Do You Have to Shave Your Eyebrows Before Microblading?

So, Do You Have to Shave Your Eyebrows Before Microblading?

A common question microblading artists get is do you have to shave your eyebrows before microblading?

The answer is no. In fact, it is recommended that you do absolutely nothing in terms of grooming your eyebrows for some time before the treatment because the design needs to be in harmony with your natural brow shape.

This is because the results at the end of the day should be low to no maintenance, and you don’t get something that you have to maintain by removing the hair.

The artist needs to see the natural growth pattern in order to create the best look for you, plus to see the color of the natural hair so that the microblading strokes do not clash and look unnatural.

Of course, it’s ok that you have to pluck some stray hairs later, but the point is that microblading should be in accordance with the natural shape of your brows.

During the microblading process, the artist will be making strokes in between your natural hairs, and they have a system to hide them while they’re working.

If any of your natural hairs are in the way, the artist will move them to the side to make the stroke. And if there are some strays, they’ll remove them.

Image source: Instagram @hellostudiohue

How to Prepare for Microblading

Preparing for microblading is something you need to take seriously. The treatment implies breaking the surface of the skin, and if you don’t follow these instructions as closely as possible, there are a lot of things that could go wrong.

1 Year Before Your Microblading

Obviously, most people won’t plan their microblading appointment a year in advance, but there are some scenarios in which it’s necessary to give yourself enough time to prepare.

Namely, you have to be off Accutane for at least a year before getting a brow tattoo, as Accutane thins out the skin and microblading could then damage it. Some artists don’t insist on a full year, but it all depends on the state of your skin.

There are also some things to keep in mind if you booked your microblading appointment in summer since the aftercare process will require more work that way.

Also, give yourself time to do enough research, and make sure you go to a reputable artist who knows what they’re doing. You can explore PMUHub’s artist database here.

1 Month Before Your Microblading Treatment

Your skin needs to be in the best shape possible for microblading, and that means you can’t use any skin-thinning products for at least a month before your appointment, to let it recover.

So avoid:

• Retinol (vitamin A)
• Aggressive acne treatments
• Salicylic acid
• Aggressive chemical peels
• Aggressive facials

Another thing to avoid is henna brows and regular brow tinting. It’s not safe to open up the skin if there’s a henna or dye stain on it, and the artist should see the natural color of your brows to pick the best pigment shade.

10 Days Before Your Appointment

Don’t take any blood thinning medication or supplements for 10 days before your microblading. If your blood is too thin, you will bleed a lot during the procedure, which can make the artist’s job difficult and the pigment won’t get retained as well.

Vitamin E and fish oil are also blood thinners that need some time to leave your system, so stop taking those too.

And of course, always wear sunscreen on your face when going out in the sun.

1 Week Before Your Appointment

If you normally get any type of brow grooming – tweezing, waxing, threading, or anything like that – skip it for 1 week before your microblading appointment.

Your skin can get irritated, and the artist needs to see your natural, untouched brows to give you the best bespoke shape.

1 Day Before Your Appointment

The things you ingest a day before your procedure will still be in your bloodstream the next day and could affect the consistency of your blood. This will lead to more bleeding during the procedure.

So, avoid:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Aspirin and ibuprofen
• Niacin (vitamin B3)

The Day of Your Appointment

On the day of your appointment, skip your workout. Even though you’ll shower and wash your face, some sweat can remain in your pores, and the salt in it can affect the way pigments go into the skin and how they settle.

Make sure you wear comfortable clothes to your appointment, as you’ll be laying down in the same position for up to 2 hours.

There are other things that you should do to prepare for your microblading appointment, so make sure to read more about microblading prep here.

What Not to Do Before Microblading

Here is a list of things you shouldn’t do before your treatment, as it can affect your results. Avoid these to prepare for microblading properly and ensure good healing results:

• Don’t pluck, wax, or shave your eyebrows at least 1 week prior to the treatment
• Stop using retinol or Vitamin A products 1 month prior to the treatment
• Don’t go sunbathing or tanning for at least 7 days prior to the treatment
• Try not to work out on the day of the treatment
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, ibuprofen, aspirin, and fish oil supplements for at least 24 hours prior to the treatment
• Don’t do any facials at least 2 weeks before the treatment
• If you’ve had Botox or fillers in the area, wait at least 2 weeks before microblading.

If you don’t do proper prep before your microblading appointment there are complications that could occur during the treatment, such as your skin having a reaction, or the retention can be poor.

Who Shouldn’t Get Microblading

Some people, such as pregnant women or those with serious medical conditions should avoid getting microblading completely. You can find out more microblading contraindications here.

But there are also certain skin types that technically can get it but should rather avoid it.

In general, those are people with oily skin. Oily skin produces much more sebum than the dry type. The sebum pushes the pigment out of the skin faster, and microblading does not last as long as it’s meant to.

Getting frequent touch ups isn’t a good idea either, since microblading the skin too often means cutting it over and over again, which will eventually start giving not so great results.

Another group of people who should not get microblading are people with mature skin. Their skin is thin and sensitive and microblading may give poor results. Or even worse – cause permanent skin damage.

If you aren’t sure whether microblading is the right choice for you, read this article where we help you make the best decision based on your specific needs.

Final Note

We gave you a bunch of information about the process itself and how to prepare for it, but you shouldn’t hesitate to ask your artist everything you want to know, and they will provide you with proper instructions.

The great news is, microblading does not require much preparation on your side, so you can sit back and relax, let your eyebrows grow out, and then the artist will do the rest.

Now that you know you don’t need to shave or pluck your brows before microblading, you are ready for your treatment and for your new brow look.