How to Make the Most of Your Cosmetic Brow Procedure: Screening Yourself for Contraindications
This blog is written for those considering eyebrow microblading, nano lines and/or microshading, to screen yourself for contraindications that makes this service inadvisable. If you do not have existing work done (that wan't applied by our shop), this blog eliminates the need for an in-person consultation before booking. As long as you do not have any of the contraindications listed below and can follow your pre/post-care instructions, you are ready to book from the link at the bottom! Mapping, color options, and technique of application are discussed and determined during the first session appointment to fit your skin type and desired healed outcome.
If you have had previous eyebrow tattooing done by someone other than us, you are required to book the PMU consultation so that we can see the eyebrows in person and evaluate what the following steps will be, if any, before you book your full session online or laser removal. Not all work is "fixable" by working over it and that's when laser removal/lightening is needed. It is fast and painless and allows for the correct shape and color applied 8 weeks later.
The consultation fee will be applied to the next service, if we move forward. You can also email pictures of your brows, without makeup and not blurred, to info@thelashroomandbrowbar.com. Pictures aren't usually the best method for this but JoHanna can try to evaluate them this way before determining if an in-person consult is necessary.
All cosmetic eyebrow appointments get booked online because they are a large time slot and we ask that you consent to our cancellation policy upon booking. In your email and text that you receive once the booking request is submitted, there is a link within them that opens that form to sign electronically and save a card on file. You are not pre-paying for the service, but a valid card is required to book and we update these forms annually. If you are wanting to gift this service, please purchase an e-gift card and then direct them to this blog to read before they request their appt.
Additionally, we do not have a receptionist so we have designed this for ease of use for you and us so that you can find a time slot that works with your schedule and ours!
Under no circumstance, will nano borws, microblading or microshading be done above the top of the brow bone (on the forehead) OR into the temples, above or past the curvature and end of your brow bone. Also, if you are slightly pink from a sunburn, tanning bed, or have broken/inflamed skin from an active skin condition, your service will not be performed and a 50% service fee will be charged for that time slot.
There are a few things to consider before making your eyebrow PMU appointment that can effect how well your skin holds the pigment and how well the color will heal in true-to-tone. Therefor there is a time-frame you will want to wait if using any of these medications listed below, any of these topical skin treatments, and a few miscellaneous things you want to avoid/cannot do before and after the procedure for the best healed results (every one of these items WILL effect your healed color, how even the pigment goes in and how heavy our scabs will be- if you have a listed contraindication below or are unable to follow pre and post care guidelines):
PERMANENT MAKEUP CANNOT BE PERFORMED AND/OR IS INADVISABLE FOR ANY CLIENTS WHO ARE OR HAVE:
-Pregnant or Breast Feeding
-bake in a tanning bed or sun
-Diabetes
-History of Keloids or Hypertrophic scarring
-Have Cancer or undergone Chemotherapy/radiation within the last year (consult your doctor)
-Current Viral infections and/or diseases
-Epilepsy
-Been on Accutane within the last year
-A Pacemaker or major heart problems
-Had an organ transplant
-Skin irritations, Red flushed skin/Rosacea, Eczema, or Psoriasis on or near the treated area (rashes, sunburn or peeling, severe acne, etc)
-Sick (cold, flu, etc) You want your immune system strong and healthy for your healing process
-Heart conditions, Uncontrolled high blood pressure, Poor general health
-History of MRSA
-Sun damaged, thin or couperous skin
-Allergic to Iron, Lidocaine, Tetracaine, Epinepherine, Dermacaine, Benzyl alcohol, Carbopol, Lecithin, Proplyne Glycol, Lanolin, Vit E, Grapeseed Oil, Carbon Black
-Any treatments, medications, or illness that compromises your immune system/healing
-Cannot have used ANY hair growth serum on the eyebrows for at least 6 weeks, otherwise the healed color will be discolored and splotchy
-Cannot have brows waxed for at least 3 days prior to appt.
-If receiving Botox or Dysport, full paralysis of the muscles treated needs to be in effect, so a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the appointment, or 2 weeks after
-Have used Accutane in the past year
-No laser resurfacing or chemical peels 60 days before OR 60 days after (brows will peel quicker due to chemicals traveling under the skin and thickness of skin is in a compromised state)
-Do not take Aspirin, Vit E, Fish Oil, Ibuprofen or alcohol for AT LEAST 24 hrs before procedure (thins the blood and affects how well you numb up and how much pigment remains in the skin) Best if not taken for 3 days before.
-Regular illicit drug use will also effect how well your skin responds to the lidocaine and how well you numb
-Do not work out the day of the procedure (or for 10 after) Sweating opens the pores, allowing bacteria in and pushes the pigment out
-Cannot use a tanning bed, have a sunburned face or peeling anywhere on forehead or around eyebrows
-No Retinols/Retin-A, tretinoin, Differen, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or other creams and serums containing AHA's or BHA's 10% or higher on or w/in 2 inches, as these will fade the pigment prematurely and potentially discolor them. Discontinue using them on or near the brows at least 4 weeks before the appointment,
-Excessively oily skin does not hold pigment well and can also blur the hairstrokes, therefor a shaded "powder" brow or "ombre" brow may be recommended based on healed results or skin analysis.
-Moderate to severely sun damaged, couperose, large pores w/visible texture or extremely thin skin you are not a candidate for microblading due to the way the pigment is implanted, dragging through the compromised skin
-If your natural brow hair has dense patches of hair and not evenly distributed, microblading or nano lines does not provide adequate blending, therefor an ombre brow (a mix of hairstrokes and microshading) or powder brow may be required for an even flow of color throughout the brow to blend any dense areas of hair. If you are uncertain what to book, book the ombre brow for the longer time slot and we will determine that at your appointment.
-If you have bumps or blemishes within the brow, the pigment will not heal in evenly and will leave light patchy areas. This can be fixed at your touch-up but you need to take care of that skin in-between sessions w/routine face washing and moisturizing-through the brow area as well as forehead.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER THE PROCEDURE:
Immediately after treatment, your skin is inflamed and an open wound, treated with 2 days of wet healing then 7 days of dry healing. Brows are "vivid" and bold looking when the color is freshly applied. This is not how they look when they heal.
It takes 7-10 days for the outermost layer of skin to heal, but it's all dependent on the technique used, skin type, how it reacts during the procedure, age and health factors. Aftercare instructions are provided in detail at the appointment but count on 10 days of heal time with no sun, no heat and no sweating.
On average, it takes the pigment around 7 days to enter the deeper layers of the skin but the color and skin is still healing underneath the top epidermal layer for 3-4 weeks after the procedure. Slight swelling and redness will occur for the first few days. Then eyebrows will darken as your scabs fully develop days 3-5. After 7-10 days, your skin loses its top layer of skin, your scabs slough off, leaving a softer and lighter color once the new skin has formed and the pigment resides underneath it. The result is a very natural looking enhancement, approx. 40% lighter than what you saw while you were healing.
As the treated area is settling down, itching may occur and simply means the skin is healing. You cannot pick, pull or rush the scabbing process. You cannot sleep with your brows rubbing anywhere on your brows. Your brows dry heal from days 3-10 to allow the scabs to come off naturally.
Failure to follow aftercare, results in poor pigment retention and a 3rd session may be required. There are never any guarantees how your body will heal, but your skin type, lifestyle, general health, etc ALL impact if they take well to the procedure or not. Every action is taken to ensure the best possible outcome, but know that it is a potential risk you take when consenting to permanent cosmetic procedures because everyone is different. With that being said, we have never had an infection or adverse reaction to our anesthetics or pigment line since starting cosmetic brow applications in 2017, but will occasionally need 3 sessions to get the desired outcome.
Maintenance sessions after the initial application average out to be 1 session every 1.5 years, but you look for 40-50% pigment loss when determining those future appointments. This varies from skin type to application type, everyone is different. If you've lost more than 40-50% of your color when you return for a maintenance session, you'll need 2 appointments to layer in the amount of color you originally started with.
Permanent make-up is an art. Nobody's face is symmetrical and being realistic with your expectations is key. Cosmetic tattoo design and placement will always differ a little bit from one side of the face to the other because muscle and bone structure being anatomically asymmetric. A person almost always has a dominant/protruding side and/or higher side. Hair growth density on either side of the face rarely matches as well. Client results will vary and sometimes using a brow pencil or powder will still be needed after the application.
EYEBROW AFTER-CARE:
Remember, we always aim for perfection with every service provided, but everyone's skin is different and will react differently to the procedure. Some skin will heal faster than others, some skin will retain pigment longer, all skin is aging, some of us will be harder on our skin than others; the sun/tanning beds, frequent exercising, anti-aging or acidic facial products, and professional skin care services all will cause premature fading and how well the color goes in and color it heals to. My goal is to make them match as closely as possible, but remember this is an art, not a science! And nature does play a role in our facial contouring and healing of our brows and skin.
-Cannot have an MRI during the 2 weeks of healing
-Do NOT get the brows wet during the healing process from day 3-10
-Do NOT put anything (make-up, lotion, serums, etc) on the brows for 10 days (and preferably not your forehead either) , **Except what I specifically give you in your aftercare kit and instruction sheet**
-Do NOT sweat for 10 days-this may be the hardest one for some people that love to work out, but body heat expands the pores. Sweat has salt and will prematurely fade, blur, or CAUSES PIGMENT NOT TO TAKE AT ALL
-Stay out of the sun for 10 weeks, then be sure to use sunblock on the freshly healed brow to prevent fading.
-Do Not use any retinols, glycolic acids or manual exfoliants on the brows during healing. Keep chemicals 2 inches away after that
-Do not use a tanning bed for 1 month before or afterward, your pigment WILL discolor...remember you have 2 initial sessions 6-12 weeks apart
Key Points to remember during healing: Eyebrows will appear darker and bolder at first, due to the natural scabbing and healing through the first 5-10 days... but do not worry! They shrink and fade about 40% upon healing. Healed microblading and nano lines is very soft, light and natural, it is not a filled in look. If you like they way brow powder or pencil looks when applied to your skin, a powder brow is the better choice of application. Microshading (powder brow) will initially appear very bold and solid, but heals into a powdery finish 30-40% softer. I want you to be thrilled with the results for the months ahead, so FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS!!
Your 2nd session touch-up is booked for 6-12 weeks out from your initial 1st session. 1st session results will not be perfect, that is why we have the touch-up. Your touch-up/2nd session is when we perfect and refine any areas that didn't take or need to be tweaked. Color may be darkened but not lightened. Shading can also be added with extended time if your skin did not respond well to the microbladed hairstrokes.
**Failure to follow after-care instructions may result in infections, pigments loss and/or discoloration, which may lead to needing a 3rd session, priced at $100**
Annual maintenance sessions will be required to maintain color and shape approx 1-3 years after your initial apllications. Powder brows tend to last longer than microblading or nano hairstrokes. Skin is constantly renewing and sloughing on our face. The pigment fades over time. How you to care of your skin, with the guidelines provided above, will dictate when you need your yearly session and whether or not you'll need 2 sessions again.
*If you burn your face during the summer or tan throughout the year your brows will NOT last as long and WILL discolor. Using the vitamin a, AHA's or BHA's listed above on your forehead or temples, will migrate to the eyebrows and effect color and retention as well, as does super dry skin or super oily skin. Extra exfoliation or peeling of the skin around the brows, fades them quicker and alters the pigment color. It is up to you when you come in for your "yearly", but you want to come in soon enough that you don't need 2 sessions, saving you the extra time and money and the integrity of your skin!
If you have a question on any of these contraindications that may prevent you from having the service or which type of brow to book, please email us at: info@thelashroomandbrowbar.com or submit your details on the "contact" tab and we will get back to you within 24-48 hours.
If you do not have any of these restrictions and can successfully follow your pre/post-care (required after every session), you are ready to book!! Please follow the steps from our Request an Appointmet tab or button on JoHanna's Service Menu. Eyebrows are a very important feature on our face, providing a beautiful frame that can lift, brighten and liven tired eyes. I am an expert at mapping the perfect brows fit for your bone structure and facial features. Great eyebrows will change your life and now you are just one click away!
If you'd like to save $100 off your first session while Isabelle completes her tattoo apprenticeship, email us to be booked for one of her spots Fridays at 1pm. The work is done by her and JoHanna together.
