Trends may come and go, but it seems that microbladed eyebrows is here to stay. There are many fans of this treatment. Women around the world are crazy about fuller brows because they look natural and chic. However, the result of microbladed brows is not seen immediately after the treatment. In order to achieve the final look, you must go through the healing process, following all prescribed aftercare instructions as closely as possible.
The microblading healing process can be sometimes demanding, so it is better to get yourself informed and prepared for microblading healing before booking your appointment so you know what to expect. It is also vital to know how to treat the microbladed area during the healing process and avoid any complications.
Read all about the microblading healing process in this post.
How Long Do Microbladed Eyebrows Take to Heal?
The healing process of microblading lasts 4-6 weeks. After this period, you will see the outcome. Microbladed brows will take their final shape and color after the pigment sets in and the skin heals completely.
What Can I Expect During the Healing Process? The microblading healing period is an emotional rollercoaster. There will be moments when you will think that the color is wrong and that you didn’t get what you wanted. It will also be hard to resist scratching and picking the scabs. You might freak out when you wake up one morning and realize your brows are gone! The healing process requires a lot of patience and discipline, but it will be worth it in the end. It is important to know that not everyone’s skin heals the same way. Some people might recover quickly and without any scabs at all, while others need as long as 6 weeks or more for their skin to heal. The pace of recovery depends on several factors:
your age
your skin type
your overall health
your lifestyle
Keep on reading to learn about the stages of the healing process, and what to expect every day during recovery. Also, find tips on how to treat your freshly microbladed brows.
What are the Stages of Microblading Healing Process?
Usually, there are 6 stages of the healing process after a microblading procedure, some of which overlap:
dark brows (days 1-4)
flaking and scabbing (days 5-10)
eyebrows too light, almost disappeared (days 8-11)
the color is back, but the brows look patchy (days 11-21)
touch up (4-8 weeks after the initial procedure)
full recovery (a few days after the touch up)
These are the most typical stages of the microblading recovery process, and some general time spans within which they occur.
The beginning is the hardest to overcome, especially because you have to be extra careful not to damage your freshly microbladed brows and the skin. If you are lucky, some of the stages will not be too unbearable, but be prepared for the worst – some of them might be pretty irritating and agonizing.
What Does the Microblading Healing Process Day by Day Look Like? Days 1 and 2 Your eyebrows feel tender and there is redness around them. 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 follow the aftercare instructions diligently. What to do? Don’t panic! The color will change into the desired one. Brows will become almost 50% lighter once they are healed. Follow the aftercare instructions religiously. Keep the area clean, 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 pigment just hasn’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 is placed in very shallow layers of your skin. 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 the healing process, you might freak out. Bear in mind that this is quite normal and almost everybody has to deal with the scabs after the microblading process. 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. 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.
Days 8-10 The scabs are starting to come off and your brows are much lighter then 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. 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. 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, 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 a 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 touchup 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 healing period 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 a 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.
Tips to Endure the Healing Period Tip #1 Before even booking a microblading appointment, make sure you don’t have an important event at least a few weeks after it. 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 naturally. 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. 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 After a Touch Up The healing process after a microblading 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 and experience some more intense scabbing. Generally, it will only take a few days for your brows to heal, since the skin didn’t suffer as much damage. 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 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 the procedure.
- Amrit Gill
This article on the secret to a successful microblading healing process is incredibly helpful! As someone who's gone through the microblading process before, I can attest to the importance of proper aftercare in achieving the best results. The article provides detailed instructions on how to care for your eyebrows post-procedure, including what products to use and what activities to avoid. I also appreciated the emphasis on the importance of patience during the healing process, as it can be easy to become anxious about the appearance of your eyebrows in the early stages. Overall, this article is a must-read for anyone who's gone through or is considering microblading, as it provides valuable information on how to ensure the best possible outcome.