Preparation and healing
Aftercare
Good healing is half the result. This is what I ask of you before we start and in the weeks after. You'll get the same instructions in writing at your appointment.
Before
Before your appointment
A little preparation makes the treatment more comfortable and helps the pigment take evenly.
- For 24 hours before, skip alcohol, caffeine, and over-the-counter blood thinners like aspirin or ibuprofen. They increase bleeding and can affect how the color settles. If you take prescription blood thinners, do not stop them. Tell me at booking and we'll plan around it.
- No retinol, acids, or exfoliating treatments on the area for two weeks before.
- No Botox or filler in the area for at least two weeks before.
- Avoid sunburn or tanning on the area in the week before. Sunburned skin can't be treated.
- Don't wax, thread, or tint the area within a week of your appointment.
- Eat a proper meal before you come. Low blood sugar makes the session harder on you.
- Arrive with clean skin and no makeup on the area. You're welcome to bring a photo of a look you like.
Let me know at booking if any of these apply
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- You've taken Accutane in the last year.
- You have diabetes, a bleeding disorder, a heart condition, or are going through chemotherapy.
- You scar easily or form keloids.
- You've had permanent makeup in the area before.
Some of these mean we wait, adjust the plan, or check with your doctor first. None of them are a problem to mention. Surprises on the day are.
Healing
The first two weeks
Every treatment heals in roughly the same rhythm. The color looks bold and dark for the first few days, then flakes and looks too light and patchy around week two, then settles into its true shade over four to six weeks. That in-between stage worries everyone. It's normal.
- Keep the area clean and follow the cleaning and balm routine I give you at your appointment. A thin layer is always better than a thick one.
- No picking, scratching, or rubbing the flakes. Let them fall on their own. Picking pulls the pigment out with them.
- Keep it dry. No soaking, swimming, saunas, steam rooms, or sweaty workouts for seven to ten days. Quick showers are fine if you keep the water off the area.
- No makeup, skincare, or sunscreen on the treated area until it has fully flaked, usually ten to fourteen days.
- Stay out of direct sun and tanning beds for four weeks. After that, sunscreen on the area every day keeps your color from fading early.
- No retinol, acids, or exfoliants on the area for thirty days.
- Sleep on your back for the first few nights if you can, and keep hair, pillows, and hands off the area.
- Your perfecting session happens after you've fully healed. I'll book it with you at your appointment.
Brow Care
Caring for your brows
Microblading, powder, and combo
- Face away from the shower stream so water and shampoo don't run over your brows.
- No brow pencils, gels, or tints, and no plucking or waxing, for four weeks.
- Microblading strokes look crisp at first and soften as they heal. Powder shading looks darker and more solid at first, then softens into that airy, shaded finish. Combo brows do a little of both.
- If you have oily skin, expect a little more softening. It's why we talk about the right technique for you at your consultation.
When to call me
If anything looks off or you're just not sure, message me. I'd rather answer a small question than have you worry. If you see increasing redness, heat, swelling, or discharge, or you develop a fever, see a doctor first and then let me know.
Questions before you book?
Bring them to a complimentary consultation. There's no such thing as a silly one.