Microblading Recovery & Aftercare: Frequently Asked Questions

Microblading Recovery
  • Your eyebrows will appear much darker immediately following your treatment than after the first week of healing.
  • Applying Vaseline 3 to 4 times per day during the first week is critical to proper healing.
  • To prevent infections, avoid swimming pools, saunas, sweaty equipment in gyms, and touching your eyebrows during the first week.

Looking for a hassle-free, natural-looking way to fill out your sparse, wispy eyebrows? Semi-permanent eyebrow tattoos may be the solution you’ve been waiting for. Here’s what you can expect in terms of healing and results.

What can I expect right after my first treatment?

The most important thing to remember before, during, and especially after your first microblading treatment is that the color will look very dark at first.

“Your eyebrows will look thick and heavy,” explains Kris Haas, a certified microblading technician at the Lifestyles hair salon in Peoria, IL. “People panic sometimes because it’s very, very dark, but within the first week it will fade by 50%. You just need to be patient.”

After that first treatment you can expect your eyebrows will feel somewhat tender and sore to the touch, but this should be resolved within a few days.

“Tylenol can help if it’s bothering you a lot,” recommends Haas. “And applying Vaseline 3 or 4 times a day is going to make them feel a lot better.”

It’s also important to know that for the first week it will be obvious you have had something done to your eyebrows. If you’re hoping to keep your microblading treatment a secret, you’ll need to schedule it at the start of a vacation or holiday period.

Can microblading lead to an infection?

As with any open wound or exposed area under the skin, infection is certainly possible with microblading, but with the proper care it’s fairly easy to prevent.

“We tell our clients to avoid chlorinated pools, saunas, gyms and sweaty equipment, and to avoid touching their own eyebrows in general unless they’ve just washed their hands,” explains Haas.

“After 7 days, your microblading treatment is fully healed and the infection risk is nearly non-existent. It would be incredibly rare to get an infection after the first week of healing.”

How can you tell if you have an infection?

“An infection will be obvious,” says Haas. “It will ooze pus, feel warm and tender to the touch, and appear swollen and very red.”

A healthy healing process after a microblading treatment may be sensitive to the touch, but there should be no oozing of any kind, no redness, and no swelling. While the healing process takes a full week, your new eyebrows really shouldn’t cause you any discomfort after a day or two of healing.

Can microblading cause scarring or keloids?

“No,” assures Haas. “Keloids are from going too deep into the dermis layer, which results in scar-tissue and a hardness in the skin.”

Instead, microblading is as fine and as shallow as a simple papercut.

“It’s only as deep as the epidermis layer,” explains Haas. The epidermis is the first layer of your flesh, the dermis second, and your actual body fat is the third layer.

Does microblading cause scabbing, flaking or peeling?

“Yes, a little scabbing is very normal,” explains Haas.

During the first week, microblading clients are recommended to gently wash and wipe their eyebrows with a mild soap (avoid soaps with added fragrances as they can irritate the skin) and then use a cotton-ball to gently apply Vaseline.

“The Vaseline is really the only thing you should be putting on your eyebrows during that first week of healing,” says Haas. “It keeps the area moist, which prevents itching and prevents the scabs from coming off.”

Most importantly, don’t pick or scratch your eyebrows. And be careful when washing, too, because rubbing the scabs off before the healing process is complete can actually remove some of the pigmented eyebrow permanently, compromising the overall appearance of your treatment.

How soon can I wash my face or take a shower?

You can shower and wash your face immediately, but you need to be incredibly gentle or avoid your eyebrow area entirely.

Do not apply direct pressure or rub your eyebrow area. This can result in improper healing, infection, loss of pigment, and irritation.

How soon can I wear makeup?

“You can wear make-up right away, but you need to be very careful when applying any powders. You absolutely don’t want any makeup near or on your eyebrows,” cautions Haas.

If makeup does get into the recently treated eyebrow area, it can lead to infection and irritation. Applying Vaseline to your eyebrows immediately before applying makeup provides a barrier of sorts that will help keep dust from your makeup brush from reaching your eyebrows.

What can cause microblading to fade more quickly?

“Sun, chlorine, and saltwater,” says Haas. These are three things you should absolutely avoid during the first week of the healing process.

In general, after your eyebrows have finished healing, applying sunscreen regularly to the area will help prevent fading. If you are a swimmer, using Vaseline on your eyebrows is one way to provide some protection from salt or chlorine, but regular exposure to salt and chlorine will absolutely cause premature fading.

One common cause of fading that most might not expect is face cream.

“There are chemicals in face lotions and creams that can affect your microbladed eyebrows and cause fading,” explains Haas.

The best products to protect your eyebrows are Vaseline and sunscreen.

How often do I need treatments to maintain my eyebrows’ appearance?

Most people only need to visit a microblading technician roughly every two years.

“If you have really oily skin,” adds Haas, “you may find you need to get a touch-up every 1.5 years because the more oil in your skin, the more your skin actually pushes the color out of your pores.”

On the other hand, if you want to change them, let them grow out, or start over with a fresh look, it will take approximately five years for your original treatment to fade completely.

before after microblading-tina-davies
Before and after microblading. Credits: Tina Davies

Can you get microblading if your eyebrows have been tattooed?

Definitely, explains Haas. “I’ve had a lot of clients who got their eyebrows tattooed when they were younger, for example, and they just don’t want them to look so dark or obvious anymore.”

“Microblading can soften tattooed eyebrows, give them a different look, and adjust them so they match your age, or your hair if it’s changed color.”

Can you get microblading if you have sensitive skin?

It is always important to share any concerns that you might have about the procedure with your microblading expert, and this is even more important for those with sensitive skin.

Your microblading expert should be able to answer any questions that you might have about how your skin will react to the procedure.

One alternative to microblading that you might want to consider is microshading. While microblading uses strokes to mimic hairs, microshading fills in eyebrows with small dots. This technique is often favored by those with sensitive skin as the smaller dots are said to cause less irritation.

Should my eyebrows be perfectly symetrical?

“Your eyebrows are sisters, but not twins,” says Haas. “Nobody’s face is perfectly symmetrical. It’s just not natural. If you want your eyebrows to look natural with microblading, don’t obsess about whether they match perfectly. They shouldn’t.”

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