General Microblading Aftercare
What to Expect During the Healing Process:
1. Within minutes after your procedure they will begin to oxidize and appear darker.
This is because your body has already begun the healing process! In order for your skin to heal your body must create a scab to protect the newly traumatized skin, and in order to form a scab your blood and platelets need to dry and harden. When everything dries it oxidizes and becomes darker. This will flake off once your body is done “actively healing”, which takes about 10 days on average depending on your overall health and your body’s ability to heal itself.
2. A few hours later or the next day, they may appear more dense, or ‘filled in”.
This is because the effects of the topical anesthetics (that contain epinephrine) will have worn off so any excess redness may be present. The redness is usually inside of the eyebrow, filling the gaps between the hairstrokes I created which can make it look more solid or filled in. Some people don’t experience this, either way this is normal! :)
3. They will begin to flake around day 3 or 4. And this is always when everyone begins to panic, but don’t worry!
This stage of healing can look a little strange however is unavoidable since it is part of the healing process. The areas that flake first will appear lighter for two reasons: one is that it will be directly next to an oxidized scab and the contrast between the two areas will make it appear very light and secondly, your skin is not finished healing yet and will appear “shiny” or “foggy” until your skin completely regenerates itself. The regenerative process takes about 4-6 weeks after the day of your procedure, so around week 6 your healed results will be present! :)
And remember, microblading is not a one step process. Although you may see great results after just one procedure, most people need at least two procedures to reach desired results. (Those with difficult skin types may need more than two!) Having a few areas that the pigment didn’t seem to hold on as well or maybe in general we need to go a little bit darker with the pigment – that’s what your first touchup is for! Your first procedure is almost like a science experiment for me to see exactly how your skin reacts to everything so that during the touchup if I need to tweak anything about the pigment or my technique I’ll know exactly what I need to do! :)
How to Take Care of Your New Eyebrows:
1. Immediately following your procedure you will need to blot away excess moisture as you see it.
Be sure to blot about every minute (with a clean, dry paper towel) in order to remove all excess moisture as it comes out, as it will dry quickly. This “weeping” can last for up to 5-10 minutes depending on how quickly your body heals. You will know when to stop blotting when your brows no longer look dewey or sweaty. This is to ensure that when your body finishes forming the scab it will be nice and thin!
2. You may begin applying the aftercare gel tonight!
(Each time) before applying the gel I suggest splashing them with water cupped in your hands (room temperature/cool water) then apply a small pump of the After Soap on the tips of your fingers and wash GENTLY in the direction of the hair growth (away from the middle of your face). Be sure to rinse off all excess soap, then blot dry with a clean, dry paper-towel. *DO NOT WASH YOUR BROWS IN THE SHOWER, do this all at your sink!* This will help make sure that the aftercare gel isn’t building up on itself and that they’re staying clean. Then, apply a thin (T H I N) layer of the aftercare gel twice a day (morning and night) until all of the scabs have come off on their own (about 7-10 days on average). To apply, wash your hands thoroughly and gently press/wipe the gel onto your brows using your fingers, being sure not to forcefully remove any scabs that aren’t ready to come off on their own. *DO NOT use a q-tip to apply the gel, this may snag the scabs once they are formed and will cause patchy healing. If you apply too much be sure to blot away the excess with a clean, dry paper towel! Applying too much of the gel, or applying the gel too often can cause a build up on your brows that can make the healing process not go as smoothly.
3. Please do not allow the scabs in your eyebrows to become soft, for as long as they are there (7-10ish days).
What I mean by this is when you splash them with water, or if they accidentally get wet in the shower – don’t let them sit and stay wet! Microbladed eyebrows heal the best when you allow your body to heal itself with minimal irritation. I believe that if you allow the scabs to become saturated/soft it will only draw out the healing process giving your body less of a chance to lock the pigment into your skin and/or cause the hairstrokes to be less defined. If you accidentally get your eyebrows wet be sure to immediately blot with a clean dry paper towel, and you can even blow them dry with a hair dryer on the cool setting! If you let the scabs become soft and mushy – it may result in poorly healed brows.
4. You will more thank likely still experience flaky/dry skin, even though you are cleaning them with soap and water.
You may also have scabs that are lifted from your skin but stuck in your actual eyebrow hairs. If you know the scabs are definitely not stuck to your skin, you may gently assist them out using a q-tip or however you choose to being certain to not force any areas that aren’t ready to come off on their own. “Picking” of any kind will result in patchy areas of pigment fallout.
It is Very Important That You Avoid the Following:
- DO NOT pick at your healing eyebrows. This is crucial. Picking almost always results in pigment fallout and can cause scarring. Please allow your body to naturally exfoliate and regenerate on it’s own.
- DO NOT allow ANY skincare products to touch your new eyebrows. This includes but is not limited to soap, cleanser, moisturizer, serums, makeup etc. Doing so may cause excess sensitivity, changes in pigment color or could even cause the pigment may reject from your skin!
- DO NOT apply ANY makeup products over your new eyebrows. Applying makeup over your freshly tattooed eyebrows at any point before the scabs have completely flaked off may result in infection, pigment loss or even permanent discoloration! Once there are absolutely zero scabs left you may apply product on your eyebrows if needed.
- DO NOT thread, wax, tint, bleach etc. near or over the tattooed area for AT LEAST 6 weeks after your procedure. If you have stray hairs outside of the tattooed area you may tweeze them, however make sure to disinfect your tweezers very well before doing so to avoid infection.
- AVOID excessive sweating for as long as you’re “actively” healing, ideally until all of the scabs have come off on their own (7-10 days).
- 100% ABSOLUTELY DO NOT use tanning beds, sunless tanning products or excessively expose yourself to the sun for at least 6 weeks following your procedure. You need to avoid the aforementioned completely while your skin is actively healing (while scabs are present). Once the scabs have come off be sure to use sunscreen, wear large hats, large sun glasses etc. any time you will be in the sun for more than a few minutes, since UV rays will cause the pigment to fade rapidly.
Once Fully Healed:
Although I will do everything to ensure an uneventful healing process for you - it is your responsibility to follow the aftercare guidelines provided to the best of your ability. Once your skin has healed you must make sure to limit sun exposure - the sun (and tanning beds) will cause premature fading and discoloration. Make sure to apply sunscreen for protection! You can purchase sunscreen sticks that are easy to toss in your bag and have readily available for touch ups during the day! Wear large sunglasses or a hat for further protection. Face peels, laser treatments and microdermabrasion will cause the pigment to lighten quicker. If you plan on receiving any of these treatments be sure to inform your technician.
Always feel free to contact me if you have any questions during or after the initial healing process! The best way to get ahold of me is via text or email! I stay so busy during the day that I usually don’t have time to answer the phone or return calls.
1. Within minutes after your procedure they will begin to oxidize and appear darker.
This is because your body has already begun the healing process! In order for your skin to heal your body must create a scab to protect the newly traumatized skin, and in order to form a scab your blood and platelets need to dry and harden. When everything dries it oxidizes and becomes darker. This will flake off once your body is done “actively healing”, which takes about 10 days on average depending on your overall health and your body’s ability to heal itself.
2. A few hours later or the next day, they may appear more dense, or ‘filled in”.
This is because the effects of the topical anesthetics (that contain epinephrine) will have worn off so any excess redness may be present. The redness is usually inside of the eyebrow, filling the gaps between the hairstrokes I created which can make it look more solid or filled in. Some people don’t experience this, either way this is normal! :)
3. They will begin to flake around day 3 or 4. And this is always when everyone begins to panic, but don’t worry!
This stage of healing can look a little strange however is unavoidable since it is part of the healing process. The areas that flake first will appear lighter for two reasons: one is that it will be directly next to an oxidized scab and the contrast between the two areas will make it appear very light and secondly, your skin is not finished healing yet and will appear “shiny” or “foggy” until your skin completely regenerates itself. The regenerative process takes about 4-6 weeks after the day of your procedure, so around week 6 your healed results will be present! :)
And remember, microblading is not a one step process. Although you may see great results after just one procedure, most people need at least two procedures to reach desired results. (Those with difficult skin types may need more than two!) Having a few areas that the pigment didn’t seem to hold on as well or maybe in general we need to go a little bit darker with the pigment – that’s what your first touchup is for! Your first procedure is almost like a science experiment for me to see exactly how your skin reacts to everything so that during the touchup if I need to tweak anything about the pigment or my technique I’ll know exactly what I need to do! :)
How to Take Care of Your New Eyebrows:
1. Immediately following your procedure you will need to blot away excess moisture as you see it.
Be sure to blot about every minute (with a clean, dry paper towel) in order to remove all excess moisture as it comes out, as it will dry quickly. This “weeping” can last for up to 5-10 minutes depending on how quickly your body heals. You will know when to stop blotting when your brows no longer look dewey or sweaty. This is to ensure that when your body finishes forming the scab it will be nice and thin!
2. You may begin applying the aftercare gel tonight!
(Each time) before applying the gel I suggest splashing them with water cupped in your hands (room temperature/cool water) then apply a small pump of the After Soap on the tips of your fingers and wash GENTLY in the direction of the hair growth (away from the middle of your face). Be sure to rinse off all excess soap, then blot dry with a clean, dry paper-towel. *DO NOT WASH YOUR BROWS IN THE SHOWER, do this all at your sink!* This will help make sure that the aftercare gel isn’t building up on itself and that they’re staying clean. Then, apply a thin (T H I N) layer of the aftercare gel twice a day (morning and night) until all of the scabs have come off on their own (about 7-10 days on average). To apply, wash your hands thoroughly and gently press/wipe the gel onto your brows using your fingers, being sure not to forcefully remove any scabs that aren’t ready to come off on their own. *DO NOT use a q-tip to apply the gel, this may snag the scabs once they are formed and will cause patchy healing. If you apply too much be sure to blot away the excess with a clean, dry paper towel! Applying too much of the gel, or applying the gel too often can cause a build up on your brows that can make the healing process not go as smoothly.
3. Please do not allow the scabs in your eyebrows to become soft, for as long as they are there (7-10ish days).
What I mean by this is when you splash them with water, or if they accidentally get wet in the shower – don’t let them sit and stay wet! Microbladed eyebrows heal the best when you allow your body to heal itself with minimal irritation. I believe that if you allow the scabs to become saturated/soft it will only draw out the healing process giving your body less of a chance to lock the pigment into your skin and/or cause the hairstrokes to be less defined. If you accidentally get your eyebrows wet be sure to immediately blot with a clean dry paper towel, and you can even blow them dry with a hair dryer on the cool setting! If you let the scabs become soft and mushy – it may result in poorly healed brows.
4. You will more thank likely still experience flaky/dry skin, even though you are cleaning them with soap and water.
You may also have scabs that are lifted from your skin but stuck in your actual eyebrow hairs. If you know the scabs are definitely not stuck to your skin, you may gently assist them out using a q-tip or however you choose to being certain to not force any areas that aren’t ready to come off on their own. “Picking” of any kind will result in patchy areas of pigment fallout.
It is Very Important That You Avoid the Following:
- DO NOT pick at your healing eyebrows. This is crucial. Picking almost always results in pigment fallout and can cause scarring. Please allow your body to naturally exfoliate and regenerate on it’s own.
- DO NOT allow ANY skincare products to touch your new eyebrows. This includes but is not limited to soap, cleanser, moisturizer, serums, makeup etc. Doing so may cause excess sensitivity, changes in pigment color or could even cause the pigment may reject from your skin!
- DO NOT apply ANY makeup products over your new eyebrows. Applying makeup over your freshly tattooed eyebrows at any point before the scabs have completely flaked off may result in infection, pigment loss or even permanent discoloration! Once there are absolutely zero scabs left you may apply product on your eyebrows if needed.
- DO NOT thread, wax, tint, bleach etc. near or over the tattooed area for AT LEAST 6 weeks after your procedure. If you have stray hairs outside of the tattooed area you may tweeze them, however make sure to disinfect your tweezers very well before doing so to avoid infection.
- AVOID excessive sweating for as long as you’re “actively” healing, ideally until all of the scabs have come off on their own (7-10 days).
- 100% ABSOLUTELY DO NOT use tanning beds, sunless tanning products or excessively expose yourself to the sun for at least 6 weeks following your procedure. You need to avoid the aforementioned completely while your skin is actively healing (while scabs are present). Once the scabs have come off be sure to use sunscreen, wear large hats, large sun glasses etc. any time you will be in the sun for more than a few minutes, since UV rays will cause the pigment to fade rapidly.
Once Fully Healed:
Although I will do everything to ensure an uneventful healing process for you - it is your responsibility to follow the aftercare guidelines provided to the best of your ability. Once your skin has healed you must make sure to limit sun exposure - the sun (and tanning beds) will cause premature fading and discoloration. Make sure to apply sunscreen for protection! You can purchase sunscreen sticks that are easy to toss in your bag and have readily available for touch ups during the day! Wear large sunglasses or a hat for further protection. Face peels, laser treatments and microdermabrasion will cause the pigment to lighten quicker. If you plan on receiving any of these treatments be sure to inform your technician.
Always feel free to contact me if you have any questions during or after the initial healing process! The best way to get ahold of me is via text or email! I stay so busy during the day that I usually don’t have time to answer the phone or return calls.
812-760-1035
a.edge.tattoo@gmail.com
THERE ARE NO IMPLIED OR WRITTEN GUARANTEES IF YOU DO NOT TAKE CARE OF YOUR NEW TATTOO. PLEASE REMEMBER - EVERYONE HEALS DIFFERENTLY. HAVE PATIENCE AND LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.
a.edge.tattoo@gmail.com
THERE ARE NO IMPLIED OR WRITTEN GUARANTEES IF YOU DO NOT TAKE CARE OF YOUR NEW TATTOO. PLEASE REMEMBER - EVERYONE HEALS DIFFERENTLY. HAVE PATIENCE AND LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.