Exclusive insights into the PMU industry right in your inbox
FREE newsletter. 100% good stuff.
Microblading Scabbing Explained in Detail
Microblading scabbing is the most uncomfortable stage of the healing process. Prepare yourself by reading all about it in PMUHub’s guide through microblading scabbing.
Image source: Instagram @naked.lounge
Menu
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November 2019. Updated October 2021.
Eyebrows are the most prominent feature of a person’s face. That’s why microblading eyebrows is so popular. It’s a treatment after which you have impeccable brows for months, even years.
However, your brows will not look great immediately after the microblading treatment.
They have to go through the healing period, which lasts 4-6 weeks. Your brows will go through several stages and the most frustrating one is definitely scabbing.
Here is everything you need to know about the microblading scabbing process.
Click on the link to go directly to a specific step:
What Is Microblading Scabbing and Why Does It Happen?
Microblading is similar to traditional tattooing, but there are some key differences.
While traditional tattoos are permanent, microblading is a semi-permanent form of cosmetic eyebrow tattooing, which means it fades away after some time. This is because the color used is a pigment rather than an ink, and it’s not inserted as deep as with traditional tattooing.
When it comes to microblading, the pigment only goes into the dermoepidermal junction of the skin – the layer of tissue that connects the dermis and the epidermis. It is deposited into thin incisions. Scabbing is your skin’s natural response to this trauma and part of its recovery.
Microblading scabbing is a normal part of the healing process. It can be pretty annoying because your eyebrows are itchy, but you are not allowed to scratch them. After a few days, they start flaking lightly and the scabs fall off on their own. Some of the pigment will come out with the scabs, but only a tiny amount if you let them flake off naturally.
Want to find out more about microblading? Follow the links:
Image source: Instagram @browology_melbourne
How Long Does the Scabbing Process Last?
The microblading scabbing stage starts approximately 3-4 days after the treatment.
It lasts around 7 days, and it should end by day 12 or so.
Scabbing is definitely the ugliest part of the microblading healing process and that is why you should plan your microblading appointment carefully. You don’t want to attend an important event with your eyebrows flaking off. Besides that, you are strictly forbidden from wearing makeup at the beginning stages of the healing period.
Therefore, schedule your microblading appointment at least a month before any important event, or, for better results, two or three months, so you have time to get the mandatory touch up.
What Does Microblading Scabbing Look Like Day by Day?
Here’s a general timeline of microblading scabbing. It’s individual and your experience may deviate from it.
Days 1-3
Your brows look too dark and swollen. There is some redness around the brows. Don’t worry, the color will fade a few shades.
Day 3/4
Microblading scabbing process starts. Eyebrows might become itchy.
Day 5
Scabs start flaking off. Your eyebrows are becoming patchy. Some parts of your brows are too light while others remain dark.
Days 6-8
More flaking and more patches. Eyebrows are losing pigment at this stage.
Day 9
Most of the scabs have fallen off. The pigments underneath look too light.
Day 10-12
Scabbing has stopped. Eyebrows look too light. Pigment seems to have disappeared.
Days 12-28
The pigment has settled and it’s slowly re-emerging. Your microblading is showing back up.
Days 28-42
Your eyebrows are recovering, taking their final shape and color. It’s time for your touch up.
Image source: Instagram (not her work) @thebroweffect
When Should I Be Worried?
While light scabbing is completely normal, heavy scabbing is not.
It can be caused by poor technique, i.e. if the incisions were made too deep. It can also be a sign of infection that is usually followed by inflammation and redness.
No need to get discouraged, though, infections happen extremely rarely. However, if you notice your brows are scabbing extensively, speak to your microblading artist. You will be advised on how to treat the microbladed area.
Don’t do anything on your own!
How Do I Know if My Brows Are Infected?
If you experience heavy scabbing followed by inflammation and redness or pus after day 5, it is highly likely that you have developed or are about to develop an infection.
Contact your microblading artist. They will advise you what to do.
Can I Prevent Microblading Scabbing?
Unfortunately, scabbing cannot be prevented.
This stage of microblading healing process is the most annoying one and it requires a lot of patience. There are some rules you need to follow in order not to ruin your microblading.
The most important one is not to touch or pick at the scabs. Under no circumstances should you scratch your eyebrows or peel off the scabs. If you do that, the pigment can be pulled out and your microblading might be ruined.
The damage can’t be fixed until the skin heals completely, so you’ll have to walk around with patchy brows for 6 weeks.
Picking your scabs can lead to even more serious damage – scar tissue.
In that case, there’s nothing the artist can do to fix it since scar tissue shouldn’t be microbladed.
If you are prone to picking scabs or wounds, make sure to inform your artist about that habit before the procedure. They might adapt your healing process accordingly.
How Do I Treat My Eyebrows During the Microblading Scabbing Process?
There are two ways of treating your brows during scabbing.
The first one is dry healing. It means letting your brows recover naturally, without using any cosmetic products, i.e. aftercare ointments.
On the other hand, there is ointment healing or wet healing. It means applying an ointment onto your microbladed eyebrows. Ointment healing can reduce and soothe scabbing.
Microblading aftercare routine is prescribed by the technician. Your artist will know which type of healing is better for you depending on your skin type. If you are irritated by scabbing and you can’t resist scratching your microbladed brows, your artist will suggest ointment healing.
Also, you are strictly forbidden from wearing makeup or any other cosmetic product not recommended by your artist during scabbing. Wearing makeup can lead to an infection.
What If I Accidentally Scratch Microblading Scabs?
If you scratch your brows and peel off some scabs accidentally, you risk too much pigment coming off with the scab.
If you are worried that you might have ruined your microblading, contact your artist. Send them a picture to see how much damage was done. It should be fixed at the first touch up, after the healing period is over, 4-6 weeks after the treatment.
What Will My Brows Look Like After the Scabbing Process is Finished?
In many cases, scabbing leaves your eyebrows at least a little patchy.
They are sometimes so light that you might be worried that your microblading disappeared. It is all part of the healing process. The pigment will start to show again. If your eyebrows are still patchy after the healing process is finished, they can be corrected at the touch up.
Microblading Scabbing – Main Takeaways
Microblading scabbing is a part of the healing process and it is completely normal. It can be emotionally exhausting, but you must be patient.
It is a waiting game and it requires some discipline. In the end, you will realize that it was a small price to pay for perfect eyebrows.