Microblading is a permanent makeup treatment that gives fabulously filled-in brows that last up to 1.5 years. It’s a form of tattooing that creates an illusion of more volume by adding strokes that look just like brow hairs into the brow arches, but it’s done differently from regular body art tattoos.
So it doesn’t last forever, but rather fades. Still, as colors are deposited into the skin, many clients wonder what will happen to their brows after a few years.
Let’s go through the long term effects of microblading eyebrows.
How Is Microblading Done?
Microblading is done by creating tiny incisions on the skin that look like brow hairs, and depositing color into them. So, yes, microblading is a form of tattooing, but done in pigments, instead of ink, which allows it to fade.
The cuts are made with a hand-held tool that has a blade so thin it mimics the width of a brow hair. It cuts into the skin very shallowly – it only reaches the dermis layer of the skin. The colors implanted are pigments of natural origins in the color closest to your natural brows.
These factors ensure that microblading doesn’t last forever. The body breaks down the pigment molecules over time, and the marks gradually fade into invisibility.
If everything goes right, that is. But in some cases, the long term effects of microblading eyebrows may turn into a nuisance. Here are the most common scenarios of what happens to microblading after a few years.
What Are the Long Term Effects of Microblading Eyebrows?
The point of microblading is to enhance your brows. That it will definitely do, and you’ll be free from brow products for up to 2 years. But you should also be aware of what could go wrong a couple of years down the line so that you’re extra careful with choosing an artist.
Desirable Long Term Effects of Microblading Eyebrows
The ideal microblading scenario is – your brows look great for many months, and after a year and a half they’re so light you can’t even see the marks anymore, or you get them touched up and they keep looking great.
So here are the positive long term effects:
1. Up to 2 Years of Dream Brows
First and foremost, microblading will give you your dream brows in their long-lasting form. A skilled artist can create the perfect brow shape and give you the volume you’ve always wanted.
The reason why microblading is so beloved is the fact that it provides natural-looking volume. The so-called hair strokes blend into the actual hairs and they make your arches look like they’re naturally full.
The effects last 18 months for most clients. On dry skin, they may last out a bit longer. Over this time, the color will gradually lose intensity, finally disappearing unless it’s refreshed.
2. Fading
The nature of application means that the second of the desirable long term effects of microblading eyebrows is their fading. As the pigment molecules are broken down and as the skin regenerates itself, the results of microblading change.
They become lighter and lighter. Their color changes – ideally, not much, it just loses intensity. The strokes at the edges of the outline fade and the brows lose the shape they were given through microblading.
You can book a touch up and get another 18 months of fab brows.
Image source: Instagram @ohana_beautycosmetics
Undesirable Long Term Effects of Microblading Eyebrows
Unfortunately, not all cases of microblading go as described above. If the treatment isn’t done 100% right, the long term effects of microblading eyebrows might not be 100% great.
1. Color Change
Microblading is an extremely complex process and in order to get results that won’t only look good right after the treatment, but also months down the line, the artist has to get a bunch of things right.
The color needs to be chosen and mixed very carefully to complement your skin tone and undertone. The pigment formula needs to be top quality and stable. The depth of application needs to be just right for every single stroke. If any of these criteria isn’t met, your microblading can fade into an unattractive color, either reddish/orange or ashy/bluish.
Pigments implemented too deep look too cool, even grayish or blue. If this happens, it’s obvious soon after the treatment.
Low-quality formulas can’t be broken down evenly by the body, so they leave orange or bluish traces. If this is the issue, it shows after a few months.
Image source: Instagram @elicia_marie_beauty
2. Strokes Merged or Blurred
Ideal microblading fading happens only on skin 100% suitable for the technique, so skin types that are on the drier end of the spectrum.
If microblading is done on oilier skin, in time, the delicate strokes are blurred by sebum overproduction. They spread and no longer look natural, and they can even merge together into a shade. Plus, their color probably turns.
This is why clients with oily skin are advised to get powder brows, microshading, or, if they’re stone-set on hair strokes, digital microblading.
Image source: Instagram @arianabunting_le
3. Pigment Residues After 2 Years
The worst case scenario is – your microblading isn’t fading. The defined shape is gone, the color isn’t intense anymore, but there’s visible pigment residues that you have to cover up with makeup.
This can happen if the artist who performed the treatment did something wrong. The most likely issue is they put too much pressure on the blade, it went too deep, and the pigments got stuck in the deeper layers of the skin.
Or, they used permanent ink, the biggest no-no in the PMU industry.
Image source: Instagram @evertruesalon
What Can I Do if My Microblading Fades Wrong?
Don’t worry, as the images show, all of these undesirable long term effects of microblading eyebrows can be fixed or reversed.
If your brows have faded into an unattractive color but their shape is okay, you can get color correction. If the strokes blurred, you can get some shading and make them look different, but good.
If there’s residues that aren’t fading, you can get new PMU over them. If they’re super light, you might be able to get fresh strokes, but if they’re darker, you’ll have to convert to powder brows. Or, as a last resort, you can get removal.
Image source: Instagram @mauriliovazzana_nanoremoval
So, Is Microblading a Good Idea?
Yes, as long as you go to someone who knows what they’re doing.
All of the unwanted long term effects of microblading eyebrows happen due to poor technique or wrong skin type assessment, so never go to uncertified artists who don’t really have much experience.
For more information on microblading, read our detailed guide.
Cover image source: Freepik
