Eyebrow microblading – pros and cons, technique description

The eyebrows are the area of ​​the face that greatly influences the overall image of a person. Therefore, women pay great attention to the correction of the eyebrow arches, trying to give them an ideal shape, smooth bend, and optimal shade. Such procedures sometimes take a lot of time, and they need to be carried out regularly. However, beauticians, makeup artists and eyebrow artists have found a way out of the situation. It is enough to make an eyebrow tattoo, and you can forget about all the manipulations for at least a few months, or even years. An alternative to tattooing is the microblading procedure. It is about this method of eyebrow correction that we will talk about in this article.

What is microblading

The term 'microblading' has two parts. The first means 'microscopic', 'very small', the second means 'blade' or blade. Accordingly, microblading is a technique for highly accurate and highly detailed eyebrow tattooing using very small and thin blades.

Microblading allows you to create the effect of natural, voluminous, thick eyebrows with a clear shape. It is difficult to distinguish 'drawn' hairs from natural ones, even on closer inspection. This result is achieved due to several factors:

1. The master works by hand, drawing every hair, thanks to which the technique has earned the name 'manual tattooing'.

2. The master scrupulously calculates the location of each hair, the direction of its 'growth', thickness and length in accordance with the characteristics and features of the client's natural hair.

The result after the microblading procedure will last 1-2 years. Experts warn that the client will have to periodically go for correction in order to maintain high aesthetic values ​​of the tattoo.

Microblading and eyebrow tattooing – what is the difference

Microblading is an advanced type of skin tattooing. The difference between the techniques is as follows:

1. An ordinary tattoo is drawn or, as professionals say, stuffed with a needle located at the tip of a manipulator connected to a special apparatus. The needle performs back-and-forth movements, penetrating into the deep layers of the skin and introducing dyes there. Strokes and lines using the microblading technique are made by hand by a master using a pen-shaped tool with a microscopic blade at the tip. In this case, the blade penetrates very shallowly, so the pigments last 2-3 times less time than with classic tattooing.

2. Traditional tattooing involves the complete staining of certain areas of the skin, that is, continuous pigmentation. Whereas the microblading technique allows you to draw each hair separately.

Traditional tattooing uses alcohol-based paint, which has a negative effect on the skin, as if 'walled up' pigments in it. In the eyebrow microblading technique, a safer and more fabric-friendly paint made from pigments, water and glycerin is used.

Eyebrow microblading techniques

There are two main microblading techniques that are used in modern beauty salons:

1. European or mannequin technique. It is quite primitive, since all the hairs drawn look almost the same. That is, they have the same length, thickness and growth vector. Natural eyebrows do not grow like that, so strokes of the same characteristics do not look natural enough, giving the image a puppet effect. However, the technique is popular, which means that there are customers who like this result. Or they just don't know that they can make the tattoo look more natural.

2. Oriental technique – allows you to get the most varied and natural pattern of 'growth' of hairs. The characteristics of each stroke are thought out, artificial hairs differ in length and thickness. The result is as close as possible to that which could be obtained if you pluck, trim and comb the natural eyebrows beautifully. It is thanks to the realism and visual dimension of the final result that the oriental technique is considered the height of skill.

The choice of a tattoo method depends not only on the client's preferences, but also on the skills and experience of the specialist who makes the tattoo. If the master is fluent in oriental techniques and can show photos of examples of his work, then he really has high qualifications.

Indications and contraindications for eyebrow microblading

You can use the eyebrow microblading service if you have the following aesthetic defects:

1. Discrepancy between the shape, length and width of the brow arches and facial features.

2. Irregular shape of eyebrows, asymmetry of arches.

3. Insufficiently thick eyebrows.

4. Faded eyebrows, dissatisfaction with the shade of hairs.

5. The presence of areas where hairs do not grow or grow very rarely.

Microblading is also done by women who do not want to spend a lot of time on make-up, because after the procedure, the eyebrows look perfect at any time of the day or night. The only procedures that will need to be carried out are to maintain the shape of the arcs, plucking out excess hairs that will be knocked out of the total mass; adjust the length of natural hairs with a special trimmer or scissors. All this can be done once every 7-10 days at home or with a master in a beauty salon.

Microblading, like any minimally invasive cosmetic procedure, has a number of contraindications:

1. Too light eyebrows. Microblading in this case will simply be ineffective, since the strokes will not be noticeable on the skin. First you need to choose a permanent eyebrow dye, which you will use regularly, and then do the microblading with a pigment of the appropriate color.

2. A tattoo is not done if there are scars or scars in the eyebrow area, local dermatitis.

3. In the treatment area, there are foci of skin diseases of an infectious and inflammatory nature or significant damage to the integrity of the epidermis.

4. Exacerbation of herpes.

5. Diseases accompanied by blood clotting disorders.

6. Any oncological pathology.

7. The presence of moles and other neoplasms in the treatment area.

8. Chronic systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus.

9. Pregnancy and lactation.

10. Allergy to the composition of the drug used in the microblading procedure.

11. Mental disorders, diseases of the central nervous system, for example, epilepsy.

12. Botox or acne injections on the forehead.

13. Low pain threshold, very sensitive skin.

14. Critical days (including a few days before and after).

Whether you have contraindications for the microblading procedure or not, the specialist will establish at the first consultation.

How eyebrow microblading is performed

Eyebrow microblading can be done in one or two steps. In any case, you will first need to consult a specialist, during which a master eyebrow artist or make-up artist, a cosmetologist determine the presence of aesthetic problems, the amount of work. And they also make sure that the client has no contraindications for this minimally invasive procedure.

If you want to do microblading in one visit to a specialist, you must be prepared for the fact that it can be time-consuming. The more carefully each element is drawn, and the more significant the aesthetic problem, the longer it will take to sit in the master's chair.

And yet, most reputable salons will recommend you to do microblading in two stages. At the first session, the master will perform 80-90% of all the necessary procedures – he will select the desired shade of pigment, outline the beautiful shape of the eyebrow arches, and draw the bulk of the strokes. This is an almost finished result that will look completely complete to the prying eyes.

In about a month, the master will appoint you a second visit to the salon in order to carry out a simple correction and 'polish' the result of the procedures. For a 4-week break between sessions, pigments, or rather their excess, will be partially washed out of the skin. The areas where you need to add finishing touches will also become more visible. After another month, all excess pigments will leave the body, and the eyebrows will look the most natural, so that no one can distinguish drawn hairs from natural ones. But only on condition that the qualifications of the master are really high, and the experience is great.

The microblading procedure itself is carried out in this way:

1. Disinfection of the surface to be treated.

2. The introduction of local anesthetic drugs under the skin (external application). If the client has a high pain threshold or is allergic to anesthetics, anesthesia can be avoided, since the pain of the procedure is minimal even compared to conventional tattooing.

3. Application of microscopic cuts to the skin with the simultaneous introduction of pigment.

4. Cleansing the treated area, applying wound healing ointment.

The procedure takes a long time, but it is carried out in a comfortable environment for the client, so many women prefer to do microblading instead of the not so 'pleasant' but faster hardware eyebrow tattoo.

How to prepare for a microblading eyebrow procedure

Since it is supposed to interfere with the integrity of the tissues, the result of which will last a considerable time, the client must prepare for the cosmetic manipulations:

1. For 10-14 days, you need to stop plucking (or trimming, trimming) eyebrow hairs. The brow-master must make the necessary correction himself, having previously studied the type of hairs, their length and density, and thickness. And also the direction of growth of the main elements, the natural shape of the brow arches.

2. It is also necessary to decide on the future new shape of eyebrows and their color in advance, since spontaneous decisions are rarely correct.

3. A few days before the procedure, you need to stop taking antibiotics, hormonal drugs, and also stop drinking alcoholic beverages.

4. A few days before the session with the master, you need to limit exposure to the sun. That is, visiting the beach or solarium is undesirable. Ultraviolet rays dry out the skin and pigments are less absorbed.

5. On the day of the procedure, you do not need to consume coffee and strong tea, as well as spicy and fried foods.

If you failed to complete one or more of the preparatory steps, inform your master about this before carrying out the procedure.

How is the rehabilitation period

In the vast majority of cases, recovery from eyebrow microblading is easy. It takes 2-3, maximum 5-7 days. At first, a slight swelling, slight redness, and a thin crust form on the skin, which cannot be removed on your own. Then, within a few days, the swelling and redness disappear, the crust also disappears. That is why experts advise to carry out the eyebrow microblading procedure on the eve of the weekend so that you do not have to go out and participate in public life.

How to speed up the rehabilitation process after eyebrow microblading:

1. Exactly follow the recommendations of the master who performed the procedure.

2. Do not wet the treated area for as long as possible, at least 24 hours.

3. Do not expose your skin to UV rays when going outside, wear a hat with a brim (or other headgear for the season).

4. Treat your eyebrows with an antiseptic and wound healing agent, which the master prescribes, for example, Panthenol or Bepanten.

5. Until the skin is completely healed, do not use any makeup products on your eyebrows.

Most of those who have gone through the microblading procedure can return to normal life the next day without experiencing significant discomfort. However, in some cases, complications arise after the cosmetic procedure. The client may face such problems:

1. Puffiness of the eyebrow area.

2. Heavy bleeding.

3. Loss of pigmentation.

4. Long-term healing

In the most rare cases, an infection occurs during tattooing. Therefore, if after microblading a person's body temperature rises, severe pain, suppuration occurs, an urgent need to seek medical help.

How long do pigments last in the layers of the skin

The duration of the effect after the eyebrow microblading procedure largely depends on the quality of the pigment used and the characteristics of the client's body. In most cases, the drawing lasts at least 12 months. In some women, pigments begin to be actively excreted from the body six months after the procedure. The luckiest girls enjoy the result of the procedure for 24 months without noticing any significant changes in the condition of their eyebrows.

The persistence of pigments in the layers of the epidermis is involuntarily influenced by the following factors:

1. Age – the younger the client, the less time the effect lasts.

2. Fat content of the skin – the higher it is, the faster the paint is removed.

3. Love for tanning – the more often a girl is under the open sun, the more actively the pigment fades.

4. Addiction to cosmetic procedures – improved blood circulation in the face area, stimulation of metabolic processes, massages and peels – all this contributes to the accelerated removal of foreign paint substances from the layers of the skin.

Having made eyebrow microblading once and tracing how long the drawing lasts, you can evaluate the effectiveness and durability of the result of the next procedure and understand whether this technique is right for you or not.

Advantages of Microblading Compared to Other Techniques

Eyebrow microblading has a lot of positive aspects, which makes the technique more popular than classic tattooing:

1. It is very comfortable. Having gone through the procedure once, you do not need to spend time every morning to tint your eyebrows with a pencil or shadows and worry about the fact that at the most inopportune moment the paint will smear.

2. It is beautiful. Eyebrows look bright, but not vulgar, draw attention to the face, emphasize the beauty of the eyes. The eyebrows look natural and well-groomed at the same time.

3. The depth to which the blade penetrates the skin. It's only 2-3 millimeters. Given that during tattooing, the needle penetrates the skin by 6-9 millimeters. Therefore, the microblading procedure is not so painful.

4. The manual technique and the individual execution of each stroke prevent lines from coming out uneven or the pigment spreading and penetrating into adjacent tissues.

5. In most reputable beauty salons, masters use plant pigments. They rarely cause allergies, are well accepted by the body, are easily excreted naturally at the right time, do not fade or change their color when in contact with body tissues.

6. The procedure lasts only two hours, during which time the master will create a sketch, process both eyebrows and apply a restorative ointment to the arches.

7. The minimum likelihood of side effects and complications.

8. Fast and easy recovery period after the procedure.

Thanks to these benefits, eyebrow microblading is popular with women around the world.

Disadvantages of eyebrow microblading – reviews about the technique

Microblading is a safe and highly effective procedure that helps women spend less time looking after their appearance. But it also has its drawbacks:

1. Eyebrow microblading should be done exclusively by a proven, reliable master with a firm hand. This should be an accurate, patient and diligent person who already has some experience in performing such manipulations. Microblading requires surgical precision. After all, if you make an incision even a little deeper than necessary, a scar may appear. And if you introduce paint to an insufficient depth, the pigment will begin to migrate, distorting the evenness of the strokes. Be sure to ask for examples of the work of a specialist, otherwise you risk getting a result that is not what you expect. And you will have to live with it for at least 6-18 months.

2. An inexperienced craftsman can leave scars on the skin, which will be very difficult to get rid of. There is also a risk of damage to the hair follicles by the blade, which will cause the cessation of hair growth in certain areas of the eyebrow skin. Another possible complication is vascular injury during the procedure. If this happens and the pigment mixes with the blood, more precisely with its iron-containing elements, the artificial eyebrow hairs will have a blue tint.

3. If the result is great, you will regret it only lasting 6-12 months. Since another drawback of this method is its fragility. Pigments stay in the layers of the epidermis for a maximum of 24 months, after which the procedure will have to be repeated. For comparison, eyebrow tattooing is effective for about 5 years.

4. Since microblading is a procedure during which the integrity of the skin is violated, there is a risk of infection and the development of inflammatory processes. But this is only if the master uses non-sterile instruments, violates the protocol of the procedure.

5. And the last disadvantage of microblading is the cost of the procedure. Of course, it all depends on the region and the reputation of the clinic, but all the same, using this technique will cost 3-4 times more than tattooing.

Methods for removing pigments if the microblading result did not meet expectations

Experts note that from time to time they are faced with situations when the client is not satisfied with the result of the tattoo and wants to return the natural look to the eyebrows. This happens both through the fault of inexperienced or unskilled craftsmen, and through the fault of the clients themselves, who did not pay due attention to the choice of the shape and color of the eyebrows, did not follow the recommendations of the master during the recovery period.

Removing microblading results is not so easy, but the salon may offer you several ways. The most effective and safest of them is the removal of pigments using a laser. This method is based on the principle of selective photoactivation. A specially tuned laser device acts on those areas of the skin that are painted in a certain color. Under the influence of a light beam, the coloring matter heats up and breaks down. After that, its remains are excreted from the body in a natural way – through the lymphatic system. However, cosmetologists warn that one session of laser therapy may not be enough to completely remove the pigment. Sometimes the procedure has to be repeated after a while, and more than once.

Laser removal of microblading results is a procedure that is effective if dark ink has been used. If the pigments are too light, the laser may be useless. In this case, you may be offered a second way to remove dyes – the introduction of a remover under the skin. This is a special mixture of active chemicals that can destroy pigments of any shade. The remover works faster than the laser, the procedure is cheaper and most likely requires just one session.

Another way to correct the result of eyebrow microblading is to apply concealer makeup. Experts do not often recommend using this method, since applying a second layer of paint to the first one can bring an unexpected effect and not only not disguise an unsuccessful tattoo attempt, but also aggravate the situation. If a flesh-colored dye that matches the skin tone is used for correction, such a masking may not last long, since over time, the dark pigment begins to show through the light layer.

There are also several popular methods for correcting eyebrow microblading. They can be used if the result is not very critical and there is no need to take drastic, urgent measures. Folk ways to get rid of eyebrow tattoo:

1. Visit to the beach or solarium, stay in the open sun. Ultraviolet rays have a destructive effect on the dye.

2. Massage and scrubbing of the skin in the eyebrow area. Enhanced blood circulation and renewal of skin cells contributes to the accelerated removal of foreign substances from the epidermis.

3. Masks and compresses made from products that contain fruit acids and other active substances. For masks, you can use lemon and other citrus fruits, strawberries, juice and aloe leaves.

Cosmetologists note that none of the listed methods guarantee that the eyebrows will quickly return to their original state. It is better not to skimp on the eyebrow master and carefully choose the shape and color of the eyebrows, then you will not have to spend time and money to correct the result of the cosmetic procedure.

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