What is microblading?
Microblading is a technique for applying permanent eyebrows via a small thin blade. Pigment is applied in the cuts so that you can, for example, imitate small hairs. Microblading is a technique that is placed in the third skin layer, and is often a fairly painful treatment. It is done by hand and not by machine.
The pigment is often applied in the skin when the cuts are well open and the skin is quite tender. That can also be painful. Often a so-called pigment mask is also applied, whereby at the end of the treatment the pigment is left to soak into the just-damaged skin for another 10 minutes.
How long does microblading last?
Salons often advertise that microblading can last 3 years. However, it depends strongly on the skin type you have: greasy, oil-rich, dry or normal. Microblading does not stay well on all skin types. I often see in my salon that microblading on clients has actually only been able to last 6 months to a maximum of 1 year. So you pay a considerable amount for a treatment you only enjoy for a short time.
Besides the fact that the result is short-lived, after the first treatment you have to undergo the unpleasant, painful treatment again after 6-8 weeks so that the pigment stays longer.
Disadvantages of microblading
Because microblading is often placed in the third skin layer, scar tissue forms in the skin. Scar tissue from microblading can form because the skin has sustained a traumatic and painful wound and automatically wants to recover. This does not succeed in a natural way, and as a result scar tissue forms in the skin: a dense, fairly thick skin that can possibly be bumpy in structure.
You often see that the skin has a red or greyish glow, and the skin is thickened. The skin is also pulled together more tightly by the trauma, which means that all new types of treatments after a similar trauma take poorly on the skin. We often encounter these complaints when people have had microblading in the past; even after 5 years the scar tissue remains very clearly visible.
The problem is that the hairstrokes you make through microblading can easily be done by machine. Powder Brows are also made by machine, and with the same machine you can therefore also have the hair-stroke technique placed. Because you choose a machine method, the PMU stylist will not pigment in the third skin layer, but in the first skin layer, as it should be.
Of course, the result above is not done by us. But we did get to make this lady very happy with the beautiful Powder Brows she now has on her scar.
You often see that the skin has a red or greyish glow, and the skin is thickened. The skin is also pulled together more tightly by the trauma, which means that all new types of treatments after a similar trauma take poorly on the skin. So your skin is badly damaged by Microblading, and on top of that it becomes even harder to undergo another treatment to repair it! How annoying is that?!
Besides the fact that you therefore have a high chance of scar tissue from Microblading, you also have a high chance that the result is short-lived in the first place.
We understand that if you did not read up properly, you may have undergone a Microblading treatment. And perhaps you even regret it. But personally we think it is a shame that people do not read up enough when they would like something. The problem is that the 'hairstrokes' you make through Microblading can easily be done by machine. Powder Brows are also made by machine, and with the same machine you can therefore also have the hair-stroke technique placed.
Because you choose a machine method, the PMU stylist will not pigment in the third skin layer, but in the first skin layer — as it should be! That is because the needle of the machine is set to a certain length, so the needle cannot go any deeper than that. The complete opposite of Microblading, in other words.
Take a look for yourself at the difference between Microblading (top) and machine hairstrokes (bottom). Which do you think looks nicer?
Why is microblading offered more than Powder Brows?
We have a very simple answer to this: being able to do microblading does not require a large investment. The blade costs barely anything, and neither does the course. That is why microblading is offered everywhere. Sometimes even at a fairly high price — just think of the fact that some salons simply charge €550.00 or more.
We still want to emphasise that we have not written this to slam microblading into the ground, because what works for one person may not work for another. And that choice lies entirely with you. We only want to make clear how a treatment proceeds, what the consequences of it are, and that there is simply a more difficult way back.
Would you like to know more about Powder Brows? Read about it here!
I am lifting the lid on the Microblading treatment, because I feel that many people are not fully informed about the treatment and its disadvantages. Countless clients come to me asking whether I can still restore their microblading with powder brows.
Read more here and book a Powder Brows treatment.