Microblading implies having pigments implemented into the skin where they’re supposed to stay as vivid as possible for as long as possible. So everything you do to the skin on and around the brows will affect the results of your microblading to some extent.
Chemical peels have become a staple in cosmetic dermatology as a solution to a wide range of skin imperfections, but before you get one, you need to ask: Will a chemical peel remove microblading?
Let’s find out!
Will a Chemical Peel Remove Microblading?
It won’t straight up remove it, but it will likely fade it to some degree. If you don’t want the results of your microblading affected yet you still want to improve a certain skin condition, it’s best to avoid this treatment and go for a mechanical form of skin resurfacing, like microdermabrasion, where the technician can neatly work around the brows.
If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a way to remove your microblading, again, you should skip the chemical peel, because it won’t be effective enough.
Image source: Freepik
Glycolic Acid PMU Removal
There’s actually a form of permanent makeup removal that uses one of the very acids often used for chemical peels – glycolic acid – mixed with enzymes and other acids. In fact, this method can be used for removing actual body tattoos, so ink that’s much more intense than microblading pigments.
If you actually want your chemical peel to remove your microblading, you should look into this option, but know that the treatment is not the same as a chemical peel facial and the acid is used differently.
You can find out more about glycolic acid PMU removal in this guide.
Image source: Instagram @fuji_cosmetic_ink
What If the Brows Aren’t Treated with the Peeling Agent?
Your chemical peel will likely affect your microblading nevertheless. Even though the practitioner may not apply the chemicals directly onto your brows, once absorbed, the peeling agent spreads in the skin, so it’s not uncommon for clients to get flaking even outside of the area treated directly.
Clients report having their hairline, jawline, even their earlobes peeling, especially if it was a more intense peel, so the brow bone can definitely be affected indirectly.
What If It’s a Really Light Peel?
It can still affect your microblading.
Chemical peels can vary in intensity, so you have your light peels, medium-depth ones, and deep peels. Each category targets an increasingly thick layer of skin and causes it to peel off.
- Light peels only affect the epidermis.
- Medium-depth peels affect the epidermis and a portion of the dermis.
- Deep peels are serious treatments verging on plastic surgery and it’s not something that’s done often, so we’ll just put them aside for the time being.
Microblading pigments are supposed to be deposited into the dermis layer of the skin, so obviously, medium-depth peels will fade the pigments. They’ll make your skin peel off all the way to where the pigments are tucked in.
If we follow that logic, light peels should affect microblading because they don’t reach deep enough into the skin, right? Wrong! A light peel may not fade your microblading as much as a medium-depth one or a deep one, but there’s still a chance you’ll end up with patchy brows.
You might get away with your microblading intact if the peel is really light and the practitioner avoids a really big portion of skin around the brows.
Image source: Freepik
Can a Deep Chemical Peel Be Considered a Microblading Removal Option?
Not really.
A deep chemical peel done on the brows or close to the brow area can potentially fade your microblading to a large extent, but if your goal is specifically to remove your microblading, you should get a treatment designed for that, not just book an aggressive facial and hope your brows are done away with as collateral damage.
You risk ending up with half-ruined microblading that’s far worse than what you started off with, and you’ll be forced to look for targeted removal anyway.
We have a detailed guide through microblading removal options if you want to explore them.
Will a Chemical Peel Affect Other Brow Tattoos?
A chemical peel will affect any type of brow tattoo in much the same way, regardless of whether it’s microblading, nano brows or powder brows.
Will a Chemical Peel Affect Permanent Eyeliner?
Generally, when the face is treated with a chemical peel the eye area is avoided. That said, there may be some collateral peeling there, so to say, if the peeling agent travels under the skin. However, it should be minor enough to not affect your eyeliner tattoo, so it’s not a huge risk.
What will inevitably affect your eyeliner tattoo over time is using chemical exfoliants in at-home skincare. If you’re constantly using retinol-packed eye creams or other brightening ingredients directly around your eyes, you can expect accelerated fading of your permanent eyeliner.
Need More Info on Chemical Peels?
If you want to find out more about how chemical peels work, head over to our Comprehensive Guide Through Chemical Peels!
Cover image source: Freepik
