Microblading is no longer offered at Azura Skin Care Center. Please give us a call at 919-307-8033 for recommendations and other service offerings!
What is Microblading
Microblading is a technique similar to tattooing used to reconstruct, define, cover gaps, or fill in over-tweezed brows without the hassle of penciling and shading. This semi-permanent technique gives sculpted, fuller, more natural-looking eyebrows with delicate strokes that mimic eyebrow hairs.
What to Expect
Our microblading expert will use a special microblading hand tool to draw on individual strokes one by one. The process is extremely meticulous and takes roughly two hours to complete. First, our expert will use special tools to draw and measure each client to create customized and individual results. This process is called brow mapping. This step is extremely important and takes the longest amount of time because the shape is customized specifically for each client.
Is It Painful?
Some clients may feel slight discomfort during the first pass, but it’s relatively painless. A topical numbing cream will be applied to the area before microblading begins. This is followed by a liquid anesthetic.
How About Downtime?
The best part about the technique is that there is no “downtime”. In most cases, clients resume a normal lifestyle, while also following the aftercare instructions regarding certain activities. There is no need to leave your appointment in disguise or cancel your dinner plans! We do, however, recommend a follow-up perfection session one month after your appointment. The healing process is different for everyone and it takes 25-30 days.
Microblading Process
Check out our guide below that outlines the necessary steps to take at all stages of the microblading process. Each client’s skin responds differently to treatment—this information serves as a guideline only.
Before Your Appointment
- Cease using any skin thinners (Vitamin A, glycolic acids, exfoliation, etc.) on the brow area two weeks prior to your appointment.
- Cosmetic BOTOX® or fillers should be done two weeks prior or two weeks after if the client uses neurotoxin for lifting/brow symmetry. (Please Note: We cannot treat the same day.)
- DO NOT consume alcohol, caffeine, or take any blood thinners (aspirin, ibuprofen, Niacin) 48 hours before your procedure if you have had complications before. This may cause excess bleeding and may affect your results, like altering the crispness of the strokes.
- You may experience hypersensitivity or pain if you are close to/on your menstrual cycle.
- We will not be able to microblade over any blemishes or sores in or around the brow area.
After Your Appointment
Our clients get the best-healed results by following the provided aftercare instructions. This involves keeping your brows dry from water contact for 24 hours, not applying any cosmetics to your new brows until they are fully healed (10- 14 days), and avoiding alcohol during the healing process as it can also yield better results, as alcohol is a blood thinner.
What to Expect After Your Session
- Do not expect your brows to heal perfectly after the first session. This is a two-step (sometimes multiple-step) process.
- Be patient during your 10-14 day healing process. Your brows will change and appear different day-to-day.
- Immediately after your procedure, brows will appear darker and more defined. This will last up to two weeks. Your brows can appear more solid and hair strokes may seem to disappear—this is normal.
- Around day four and/or day five, you will experience flaking and your brows may look dry. DO NOT PICK your brows; let them fall off naturally. If anything gets picked off prematurely, missing hair strokes will result in patchy brows.
- Your new brows will take six to eight weeks to FULLY heal. When the flaking ends, the hair strokes may seem faint. This is because a fresh layer of skin has healed over the microblading area and in a few weeks, the brows will “bloom” or come back to life. Give your brows a few weeks and the hair strokes will become clearer.
- You may experience itchiness for up to two months after the initial 10 days. This is due to the healing process of the dermal layer.
- Not everyone’s hair stroke brows can heal clean and crisp. Hair strokes for oilier skin types tend to heal more solid and powdery while drier skin types tend to heal more crisp and defined. For those who bleed more, you may need more touch-ups as the blood pushes the pigment out while we perform the microblading process.
Things Not To Do
- DO NOT reveal your brows to high sun exposure during the healing process. Similar to tattoos, UV rays can alter the pigment where the microblading process was performed.
- DO NOT use cleansers, soaps, or any other creams on your brows. Wash around the area with a cleaning cloth or makeup wipe.
- DO NOT run direct water on your brows. This is especially important in the first few days. You do not want to wash out any pigment.
- DO NOT use Bepanthen, Vaseline, Neosporin, or any petroleum-based products on your brows.
- DO NOT use any makeup, creams, or exfoliants on the brows for two weeks.
- DO NOT go into saunas, pools, or steam rooms.
- DO NOT get massages, facials, or skin treatments during the healing process.
- DO NOT use retinol acids or AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) on the area for 30 days after the appointment. They will fade your brows prematurely.
- DO NOT use laser light therapy on your brows. This can darken, lighten, and/or distort the pigment.
Perfection Session
- Microblading is a two-step process. The First Session is used to build shape and gain symmetry. The Second Session, or Perfection Session, is used to perfect the brows, add more symmetry, and add additional density. Some clients may need multiple sessions to achieve their desired results. Additional sessions after the initial perfecting session are not included in the pricing of Microblading and/or Shading. Additional sessions may require a sitting fee.
- The PERFECTION SESSION, or Second Session, is done within the first two months after the First Session.
- It is your responsibility to book your touch-up appointments. Because of high demand, it usually takes about two months to get a touch-up appointment, so please plan accordingly. If your brows come back too faded, additional charges may apply.
- Permanent makeup will not look as bold or sharp on clients with darker skin compared to clients with lighter skin.
- Some clients’ skin may have a harder time retaining pigment and may require additional sessions, especially if you have had your brows previously tattooed and/or have had your brows covered over by scar tissue.
Long-Term Care
THERE IS NO GUARANTEE OF RESULTS. Everyone’s results will vary due to skin type, lifestyle, and the initial 10-day care and long-term care of your brows.
- Use at least SPF 50 to protect your brows. Sun exposure will cause fading and can alter the color of your brows.
- Do not use chemical exfoliants on the area where the microblading process was done. This will cause the brows to fade faster.
- Do not use lasers on your brow area (IPL, etc). Some lasers may change the color of the ink.
- Maintenance is required to maintain desired results. Touchups are done on average every nine to 12 months to maintain your brows.
- Hairstroke brows typically last anywhere from nine months to two-and-a-half years.
There are no implied or written guarantees if you do not take care of your brows!
Read Our Q&A with World Microblading® Certified Technician Brooke