Six Tips to Stimulate the Healing Process of Microblading

Want fuller and thicker brows without having to shade them in daily? Then microblading may be the perfect procedure for you. This permanent makeup technique is a type of cosmetic tattoo that mimics the look of real eyebrow hairs to give you the voluminous brows you've always wanted.

Because microblading involves the use of a tattooing device that makes tiny cuts in the skin, this minimally invasive procedure does have a healing process that lasts for around one month following your initial appointment. Fortunately, by following these tips for your microblading aftercare, your microbladed eyebrows will heal up perfectly, revealing the defined new brows you've always wanted, without ever having to fill them in by hand again.

1. Don't touch your brows

While your brows heal, it's important not to touch them or scratch at them in any way as part of your microblading aftercare during the healing process. Touching your brows could affect the pigments, delay the healing process, and even cause infections. The only time you will touch them is when you are gently cleansing them and applying the microblading aftercare ointment to the area using a cotton swab.⁴

2. Avoid wetting the brows for a week

After your microblading appointment, you'll need to avoid water in the brow area as much as possible because moisture can fade the pigments. To wash your face, do so very gently and pat any moisture away from your brows with tissues. It's best to avoid putting your face directly under a shower stream, instead opting for baths during the first week of healing.⁵

3. Don't pick at the brows

During the healing process, your brows will scab over and may become extremely itchy.³ It's very important that you don't pick at your skin or scratch the area because this can impede the healing process of microblading, remove the pigments in the skin, and possibly lead to scarring.^2,4

4. Use microblading aftercare ointment

To stimulate healing and ensure that your brow area stays moisturized, it's important to apply the microblading aftercare ointment to your brows two times daily.^4,6 Remember to only apply the ointment to dry skin and use a small, rice-size amount on each brow.⁶ The ointment may also help relieve itching during the healing process.⁴

5. Don't apply makeup to your brows

Don't apply any makeup to your eyebrows, even if they become lighter during the healing process. This includes any foundations, powders, pencils or other types of makeup.² You'll also want to avoid rubbing the brow area with anything rough like makeup remover pads, which may damage the pigments.⁴

6. Avoid certain activities

As your brows heal from the microblading, you'll need to avoid the following activities:⁴

• Jacuzzis
• Saunas
• Sweat-inducing workouts
• Cosmetic laser treatments
• Swimming
• Facial fillers in the eyebrow area
• Tanning
• Sun exposure
• Spa facial treatments
• Chemical peels
• Riding in open vehicles
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Salon or sun tanning

Microblading Recovery Timeline

After your initial microblading session, you will go through a 30-day healing process.¹ Here's what to expect.

• Days 1-3: The brow area will be red and swollen. Bleeding may occur. Brow color will be very dark.²
• Days 3-8: Brows will appear even darker — too dark — and the shape may seem off. They will begin to itch and scab over while the area will still be red and irritated.²
• Days 8-14: Brows will be terribly itchy and scabs will begin to flake off. The color may appear to lighten significantly or become patchy.³ Redness will fade.
• Days 14-21: Itching will lessen as all scabs come off. The color will begin to reappear and the skin should no longer be red.⁴
• Days 21-30: The skin will heal with no more discomfort and the color will appear much more natural.⁵

Note that after the skin heals, you will require a second follow-up visit with the salon or med spa technician at six weeks to touch-up any patchy areas and perfect your look.²

CareCredit Financing for Microblading

When you're getting microblading for your brows or another cosmetic procedure, your CareCredit credit card can help you pay for costs not covered by insurance.^* Use our Acceptance Locator or download the CareCredit Mobile App to find a microblading provider near you who accepts the CareCredit credit card.

Author Bio

Susan Paretts is a freelance writer with 18 years of experience covering health and wellness, pet care, and more. Her work has been published by the American Kennel Club, Bayer Animal Health, Elanco, LIVESTRONG.com, Care.com, City National Bank, The San Francisco Chronicle, Chewy, and more.