Do you ever feel as though you spend too much time and money creating and maintaining that perfect brow look? Are your brows even hip to the latest trend? Cosmetic trends are constantly evolving, making it difficult to keep up with the latest look. We here at Radiant Divine Medical Spa in Avon, OH, know how to get you that perfect look that you will fall in love with. Microblading; read on to see how this cosmetic treatment could improve your life.
What Is Microblading?
Microblading is the process of using a specialized tool to dispense semi-permanent pigments just beneath the top layer of the skin, to sculpt the perfect eyebrow. It is an upgraded process to the earlier method of tattooed eyebrows which used a regular tattoo gun and semi-permanent ink. Unlike with a tattoo, however, your new eyebrows will look perfectly natural and no one will be able to tell that you have had anything done.
Tools Used
The tools used for this treatment were designed with efficiency in mind. There are different sizes and shapes of blades or needles used with the hand-held tools during the process, to acquire different outcomes. Whether it’s a long, hair-like stroke or shading that needs to be done, there’s a specific tool and blade or needle to achieve it. For example, the pen tool is also much easier to handle and maneuver than tattoo guns, providing for smoother contouring and artistic precision.
Products Used
The products used can vary by brand but are basically the same product. The three main products used are numbing cream, which contains lidocaine, semi-permanent pigment ink, and saline paste for correcting any mistakes during the process. While most people assume that the semi-permanent pigment ink is the same ink used for regular tattoos, it is not. It is an entirely different product. It comes in both organic and inorganic pigment ink.
Organic Inks
This type of ink is made from either fruit or vegetable-based pigments. They are often referred to as “lake pigments.” Organic pigments are highly favored amongst many practitioners because the color dye blends well with the natural skin tone since they are oil dispersible. They tend to give off a brighter effect than inorganic inks and do not oxidize.
They are known for their stability, longevity, and reliability. However, it’s very important to limit sun exposure to organic pigments, as they are much more susceptible to sun damage than inorganic pigments.
Inorganic Inks
Iron Oxide is the main ingredient in this type of ink, but it also has preservatives, perfumes, and other additives, as do many cosmetic products. Therefore, this may not be the best choice for someone who has a lot of allergies. They are also lightweight when compared to organic inks. Though they are less intense in color, zinc oxide and iron oxide provide for a more solid color with less transparency.
The Treatment Process
In order to retain the beautiful results following your treatment, it is crucial to follow instructions for both pre and post-treatment. If you maintain healthy aesthetic skincare, you will get longer-lasting results. Let’s take a look at what’s involved during the treatment process.
The Initial Consultation
If you are interested in microblading, but have a lot of questions, then you shouldn’t hesitate to call our office to schedule an initial consultation. We will discuss the outcome you desire while looking at brow shapes and colors that best compliment your facial shape and color tone.
If you should decide to go through with the treatment process, we will have you complete a quick and simple questionnaire, to determine if there are any health risks or allergic reactions to be concerned about. However, it is rare for people to have any issues with this simple treatment.
Pre-Treatment
For the greatest results, some simple steps can be taken prior to the treatment. Good skincare is a must. You must not get any type of facial, peel, or dermal fillers for at least two weeks before your appointment. It is also a good idea not to wax, tweeze, or pluck any eyebrow hair for at least one week prior to treatment. Also, try to avoid sun exposure as much as possible, to prevent any further sun damage.
Appointment Day
Your eyebrows will be measured with a special type of ruler upon arrival. The practitioner will then sketch the perfect brows on your face that were initially agreed upon, making sure that size and symmetry are perfect and agreeable with you. The skin around the brow area is then cleaned and sanitized, followed up by a numbing cream to make the treatment as comfortable as possible.
A microblading hand tool is then utilized for making superficial marks in and along the brow line, while simultaneously depositing ink into the skin, creating refined hair-like strokes. Shading is applied as needed for fullness. This process is repeated until a full set of brows is complete. Finally, ink is brushed over the brow and left for five minutes to ensure full coverage, then wiped off. This process takes 30-45 minutes, depending on how thick you want your brows.
How Long Will the Results Last?
Although the results are long-lasting, they are not permanent. The semi-permanent pigment is absorbed and metabolized by the body over time, as the color gradually fades. The results will last anywhere from one to three years, depending on the client. There are a number of factors that can impact the duration of the results, including:
- Lifestyle
- Diet & hydration
- Genetics
- Oily vs dry skin
- Sun exposure
- Exposure to harsh or acidic chemicals
- Exfoliators and facial peels
Touchups
A follow-up session is recommended between four to six weeks post-treatment. This is the opportunity to check up on the result, determine if the pigment is fully set, and make any necessary touch-ups or corrections needed. Touch-ups can help to prolong the life of the pigment. You should expect some gradual fading in as early as three to six months but should not need any additional touch-ups until at least a year or up to eighteen months later.
4 Tips for Prolonging Results
1. Appropriate Post-Treatment Care
It is crucial that you follow all of our post-treatment instructions to ensure that your pigment sets completely and does not fade. You will need to keep your brows as dry as possible until your follow-up appointment in thirty days. You can wash them gently with anti-bacterial soap and water, but avoid any harsh exfoliating or acidic cleansers as they can prevent the ink from setting and can even enhance the fading process.
It is also not a good idea to apply make-up to the treated area until the brows have fully healed. The brows will begin to fade within ten days but should be fully set by the next follow-up appointment. In addition, you will want to avoid any direct sunlight, as this can cause premature fading as well. We recommend eating a nutritional diet and drinking plenty of water to stay well hydrated to help speed up the healing process.
2. Moisturizing Tips
An organic oil, such as coconut oil, should be applied to the brow twice a day, to help with the healing process and to prevent premature fading. This helps to keep the skin moist, to prolong the results.
3. Maintaining Your Brows
Once the brows have fully healed and the pigment is set, it is perfectly fine to continue waxing or plucking your stray eyebrow hairs in order to maintain the shape of your brows. Just continue to follow all of the above post-treatment rules for long-lasting results.
4. The Importance of Hydration
Keeping your skin soft and supple is vital to prevent premature fading of the pigment. Hydration is important for overall health and affects the elasticity of your skin. Dry skin that loses its elasticity begins to sag and become loose, affecting not only the shape of your brows, but the duration of the pigment color.
Are You a Good Candidate?
Practically anyone is a good candidate for this treatment. Anyone wanting to improve the definition and fullness of their brows is a good candidate. Some reasons that people may seek out this treatment include:
- Light hair color
- Graying hair color
- Thinning of the brows
- Loss of brow definition
- Hair Loss
Light-Colored Hair
People with light-colored hair are most often seeking cosmetic solutions to darken their brows for more definition. Microblading provides a more natural looking color that blends better with the skin’s undertones, as opposed to store-bought brow products.
Solution for Hair Loss
No one likes dealing with hair loss. Thinning brows cause loss of brow shape and definition while complete hair loss can change your appearance entirely. Whether it’s thinning brows or hair loss altogether, we can help you get those beautiful and perfect brows back just the way you want them.
Fuller, Thicker Brows
Long gone are the pencil-thin brow lines of the 80s and 90s. Thicker brows are the trend today. Those of us who have plucked our eyebrows to death trying to achieve that pencil-thin shape, need additional help to fill them back in. This treatment is the perfect solution.
Benefits
Enhanced Self-Esteem
Facial issues usually tend to upset us the most, since it’s our faces that are most visible. Signs of aging, hair loss, or facial anomalies can cause us to become self-conscious about ourselves and can lower our self-esteem, impacting our daily lives. Microblading is a proven and safe solution for enhancing the eyebrows to build self-esteem.
Saving Time and Money
Countless dollars are spent annually on cosmetics, in which a large portion of that amount applies to eyebrow products. Time, however, is probably the most precious commodity lost when it comes to our obsession with making our eyebrows look their best.
How many hours have you spent in front of a mirror trying to get that perfect arch and thickness? Struggle no more! You have more important things to do besides spending an hour of your precious time every morning, trying to achieve those perfect brows.
Making Your Life Easier
If you desire to enhance the look of your eyebrows or simplify your daily lifestyle routine, look no further than microblading. You’ll be surprised what a difference it can make. Call us here at the Radiant Divine Medical Spa in Avon, OH to schedule your initial consultation today. Let us show you how simple and easy it is to achieve your cosmetic goals.