We all want to have thick, long, beautiful eyebrows. But genetics, skin conditions and other factors can lead to eyebrows that leave something to be desired. At Bentley Skincare & Wellness and Wellness in Springfield, MO, we offer microblading treatment to help you glam up your brows for a more beautiful upper face. Keep reading to learn if this treatment will work for you.
What is Microblading Treatment?
Microblading treatment is a specialized process that involves implanting pigment into your skin’s superficial layers to resemble eyebrow hair. This treatment is ideal for people who have experienced some hair loss and wish to restore the appearance of very natural-looking eyebrows.
How Long Does Microblading Last?
Unlike eyebrow tattoos, microblading is considered a semi-permanent solution to fine eyebrows. Results usually last between one and three years. However, there are several factors that affect the longevity of the results. Examples include:
- Age
- Skin type
- Skin health
- Adherence to aftercare instructions
- Daily skincare routine
- Environmental factors
- Sun exposure
We recommend including “maintenance” microblading treatments as part of your skincare routine approximately once a year. There’s no standard time to come in for a follow-up treatment. We recommend coming in for a maintenance appointment when you feel you need to pick up a pencil to darken your microbladed eyebrows again.
How to Extend the Longevity of Results
To extend the longevity of your results, follow all aftercare instructions we provide. Wear sunscreen before you go outside, even in the winter and days it is overcast. We strongly recommend sunscreen with an SPF of at least 55. Moreover, avoid tanning beds. Come in for a touch-up within six weeks of your initial treatment.
Don’t wear makeup over your eyebrows for the first six weeks following treatment. Certain skincare products contain acids that cause your microbladed eyebrows to fade prematurely.
Make sure you wax every six to eight weeks to maintain the shape of your eyebrows following your treatment. Finally, make sure you eat as healthy as possible and stay hydrated. Drinking enough water every day is essential for keeping your skin hydrated. Moreover, the quality of your diet plays a significant role in the quality of your hair and skin.
What Leads to the Results Fading Faster?
Several factors can contribute to your treatment results fading prematurely. Let’s take a look at factors both inside and outside your control that may keep you from getting the best results.
Controllable Factors
Luckily, some factors that affect the durability of your treatment are controllable. First and foremost is your nutritional status. If you’re not getting your RDA of vitamins and minerals in your diet, take nutritional supplements to make up the difference. The healthier you eat, the better your results will look. Moreover, it is absolutely essential that you are adequately hydrated. Drink at least 48 to 64 ounces of water per day.
During the six to eight weeks following your treatment, follow all aftercare instructions precisely. Don’t use makeup, lotion and other skin care products on your microbladed eyebrows. Finally, stop smoking and dipping tobacco. Tobacco will make the pigment fade faster.
Uncontrollable Factors
Age is the primary uncontrollable factor that can affect the longevity of your results. Usually, younger skin retains pigment longer than older skin. Moreover, oily skin doesn’t retain pigments as long as dry or “normal” skin. Hormone imbalances, including estrogen dominance and hypothyroidism, can affect your skin’s pigmentation, skewing the results.
Moreover, medical conditions like type 1 diabetes or hypertension can affect the longevity of your dermaplaned eyebrows. Excessive sun damage, genetics, autoimmune disorders and chronically elevated stress levels can negatively affect the results of your treatment. These factors cannot be easily changed or avoided.
How Long Will Results Last Without a Follow-Up?
Without a touch-up after your initial treatment, your dermaplaned eyebrows will only last between two and six months. Of course, this depends on factors like your health and the oil production of your skin. If you can afford it, we strongly recommend a touch-up to solidify the shape of your new brows.
What If I Want the Results to Fade?
Sometimes, you want to change the color of your dermaplaned eyebrows quickly. Luckily, you don’t have to wait until two years after your last treatment. If you’re completely sure you want to change your eyebrows, here are the steps you need to take:
Don’t Follow Aftercare Instructions
Do not follow aftercare instructions. Cleanse your eyebrows gently every morning and night to work the pigment out of your skin. Couple this with working up a sweat at least three times per week. Sweat will dissolve the pigmentation in your skin. High-intensity interval training is the most effective way to work up a sweat, but intense anaerobic exercise works well, too.
Get a Facial
To promote skin cell turnover, get microdermabrasion and facials regularly. One to two months of consistent treatments should be enough to exfoliate the top layers of your skin, promote the growth of new skin cells and remove the pigmentation from your eyebrows.
Don’t Get a Touch-Up
If you don’t get a touch-up after your initial treatment session, results will only last nine months. If you want to fade your eyebrows because you don’t like the size or shape, come in for your touchup and we will re-set the shape to something that suits your face better.
Relax in a Sauna
Saunas are another great way to fade your eyebrows quickly. It takes only eight to 10 minutes to work up a sweat. Then, you just have to relax for 20 to 45 minutes. We recommend sweating in a sauna at least three times per week.
Use Exfoliating Facial Products
If you have oily skin, gentle cleansers may be enough to fade your eyebrows quickly. If you have dry or “normal” skin, use exfoliating facial products as part of your regular skincare routine. Retinol, a byproduct of vitamin A, thins the skin and reduces the rate of cellular turnover by 50%.
How Does Microblading Work?
During your initial consultation, we will assess the health of your skin and evaluate your aesthetic goals. From there, we will help you determine the best cosmetic treatment to achieve your ideal look. Here are some factors that may affect if this treatment is right for you:
Age
As we age, our facial skin becomes laxer. If you get perfectly positioned tattooed eyebrows in your 20s, they will look sunken by the time you reach your 60s. Contrastingly, this microblading treatment is flexible, so you can reposition your eyebrows as gravity takes a toll on your skin.
Hair Color
It’s not uncommon for people to change their hair color every couple years. If you want your eyebrows to match the color of your hair, you can easily have the color of your eyebrows changed. With tattooed eyebrows, you are stuck with your initial color choice permanently.
Creativity
This treatment may be right for you if you’re not sure what shape you want your eyebrows to be yet. With eyebrow tattooing, you’re stuck with whichever shape you choose first. If you start out with a bolder shape while working as a bartender and want to transition to a corporate role, you can choose a more conservative shape easily.
Personal Preferences
While microblading treatment isn’t permanent, this type of treatment doesn’t require regular maintenance and application. Investing one to five hours every two years is all that’s required to have the eyebrows that fit your face and personality.
Worry-Free Results
Unfortunately, tattooed eyebrows place pigmentation deep into the skin. This means the results are permanent. The problem with “permanent eyebrows” is the color and shape don’t always look natural. Removing tattooed eyebrows requires laser tattoo removal treatment.
This can burn the skin and will whiten your existing eyebrow hair while removing all pigment from the “permanent” tattoo. Microbladed eyebrows can be corrected or changed easily without the risk of pain or damage to your skin.
Time
It takes most people 10 minutes a day to pencil on symmetrical eyebrows and fill them in. That’s 61 hours a year if you never go for a swim or get caught in the rain and need to re-do them. Once your dermaplaned eyebrows are shaped and your touchup is finished. Microblading treatment longevity will make you invest about an hour every two years into your brows.
How Long Does a Treatment Session Last?
Your first microblading treatment will take approximately two to three hours. This includes shaping and styling the brow as well as applying the pigment. Four to six weeks later, you should come in for a touch-up. This will only take one to two hours.
When you come in for your maintenance treatment, the session should only take around an hour. As long as you wax every six to eight weeks, the shape of the microbladed eyebrows has already been established. All that needs to be done is darkening the hairstrokes to maintain the right color.
Alternatives to This Treatment
Besides tattooed eyebrows, there are a few other alternatives to this treatment. Unfortunately, they’re not very practical, and the cost adds up quickly. Here are a few of the most popular:
Brow Gel
Many women hear about brow gel and think it sounds pretty good. Brow gel is water-resistant and can be applied in just a few minutes. The problem is, it has to be applied every morning. Even if it takes you only three minutes to apply the brow gel, you’re investing 36.5 hours into your look compared to two or three with microbladed eyebrows. This doesn’t even account for the time it takes to remove the brow gel every night.
Brow Powder
Brow powder can give you a soft natural brow. It even comes in different colors and a convenient travel-sized box. However, this is the least permanent option of them all. Since it’s not water-resistant, you can’t work out or get caught in the rain wearing brow powder.
Brow Tint
Brow tinting involves “painting” tint onto your eyebrows. It lasts longer than brow powder but is extremely time inefficient. First, you have to get the shape and size of the brows right. Then, you have to wait two hours for the pigment to set into your skin and peel off the paint. Unfortunately, brow tint lasts only three to seven days, so it must be regularly re-done.
Brow Growth Serums
Brow growth serums only work if you have existing hair in your hair follicles. You need a pretty decent amount of brow hair for this treatment to be effective. If you have fine eyebrows rather than no eyebrows, this treatment may work for you. Unfortunately, bimatoprost is the only active ingredient scientifically proven to grow eyebrows. It is only available by prescription, so any over-the-counter brow serum you buy will be ineffective.
Moreover, this is a fairly time-intensive treatment. It takes eight to 12 weeks of proper daily application to start seeing results. Once you can see results, you will need to apply the serum every three days. If you don’t, the growth cycle of your eyebrows will revert to normal.
Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today
To learn more about microblading treatment, and determine if it is right for you, contact the dedicated medical professionals at Bentley Skincare & Wellness and Wellness in Springfield, MO today to schedule your initial consultation today.