How Long Do Microbladed Eyebrows Take To Heal?
From Victoria Beckham to Kim Kardashian, some of the biggest fashion icons of our time have taken advantage of microblading to perfect their eyebrow shapes. So, you might be seriously considering undergoing the procedure yourself. How long does it take to heal after microblading? Since it’s a cosmetic treatment, you have to ask that question.
What should you expect once you return from the practitioner’s office? How long does it take to heal from microblading under regular circumstances? What aftercare cares should you take? What precautions should you take to ensure smooth recovery?
I have touched on all of these frequently asked questions down below.
How Long It Takes For Microblading To Heal?
A healthy person should fully recover 25-30 days after undergoing a microblading session. Your skin rehabilitation begins right after the practitioner puts down the machine. Besides your health conditions, your age and skin type will also influence how long it will take for your skin to recuperate.
How Long For Microblading To Heal: A Day By Day Breakdown
Days 1-3
It’s day one. You stand in front of the mirror and find out the color of the eyebrows is exactly what you have been looking for. But once the excitement subsides, you will notice a bit of tenderness around the eyebrow skin. Mild bleeding and sweating are also common. So no need to press the panic button. The discomfort should ease up by day 3.
Day 3-5
The pain and swelling will mostly go away on the third day. The colors will darken and make your eyebrows appear bolder. If this feels overwhelming, don’t be concerned. This is a temporary change because of the oxidation of the colors, and it will fade away by day 7. Physical discomfort at this stage is minimal.
Day 5-8
On the fifth day, your brows will start to itch. It’s very unpleasant, but it is a good indicator. Flaky, itchy skin means your skin is recovering as expected. The urge to scratch your eyebrows will feel irresistible, but try your best to resist it. Touching your eyebrows will worsen the situation and prolong your recovery period.
If you scratch, you will likely remove some pigment from the eyes since the color is still bedding in. Allow the flakes to fall off naturally, and the itching will eventually go away. The overly bright color will also tone down. So, keep your hands away from your eyebrows to avoid patchy brows.
Day 8-12
The flaking will stop, and your brows will take on natural colors. Even though everything looks normal, don’t forget that your skin is still vulnerable and is recovering. Your eyebrows will initially appear paler than when they will look after the healing is complete. This happens because your skin is still young and tender and needs a few more weeks to fully recover.
Day 12-21
By the 12th day, your eyebrows will appear more natural. The individual brow hairs will appear more distinct, giving the appearance of fluffy eyebrows. Tenderness, swelling, and pain should be non-existent in this period. But, the skin is still healing.
Day 21-30
After 21 to 30 days, your skin will have fully recovered. There should be no pain or discomfort. Additionally, your eyebrows should appear soft and thick. A few weeks later, you should have a touch-up appointment with your practitioner. The touch-up meeting allows the technician to assess how well the skin has healed and address any minor problems.
How Long Does It Take To Heal After Microblading Touchups?
Microblading pigment will slowly grow pale over time. Without touchup, it will totally disappear. After your initial microblading treatment, you will have to schedule touchups from time to time. This will preserve your eyebrows’ shape, color, and thickness. In general, practitioners recommend a touchup appointment every 12 to 18 months.
But, you might have to schedule touchups more frequently if you have oily skin or other skin conditions. The pigment cannot stay for long in oily skin and washes off faster than on dry skin. You will also need to go for touchups if you want to bring slight changes to your eyebrow style. It takes 30 minutes to one and a half hours to carry out a touchup session.
Since the touchup session is not a comprehensive microblading procedure, it will not take so long to recover from it. You can expect your skin to recover in a week or less after your visit to the practitioner. If the process is more extensive, it will take longer to heal. To be safe, ask your technician about the probable recovery time before going in for a touchup.
Is Dry Healing Better For Microblading?
What is the healing process for microblading? Actually, you have two options; dry healing and wet healing. Which one should you prefer and why should you do it? Dry healing is the oldest practice in the business, but in recent years, practitioners have been recommending wet healing over dry healing.
If you take the dry healing route, you can’t touch your eyebrows, and more importantly, you can’t allow water exposure to the affected area. In case of lymph and dirt buildup, you can wash the area with sterile water and mild soap. But, the goal is to use no liquid whatsoever and keep the area dry.
The biggest benefit of the dry healing process is its sheer simplicity. You don’t have to do much; just wear a shower shield to keep your face dry during showers. If you don’t mind taking a shower for two weeks, that’s even better! But, we believe that is not going to be a popular option.
But what makes it less desirable is the fact that it makes your eyebrows itchier. So, it would be pretty difficult not to scratch. Wet healing presents a better solution. If you choose wet healing, you will apply a healing ointment on your brows and carefully wash them regularly. It minimizes the discomfort, keeps your brows clean, and preserves the color.
How To Make Microblading Heal Faster?
Medical practitioners nowadays prefer moist healing as studies have shown it closes up wounds faster than dry healing. Dr. George D Winter pioneered the idea in 1962 when he showed in one of his papers that wounds in moist environments heal almost twice faster than in dry surroundings.
When the wound is left dry, the cells move deeper into the skin in search of moisture. Why do cells need moisture? Because without water, the cell membrane will get weaker. So, a lack of moisture will substantially hold back the healing mechanism. For this reason, I recommend dry healing to get your microblading wounds to heal faster.
Final Thoughts
I hope reading this article made you realize what to expect after microblading. Proper aftercare measures will lead to a swift recovery. Even when the skin is healing, you will be able to go on about your life without much interruptions.
So, if you have been feeling a bit paranoid about getting the procedure, I can assure you that your microbladed eyebrows are well worth the effort. Stay in touch with your practitioner and follow the aftercare routine. You will have a glorious set of brows with healthy skin within a month.
