Microneedling for Eyebrows - All You Need to Know
Microneedling for eyebrows is a perfect method for boosting your brow growth naturally. Here’s all the info on how it’s done, how it works, and even a step by step walkthrough.
Image source: Instagram @nobis_firenze
Explore more microneedling topics:
Swipe for more microneedling topics →
We all want thick, lush brows, right? Well, since not all of us were naturally blessed with voluminous brows, the beauty industry has come up with many ways to fix this. There are so many options to choose from; it’s just about finding what’s right for you.
And in our book, only methods that give long-lasting effects do the job. So we’re looking into microneedling for eyebrows, a completely natural way to boost the growth of your brows without any major interventions.
Let’s look into all aspects of microneedling for eyebrows!
Table of contents - Skip to a specific paragraph
What’s Microneedling?
Microneedling is a treatment for the skin which implies creating controlled microtrauma in order to stimulate skin regeneration and achieve improvement for a wide range of skin conditions, including hair loss on the scalp, facial hair loss, and sparse eyebrows.
It can be done with 2 tools:
- The derma pen, a pen-shaped device that has a cluster of tiny needles at the top. The needles go in and out of the skin in a stamping motion. Only suitable for professional use due to the adjustable needle length.
- The derma roller, a manually controlled tool that has a handle and a drum covered with tiny needles. The drum is pressed and rolled against the skin, allowing for the needles to create punctures. Depending on needle length, they can be used at home (needle length up to 0.5 mm), or by professionals.
The microchannels made this way in the skin are perceived as injuries by the body, so a regeneration cycle is triggered, and it includes the production of a high amount of collagen, which is sent to the injured spot. The collagen ensures new skin or hair grows out healthier and stronger, resulting in the desired effects.
Image source: Freepik
What’s Microneedling for Eyebrows Like?
The purpose of microneedling for eyebrows is to boost the growth of eyebrow hairs. This is done by combining the following processes:
1 – The microtrauma stimulates blood flow into the area, bringing in nutrients to the hair follicle which boost its growth.
2 – The microchannels made allow hair growth products to penetrate, which maximizes their effects.
3 – As the needles come into contact with hair bulbs, their stem cells are activated. The follicle is triggered into faster growth. Essentially, woken up.
4 – The skin around the follicles starts its regeneration process which brings in high amounts of collagen into the area (that’s why microneedling is often called collagen induction therapy). The collagen is used by the hair bulbs to generate proteins which lead to thicker hair growth. The more collagen is available, the thicker the hairs will grow out.
As a result of these mechanisms, hair follicles that are dormant and still have the potential to grow will start growing. The follicles which grow anyway start growing out thicker. So you get denser, better brows 100% naturally.
Image source: Instagram @softensia_
NOTE – It’s a Gradual Process
The results of microneedling require time, patience and consistency.
They can’t happen overnight – you need to repeat microneedling sessions according to schedule for several months before you can expect a change. Pictures of microneedling eyebrows before and after around 3 months down the line should show increased density, but don’t judge the efficiency of the treatment and don’t give up earlier than that.
How Often Should I Repeat Microneedling for Eyebrows?
This depends on whether you’re getting a professional microneedling service, or if you’re doing it yourself. The difference is in the length of the needles.
Professional microneedling for eyebrows can use needles longer than 0.5 mm, and after a session of such deep microneedling, the skin needs more time to recover. So professional microneedling sessions are usually booked 4-6 weeks apart.
But since the derma roller for eyebrows you can buy for at-home use has shorter needles, you can dermaroll eyebrows more often with it.
- If you have an 0.5 mm roller, start slow and do a session every 2 weeks, to see how your skin will react. You can switch to once a week when you’re ready.
- If you have a 0.25 roller, you can start with once a week and go up to every 2 days, since needles this short can’t really cause damage.
How Do I Prepare for a Microneedling for Eyebrows Session?
If you’ve used Accutane in the past few months, you should wait a while for your skin to thicken back up before you get any needling done.
If you use retinol-based products, discontinue use for about a week before you start microneedling brows. They also thin out the skin and make it more sensitive.
Don’t expose your face to sunlight for 5 days before the procedure. If it gets sunburnt, your skin will be too sensitive.
On the day of the session, avoid caffeine, alcohol, ibuprofen and similar blood-thinning medications and supplements. You’ll bleed more during microneedling for eyebrows.
Microneedling for Eyebrows Step by Step Instructions
Let’s go through the microneedling brows process. It should be noted, though, that microneedling for eyebrows at a salon is often done as part of microneedling the whole face, and only rarely as a stand-alone service, since you really can do it yourself.
Step 1 – Tool Sterilization
The needling has to be sterilized before every use, since the needles will be penetrating the skin and you don’t want them to bring in dirt or bacteria with them and cause an infection. The roller should be cleaned with alcohol or dipped in boiling water (ideally both) and left to dry.
Step 2 – Optional Numbing
If you’re getting a professional service, a numbing cream is applied onto the brow area and left on for about 15 minutes. When the area goes numb, it’s wiped off.
There’s no need for numbing in the case of DIY microneedling for eyebrows.
Step 3 – Cleaning the Brows
The brow area has to be clean of dirt, sebum, and all possible makeup and skincare product residues – the surface of the skin will be broken and all these can cause an infection.
Wash it thoroughly with a cleanser that won’t irritate the skin and wipe it lightly with alcohol.
Step 4 – Serum Application
Apply a few drops of the brow growth product you’re using – a serum or oil – onto the brows.
Some estheticians prefer to do the needling dry and apply the product afterward, but lubricating the brows helps the roller glide.
Step 5 – Derma Rolling
The roller should be pressed against the brows lightly and rolled back and forth several times in different directions over the whole brow arches. Try to contain the motions within the ideal outline you want to achieve – you don’t want to wake up all the stray brow hairs that grow at the middle of your forehead!
The brows shouldn’t be overworked, though. Don’t spend more than 5 minutes rolling.
Step 6 – Massage
Lightly massage the serum/oil residues into the skin. If there’s too much of it, you can blot it off, but don’t rub the area and don’t touch it with unclean fingers or other surfaces for at least a few hours – the microchannels are still open and there’s a risk of contamination.
Does Microneedling for Eyebrows Hurt?
No. If you’re doing it at home, the needles of the derma roller are not long enough to inflict any pain. If it’s a professional treatment, numbing will be used to eliminate the pain.
Is Using the Derma Roller for Eyebrows Guaranteed to Work?
Whether microneedling for eyebrows gives the desired results or not depends on whether the hair follicles that need stimulation are just dormant, or if they’re damaged. The most common reason people experience eyebrow thinning is tweezing, and tweezing can damage the follicles into never growing again.
The thing is, if your brows aren’t growing, you can’t really know if they’re damaged or just need a little push until you try to dermaroll eyebrows. So it’s definitely worth a shot.
Image source: Instagram @bodys_essence
Is a Professional Service Better than Microneedling Brows at Home?
In case of scar microneedling or scalp microneedling, a professional service beats the DIY version by a mile. But in the case of microneedling of eyebrows, both versions will give the same results, more or less.
How come? Well, the skin in the brow area is quite thin, and a short-needle roller you can get yourself will reach far enough into the skin to give you the effects you want. It’s a much more affordable option than professional microneedling, which is priced at upwards of $200 per session.
Unless, of course, you’re getting your whole face microneedled, and brows are just an add-on. In that case, the pro is the way to go.
Image source: Freepik
Are There Any Side Effects?
Since you’re creating trauma to the skin, it’s natural for it to react. You might encounter the following during or after using the derma roller for eyebrows:
- Pinpoint bleeding
- Mild to moderate redness
- Itching (moderate is fine, but extreme itchiness may point to an allergic reaction)
- Minor swelling
- Minor bruising
- Minor temporary brow thinning (the needles of the derma roller can cut exiting brow hairs off, but they’ll grow out stronger and thicker, so it’s no big deal).
Are There Any Risks?
Microneedling for eyebrows is generally considered safe, if done properly. There are some risks, however, and they include:
Infection
The skin is broken, so there’s a chance of contamination and subsequent infection. That’s why your tool must always be sterilized properly, and the area should be left alone for a few hours after you dermaroll eyebrows, without touching them or applying any products on them.
Allergies
Products used while derma rolling may cause an allergic reaction, especially the numbing. That’s why a patch test should always be done beforehand, as the products go deep into the skin and the reaction can be much more severe than with topical application of that same product.
Scarring
If the needles are too long, they can damage the deeper layers of the skin. If scar tissue is formed, the hair stops growing, so you should never use derma rollers with needles longer than 0.5 mm or the derma pen yourself. In fact, we advise you to go with the 0.25 roller, just to be safe, since the skin in the brow area can be very thin in certain spots.
Anything Else I Need to Know About Microneedling for Eyebrows?
- After a rolling session, the aftercare comes down to protecting the area from contamination, so not touching it with your fingers, not applying any products, and not rubbing it for a few hours, until the microchannels have closed up.
- It’s also a good idea to keep it out of direct sunlight for a few days while it’s sensitive.
- The best ingredients for hair growth are castor oil and caffeine, so look for those in the brow growth elixir you’ll be using.
- Try to find a narrow-drummed derma roller to use on your brows. If the barrel is too thick, it’ll stimulate growth in a wide area and your arches may end up so thick and messy you’ll have to tidy them up.
- Give microneedling for eyebrows 3-6 months to really see if it’s working for you or not.
What If It Doesn’t Work?
Unfortunately, sometimes the brows are too far gone to be recuperated with microneedling. If the derma roller doesn’t do anything for your brows even after several months, you might want to look into eyebrow tattoos – those cannot fail!
Image source: Instagram @cecizbeautystudio
Microneedling for Eyebrows – Main Takeaways
Microneedling can help with a wide range of skin and hair issues and insecurities – including thinning and sparse eyebrows. It uses microtrauma to stimulate the body’s natural regeneration processes and results in thicker, denser brows. It’s a totally natural, non-invasive method of boosting your brows, and with them, your confidence! Just give it some time.
Derma rolling, or microneedling, is a versatile treatment that can be used for a number of other purposes. To find out what they are, head over to this guide.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MICRONEEDLING
Explore more microneedling topics:
Swipe for more microneedling topics →
SHARE
Weekly Insights Into the PMU Industry
Support us so we can keep providing you with free education, information & inspiration.
