Microblading is the perfect low-maintenance solution to daily drawing on your brows. But it’s not a no-maintenance treatment.
Let’s discuss what the process of getting the perfect brows entails and exactly how many microblading sessions do you need to achieve those results.
So, How Many Microblading Sessions Do You Need?
For most clients, it’ll be 2 sessions to finalize the results of microblading, but it’s important to understand the whole process.
It consists of a few steps. The first one should be a consultation during which your skin will be assessed and you’ll discuss the preferences and the goal of the tattoo.
The tattooing process itself is quite simple but it does require at least two sessions: the initial session and the mandatory touch-up session. The initial session is what we all think of when microblading is mentioned. It implies mapping, outlining, and drawing on the design.
You can learn about the whole step-by-step process here.
Four weeks after the initial session, you should go back in for a touch-up. The point of the touch-up is to allow the artist to estimate the pigment retention and how well the strokes have healed.
If the scabs have taken off a lot of the initial results during the peeling process, the artist will add in a few more strokes to fix the pattern.
This is why the first touch-up session is considered mandatory – without it, your eyebrows wouldn’t be complete. This way you’ll get the best shape, the optimal pigment saturation, and your results will last longer.
Image source: Instagram @niloofaar.rezaee.academy
My Microblading Looks Great After 1 Session, Do I Still Need a Touch-Up?
The amount of fixing that is necessary depends on the amount of pigment that has managed to stay in your skin. Generally speaking, the brows will look quite patchy after the healing process is over. But of course, there are always exceptions.
Usually, dry and mature skin tends to have great pigment retention.
Dry skin doesn’t produce as much sebum so it doesn’t wash the pigment out as much as other skin types do.
And the reason why it works great on mature skin is due to the slower skin cell turnover process. Also, the immune system tends to also be weaker so the body can’t really fight the foreign pigment particles as much.
But while the touch-up session doesn’t do much, it’s still highly recommended. The artist needs to make an estimation of whether the pigment will stay or if it needs to be boosted a bit.
Image source: Instagram @essentialbeauty_mb
I Had My Touch Up and My Microblading Is Still Too Light, What Happened?
There are a couple of reasons why your skin might not have handled pigment retention as well as it could have. Pigment loss may have happened due to one of the following factors:
Skin Type
If the pigments are being well absorbed by dry skin, oily skin will naturally do the opposite and sweat it out. This is why microblading isn’t really recommended to people that have an oily skin type as the pigment doesn’t hold up as well.
Clients like that are significantly more suited for machine-made eyebrow tattoos like combo brows, microshading, or nano brows.
Not Following Proper Aftercare Routine
This factor is something you can actually control.
Some clients don’t realize how important sticking to the aftercare instructions actually is. Getting your brows wet or using the wrong ointment, picking at the scabs, or exposing them to the sun for long periods of time all result in bad pigment retention.
Improper Pigment Implementation
There’s also a possibility that the artist hadn’t inserted the pigment properly. While inserting it too deep is a problem of its own (blurred lines, bleeding of the pigment, etc), not inserting it deep enough can also be the reason it’s prematurely faded.
When the pigment stays in the epidermis skin layer it can fade in as little as a month. In that case, we suggest finding a different artist to fix the issue.
You can find more information on why your microblading didn’t take here.
Yearly Maintenance Touch Up
Microblading results usually last somewhere between 18 to 30 months. Again, this depends on the skin type, lifestyle, and maintenance.
Most people require touch-ups once or twice a year. Some don’t need it for much longer.
So until you notice the fading of the pigments, you don’t need to book it. If you’re unsure about when the right time for a touch-up is, take a look at this article.
These annual touch-ups technically aren’t considered a part of the initial treatment, but they are something nearly every client does. Why not prolong your investment, right?
So here’s everything you need to know about touch-ups and a few tips on how you can make your microblading last longer.
Image source: Instagram @aesthetics_by_chanelle_spmu
What Happens If You Skip a Touch-Up Appointment?
Seeing as microblading is done with special cosmetic pigments and not regular tattooing ink, they start to fade over time. Skipping your touch-up appointments means your brows will continue to fade until eventually there’s no pigment left.
Just be wary, over time the hair strokes may start to blur as the pigment fades, making your eyebrows look unnatural.
If you no longer wish to have microbladed brows, look into proper ways to remove them. You can get that information here.
To Sum Up
It’s kinda hard to answer How many microblading sessions do you need since the answer depends on many factors. Generally speaking, you need to have at least two – the initial tattooing process and the mandatory touch-up. After that, it’s up to you.
If you’re trying to prolong the results for as long as possible, you’ll need to book the annual maintenance appointment for as many years as you’re looking to keep your brows.
If you don’t want to keep them, let them fade over time without any additional maintenance treatments or look into permanent makeup removal treatments.
Cover image source: Freepik
