunas, hot tubs, steam rooms, pools, lakes, and places with hot humidity, etc.).
HOW WILL MY MICROBLADING BROWS LOOK IN THE FUTURE?
During your appointment, we will analyze your skin tone to anticipate how pigment colors will heal and fade in the future. We will also mix pigments to ensure the color blends well with your natural hair and skin color. There are some cases, however, where the color may fade to different tones according to the individual’s response to the pigments (like lifestyle and iron deficiencies). Many factors affect these changes. At your follow up appointment, we will re-analyze how your body has responded to the initial color. If needed, special formula alterations to correct the color is made at this time. Your eyebrows will eventually look softer and have more of a “powdered” look. To keep your brows looking their best, refresher appointments will be needed. Results and preferences vary with each client.
WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT LONG TERM CARE?
* The color will lighten over time. We recommend a bi-annual touch up to keep brows looking their best. Fading greatly depends on your skin type, lifestyle, sun exposure, pigment color used, broken capillaries, iron deficiency, and if any chemical peels were done after your procedure.
* If you are planning a chemical peel, MRI or other medical procedure, please inform the technician that you have had an iron-oxide cosmetic tattoo. Careful application must be taken to avoid affecting the area.
* If you are planning to have laser treatments, tell your laser specialist to avoid the pigmented area. Laser may cause pigment to turn black.
WILL MICROBLADING WORK WELL FOR ME?
If you have extremely oily skin, the microblading technique may NOT work well for you. The constant production of oil will cause the hairstrokes to heal with a diffused, softer look. Your end result will look more powdered instead of a crisp hair stroke appearance.
If you are a frequent smoker, your pigment will also fade sooner.
MICROBLADING
During Microblading you essentially get a manual semi-permanent tattoo made with a dedicated tool that looks like a very small slender blade…but isn’t a blade at all. It is an arrangement of tiny needles so that they can make small incisions in the skin with the tools tip depending on the thickness and depth of the hair strokes we want. We dip the needles into the pigment before we make each stroke. After each first pass you are numbed until we have filled in your desired brow shape. Then we wipe the excess pigment and voila! you’ve got brows. With microblading it is important to understand that it is a process. Your full desired brows will not usually be achieved until your perfecting session, about 4-6 weeks later when healed.