Although it’s considered a relatively non-invasive treatment that only treats the outer layers of the skin, microblading still entails some contraindications and it isn’t safe for everyone, including pregnant and nursing women.
Okay, it seems pretty clear why you shouldn’t do it during pregnancy, but what’s the connection between microblading and breastfeeding?
Here’s the general consensus on microblading while breastfeeding.
Can You Get Microblading While Breastfeeding?
Unfortunately, no.
Pregnancy brings about all sorts of changes to the body and some of them can be quite frustrating, so it’s no surprise women feel eager to get a treatment or two after they’ve had their baby.
One of the common consequences of pregnancy is postpartum hair loss, (or postpartum telogen effluvium), which can affect the eyebrows and cause their thinning and even near-total loss. While postpartum hair loss is only temporary, it can last up to 6 months, and walking around with little to no brows for half a year might sound unacceptable to some.
So they turn to microblading as a solution that would fix the temporary insecurity, but also make their lives easier in the future.
Unfortunately, the postpartum hair loss period often coincides with the nursing period, which makes it impossible to get microblading, or any other PMU, for that matter.
Image source: Freepik
Can You Touch Up Your Microblading While Breastfeeding?
Again, no, if you want to retouch your microblading breastfeeding has to be over.
Many women get microblading before they get pregnant, and that’s fine, but they can’t get a color boost during pregnancy. Assuming you followed the rules and didn’t get your microblading touched up while you were pregnant, your microblading is probably quite faded by the time you’ve had your baby.
But we’re sorry to say, you’ll have to wait until you’ve stopped breastfeeding to get your brows refreshed. Although the touch up may not mean doing the whole brows from scratch, there’s still blading involved and that’s not safe to do while you’re nursing.
Why Can’t You Get Microblading While Breastfeeding?
Okay, enough beating around the bush – you can’t get microblading while breastfeeding because you can get an infection and pass it onto the baby through milk.
While infections after microblading don’t happen often and most of them are mild, moderate at worst, there’s no telling how severe they can be for the baby. That’s why microblading artists refuse to do the treatment on breastfeeding women – it’s just not safe and they don’t want to be responsible.
Also, if you develop a more severe infection, you might need antibiotics, and not all of them are safe to take while breastfeeding.
There’s also the question of whether your hormones have settled. One of the reasons why microblading isn’t done during pregnancy is the way the hormone changes in the body affect the color of the pigments – the colors can turn weird.
After you’ve had the baby, your body needs some time to get the hormones back in balance, and getting a brow tattoo before it does can leave you with a color you didn’t want.
What If You Find a Really Good Artist Who Swears You Won’t Get an Infection?
Most artists pay really close attention to the hygienic protocol. They make sure their tools are sterile and they know how to prevent contamination during the procedure.
The problem is, your brows are susceptible to infection for days after the procedure, and they can get contaminated easily. All it takes is short contact with an unsterile surface and an infection can develop.
Keeping freshly done brows protected is hard, and with a newborn and all the responsibilities and chaos that comes with it, it’s best not to risk it. Committing to proper microblading aftercare is not that easy and you have to stick to a strict schedule and plan your day accordingly.
Really, it’s best to just wait a few more months.
Image source: Freepik
A Quick Reminder – Why Can’t You Get Microblading During Pregnancy?
Microblading is not safe for pregnant women for many reasons.
First, there’s the risk of infection and possible complications. Then, there’s the fact that substances that can potentially harm the fetus literally go under your skin. The numbing cream used during PMU treatments is also not safe for the fetus – epinephrine can cause fetal tachycardia.
There are also less serious issues pertaining to the final look of your brows – the hormone changes can cause the pigment color to turn, and the swelling many women encounter in pregnancy can make your artists do the shape all wrong for your non-swollen, post-baby face.
For a more detailed explanation of why you can’t get microblading during pregnancy, check out this guide.
Important!
Everything we’ve said above refers to all permanent makeup and micropigmentation treatments, not just microblading. All the treatments imply breaking the skin in the same or similar way, and so they entail the same risks. So, no PMU in general, including microblading while breastfeeding or pregnancy! It’s really not worth the risk.
Cover image source: Freepik
