How Long Do Nano Brows Last?

If you’re thinking about getting nano brows, you’re probably wondering how long does nano brows last? Here’s an average lifespan and how to avoid premature fading.

Image source: Instagram @nanobrows_pmu

Nano brows are a type of semi-permanent brows tattoo, meaning that it gives long-lasting results, but it doesn’t stay on forever. If you’re interested in enhancing your brows with this form of permanent makeup, you’re probably wondering how long it will last and whether it’s worth the money.

Nano brows are not so cheap – the average price of the treatment is around $660, and you want to make sure it’s a good investment that will relieve you from having to draw on your brows every morning for a significant amount of time.

Here’s all the info you need to answer the question of how long does nano brows last, what causes fading, and how to keep the results as long as possible.

How Long Does Nano Brows Last on Average?

The average nano brows longevity is between 1.5 and 2.5 years, but it’s very individual. Some clients experience faster fading, some experience very slow fading and get to keep their brows looking fresh longer without touch ups.

In some cases, the brows can fade significantly after about a year. In others, nano brows last even up to 4 years. It all depends on several factors.

Image source: Instagram @camilasenamicropigmentacao

Shouldn’t a Brow Tattoo Be Permanent?

Actually, no.

The new generation of eyebrow tattoos like nano brows are meant to fade after a couple of years, because traditional tattooing on the face proved to be a bad idea.

For one, trends change, and what’s hot in the beauty world could become totally outdated in a few years. Then, you have to take into account the fact that facial morphology changes and as we age, you might want to adjust the shape of your brows. Even if aging is not a factor, your taste may change, and you might end up disliking the enhancement you got after 5 or 10 years.

Cosmetic, semi-permanent brow tattoos enable you to change up your look every couple of years. They’re done with PMU pigments that the body gradually breaks down and absorbs, so the results disappear if you don’t get them touched up.

What Factors Determine How Long Do Nano Brows Last?

How long do nano brows last depends on several factors that have to do with your body chemistry, skin type, lifestyle, how the treatment was performed, and how you treat your brows after it. Let’s go through the main ones:

1. Nano brows Aftercare

Your PMU artist will prescribe a nano brows aftercare routine you should follow to make sure your nano brows heal properly, but also to ensure the pigments settle into the skin.

Aftercare implies:

Cleaning your brows from built-up lymph so that scabbing is minimal
Moisturizing them
Not picking the scabs during healing – if you rip them off, they could pull the pigments out

If you ignore these instructions, your nano brows could heal too light, so they’ll fade out faster. You also need to get the 6-8 week touch up in order to achieve proper pigment saturation and get the most out of the treatment.

2. Skin Type & Texture

Although nano brows are more resilient than microblading strokes, they still fade slightly faster from oilier skin that has large pores. Sebum overproduction pushes out pigments bit by bit.

This is less apparent with nano brows than with microblading, which is notorious for not being suitable for oily skin. Strokes drawn with a machine are not affected by sebum overproduction that much due to the nature of the application.

Still, if you have oily skin, you might need touch ups a bit more frequently than clients with dry to normal skin.

3. Body Chemistry

This is perhaps the primary factor that determines the pace of fading. Pigments used have several ingredients and the body reacts differently to each of those substances. How your system will react and how fast it’ll break down and extract them directly affects how long do nano brows last. It’s very individual, and there’s no way to predict it.

Some clients notice certain colors in the pigment mix fading faster, and their brows can turn cooler or warmer in tone over time. Clients who have an iron deficiency (anemia) can expect the pigments to fade more quickly, as one of the most common pigment components is iron oxides, which the body absorbs fast.

4. Pigment Quality

A prominent factor that determines how long do nano brows last is the pigment formula. Some formulas last longer than others – it depends on their composition. High-quality formulas fade more evenly, which is important, because they stay the same color throughout fading, only lose intensity.
Make sure your artist uses top-quality pigments so your nano brows last as long as possible.

5. Frequent Sunlight Exposure

Pigments which are exposed to sunlight often fade faster. A chemical reaction occurs that can accelerate fading, and even cause a color change. The change won’t be dramatic, but over time, premature fading can happen.

If you want to prolong how long do nano brows last, wear SPF when you’re outside.

6. Frequent Swimming

Salt and chlorine react with the pigments. Exposing your nano brows to them too often can cause them to fade faster than they’re supposed to.

7. Skincare Products and Beauty Treatments

Certain skincare ingredients cause premature nano brows fading, mainly retinol and acids. These ingredients speed up the skin cell turnover cycle, so pigmented cells are shedded more quickly. They also brighten the skin and the result.

Treatments like mechanical and chemical exfoliation should be avoided. By exfoliating the surface layer of the skin, you’re peeling off the pigmented cells.

You can find out what ingredients and treatments to avoid in this article.

How Can I Prolong My Nano Brows?

The factors that determine how long does nano brows last are numerous, and not all of them can be controlled. There’s nothing you can do about your skin type or body chemistry, but you can adjust your lifestyle a bit.

Here’s what to do to prolong the results of your nano brows:

Follow the aftercare routine.
Get the 6-8 week touch up.
Wear SPF when outside.
Try to keep your brows dry when swimming.
Avoid exfoliating ingredients and treatments.
If you’re anemic, see if you can start taking an iron supplement.
Book a touch up when your brows have faded significantly.

PMUHub Note

The nano brows lifespan depends on all these factors to varying degrees. It’s all very individual, and it can’t really be predicted.

Since the price of nano brows treatment isn’t cheap, you want your brows to last out as long as possible, but this doesn’t mean you should obsess over them and never go swimming again. PMU is supposed to make your life easier, not restrict it!

Image source: Instagram @carthyc

Which Lasts Longer, Nano Brows or Microblading?

Nano brows last a bit longer than microblading. The nature of machine application makes digital hair strokes more resilient than the manual strokes of microblading.

For more information on the longevity of microblading, check out this article.

Will My Nano Brows Fade Completely Without Touch Ups?

It most likely will, but in some cases where the body can’t break down every component of the pigment, a very light shade might stay on. If this happens, you can get fresh PMU over it, or get it removed.

Since nano brows is done with a machine, the possibility of pigments going in too deep is more or less eliminated. This is what sometimes causes microblading not fading, but it shouldn’t be a problem with nano brows.

Can I Get My Nano Brows Removed?

Yes. If you decide you don’t want your nano brows anymore and you can’t wait out for them to fade, your options are:

If you change your mind right after the treatment, there’s emergency saline or acid removal that can be done in the first 48 hours. If you wait longer than that, you’ll have to wait 6-8 weeks for your brows to heal completely.

You should know that all these methods require multiple sessions charged separately, so nano brows removal can take time and money if you decide to start the process. So perhaps it’s best to just let them fade and cover them up with makeup in the meantime.

Image source: Instagram @skiin_clinic