If you are taking any sort of blood thinning medication, permanent makeup procedures such as microblading might not be for you. Why? Well, there are several reasons that we will look at in this article. But, first, let’s start with understanding microblading and what it entails.
How Does Microblading Work And What To Expect?
Microblading is a permanent cosmetic procedure used for making brows look fuller, thicker, and darker.
This treatment can be performed on anyone that has sparse, thin, or no eyebrows at all.
During the treatment, artificial hair strokes are made by a trained artist to mimic your eyebrows’ natural hair. Pigment is then deposited using a special hand tool in the superficial layer of the skin to give your brows more color and look more voluminous.
Since pigment tends to fade off, touch-ups are required frequently.
The whole procedure is relatively painless as topical anesthesia and numbing cream are applied throughout the procedure.
If you’re contemplating microblading your eyebrows you must have complete information about the procedure. What does it cost? What adverse effects it can have? And what kind of healing time and aftercare regimen you are looking at?
So, let’s have a look at all aspects of microblading and the importance of pre and post-care.
Who Is Microblading For?
Microblading is one of the most coveted brow procedures involving permanent makeup. It is highly beneficial for people who have lost their eyebrows due to an illness or an accident. It is also perfect for people wanting to have more defined brows that look natural and perfect and last a long time.
Microblading is a worthy investment as the results can last easily for more than a year. It helps save makeup time and money as you don’t require penciling or threading to keep your brows looking fresh and fabulous.
Certain factors that determine the longevity and quality of results are skin type, aging, and how well the skin retains pigment.
However, several factors can make your skin overly sensitive which in turn can make the procedure more complex. One of these factors is using blood thinners before your treatment.
Why Blood Thinning Medications Shouldn’t Be Used At Least 1-Week Before Procedure!
Blood thinners are medicinal agents that prevent blood clotting. They are mostly used for preventing clots in blood vessels that can cause heart attacks, artery blockages, and strokes.
There are also two types of blood thinners:
- Anticoagulants
- Antiplatelets
The most common adverse effect of both types of blood thinners is excessive bleeding.
Many people take blood-thinning medications as a part of their daily regimen and continue using them before their microblading procedure. This is an absolute NO NO!
If your blood is thinned out, it will not coagulate properly, resulting in heavy bleeding which can push out the pigment deposited in your skin making the procedure ineffective.
It can also make healing and recovery difficult as it causes pigment retention and patchiness. Due to continuous blood loss during the procedure, the pigment will not stay in place and will be pushed out of the cuts leading to less than desirable results.
What Else Should Be Avoided Other Than Blood Thinners?
Apart from blood-thinning medications, other supplements that may thin out the blood shouldn’t be taken at least 2 days before treatment. This includes anything that has ginger, turmeric, vitamin E, fish oil, garlic, or primrose oil. Painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen should also be avoided.
Other things that should be avoided before the treatment include the following:
- Caffeine is not a widely known blood thinner but clients should reduce their daily intake of coffee, green tea, and energy drinks to prevent excessive bleeding.
- Alcohol is also a blood thinner; it also dehydrates skin which makes pigment less likely to retain.
- Retinol, vitamin A, niacinamides, and all other brightening creams should be avoided one month before the procedure. These products augment the surface of the skin, thus thinning it out and making it bleed more easily.
- Avoid botox for at least 2 weeks
- No sunbathing or tanning for ten days before the procedure as burnt and tanned skin is difficult to work on due to excessive peeling.
- Avoid exercise on the day of treatment, sweat contains salts that affect pigment retention by drying it out.
- No tweezing, waxing, and tinting of brows for seven days before the treatment as plucking out hairs can make the skin sensitive.
- For people with oily skin, microblading might not be a good option for them. They should choose a microblading plus shading combo.
Does Microblading Leave Scars?
Microblading is a non-invasive procedure but it can leave scars due to the tiny incisions made in the skin. These scars are formed largely due to artists using poor incision techniques.
Incisions should always be made superficially, if they get too deep, there’s a high chance of them turning into scars.
Another reason for scarring is getting touch-ups too soon. Microblading is a two-step procedure. After the first session, you must wait at least six weeks for the incision to heal. Touch-ups should not be conducted before 6 weeks as new incisions will deepen the still unhealed wounds resulting in scarring.
Frequent touch-ups may also cause scarring because repeated incisions on the same area will take longer to heal and as a result, fibrous tissue can build up leaving a permanent scar.
Another important reason is poor aftercare during the recovery period. Remember your skin will start to heal naturally, and it is important to make sure that during the recovery period you don’t pick on any scabs or dead skin.
It is best to avoid touching your eyebrows at all and let the cuts heal naturally.
Finding A Renowned Microblading Studio Or Artist Near Me!
When finding a good and reliable artist for permanent makeup procedures it is always best to:
- Never opt for artists who have substandard prices
- Check clients’ reviews on social media pages and do your online research
- Visit the studio and get to know the artist first-hand.
- Discuss your desired look before booking the appointment.
- Set a reasonable budget and do not spend more than you want to.
If you are looking for a world-class studio for permanent makeup procedures in Austin, Texas, head down to the heart of round rock where you will find LUXE Brow + Lash.
At our studio, you will meet our experienced, licensed, and certified artist who is an expert in ‘brow and lash’ permanent makeup and has helped hundreds of clients achieve the brows they have always desired!