When can you wash your face after microblading

When our editor got her eyebrows microbladed recently, she had a lot of questions like, “when can you wash your face after microblading?”. Here’s what she found!

Microblading has certainly been climbing in popularity in the last few years. Especially for those of us millennials who went through the Christina Aguilera era, overplucked eyebrows are one of the first clues to your age.

These days we have access to microblading, which I’ll get into more detail about below. But essentially it’s a semi-permanent way to get your dream brows.

Recently I had mine microbladed and as expected I am obsessed with the end results. But aftercare is something we rarely talk about, yet it’s really important in order to get the results you want.

If you’re familiar with the microblading procedure or have considered having it done yourself then this will be really helpful I promise. We’re answering one of your most-asked questions today, “When can you wash your face after microblading?”. The answer might surprise you, I know I was!

When can you wash your face after Microblading?

But first, let’s chat about microblading and what it is exactly. Hopefully, this will also help prepare you for your upcoming treatment.

What is Microblading?

Microblading is a semi-permanent form of tattooing that uses a special tool with a tiny blade to make hair-like strokes over your existing brows that deposit pigment under the top layer of skin. As your skin heals, you are left with beautiful brows that won’t wash off or budge for over a year. While many forms of cosmetic tattooing exist, microblading is a cost-effective and seriously trendy service we think is worth the investment.

Microblading should never be attempted at home and should always be done by a licensed microblading technician. Remember this semi-permanent procedure is one you will be living with for over a year so please consider all the risks and benefits before making your microblading appointment.

Microbladed eyebrows require specific proper aftercare to ensure the absolute best results and a successful healing process of the treated area and to avoid infection.

Following a few specific microblading aftercare instructions will guarantee beautiful brows.

Here’s how long you should avoid getting your brows wet for

The biggest and probably the most important rule is to avoid getting the treated area wet for 7-10 days. As a woman with very oily skin and hair, my biggest fear before I had the treatment done was how will I survive these days without getting my eyebrows wet.

Not washing my face or hair was out of the question and I determined to figure it out. After lots of research and a pre-appointment chat with my trained technician, I realized that the aftercare required was easier than expected and very possible.

How to clean the eyebrow area after a microblading treatment?

The short answer? By being extremely careful. Using distilled water, a mild antibacterial soap, and a clean cotton pad, gently dab or pat (no rubbing or the pigment can flake!) your eyebrow area twice daily. After cleaning the area, use the aftercare ointment provided by your lash technician and generously apply a layer using a very light touch with a cotton swab or your clean fingertips, onto the microbladed area.

You might be wondering how I successfully washed my hair without getting my eyebrows wet after microblading. The ingenuity of course. I covered my eyebrows with large waterproof bandages and then covered my entire forehead area with a headband for double protection. This allowed me to tip my hair back in the shower so I could successfully wash my locks without getting my eyebrows wet or damp.

What are the possible signs of infection?

Your eyebrows should not secrete any excess lymph fluid in the days following your appointment. If you notice any redness, oozing or swelling, or burn-like marks, please see a doctor right away as you are likely experiencing an infection or an allergic reaction. Unexpected problems can sometimes arise post appointment and it’s important to stay calm and have it looked at as soon as possible.

Because water and sweat can remove the pigmentation from the microblading strokes, it’s also important to avoid activities that cause sweating or could lead to your eyebrows getting wet. These include hot showers/ shower steam, hot tubs, hot yoga, and intense exercise.

Avoiding harsh chemicals is also a must, so be sure not to experiment with chemical peels, chemical treatments, or any forms of glycolic acid while the infected area is healing.

Aftercare Tips

A couple of weeks post-appointment, you may notice some peeling and flake around the treatment area. This is completely normal. Do not pick or “help” remove the flaking away tissue. This dry skin will go away on its own as the area continues to heal.

6-8 weeks post-procedure, you will have a follow-up appointment with your technician. During this appointment, the whole process will be repeated by the microblading artist. They will go back over the area, making any tweaks needed to correct shape or fullness. The follow-up appointment is usually quicker as not as many strokes are required in order to create the end result you are going for.

If you take a look above, I’ve included my before and after photos and I can hardly believe the difference in my appearance. I can’t wait to see them post-touch-up!

I never thought I could wake up in the morning with perfect brows that look natural but here we are! I am already thinking I want to go thicker at my follow-up appointment. What do you think?