There is a straightforward rule for microblading aftercare in Australia: let the skin heal and do not put your new eyebrows in direct sunlight. The UV here will not only dull the pigment but can cause irritation and get in the way of an even heal, something to be mindful of on a long drive or at the beach in summer.
I am Evander Anderson and it is easy to see aftercare put to the back of one’s mind when you are off to work, have a coffee outside or are making your way down the coast. What follows is some general information on microblading aftercare, the use of hats and sunscreen, exercise and swimming; what separates a warm day from the more unforgiving Australian sun. Consider this a guide, though it is no replacement for the word of a health professional or your brow artist. It also helps to understand the blonde microblading possibilities.
Put Some Distance Between New Brows and the Sun
Do not mistake freshly microbladed brows for finished makeup, they are healing skin. The pigment strokes require time to put down their roots. Too much sun and the area will turn red, dry out and become tender or uneven.
You will find high UV levels in most of Australia. With the UV Index often 11 or higher, anything over 3 warrants protection. I would refer to the ultraviolet radiation guidance put out by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency before any time outdoors.
The Effect of Sun on Healing
The procedure leaves its mark on the upper layers of the skin. While it heals, UV rays can be an aggravation, prompting inflammation and the early fading of pigment. Dryness and irritation from the sun may lead to scabbing or flaking as well.
Some make the error of thinking clouds mean you are in the clear. They take away the glare but not all the UV. On the Stuart Highway a cool morning can still put enough sun on your brows, particularly through a side window or the windscreen.
What You Expect and What Happens
One might expect to walk out of the appointment with perfect eyebrows. In fact, they will be darker to begin with before the skin flakes and the colour softens. There will be some unevenness and that is to be expected; rubbing them or lying in the sun will only make matters worse.
Hold off on passing judgement on the colour for the first week. Your artist will want to do a touch up once the initial healing is done to check retention and make any fine tuning required.
How Long Before You Can Be in the Sun?
Your skin, the method of treatment and what your artist has told you will dictate the answer. But as a rule of thumb, steer clear of the sun for seven days and be very cautious for 10 to 14. Full settlement of the colour and skin is a four to six week affair for most. It is no reason to be cooped up for a month but you should eschew tanning, heavy sweating and any activity with repeated water contact.
A Timeline for Healing
| Stage | Observations | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| First 24 hours | Some redness or tenderness with the fresh pigment | Follow your artist’s instructions to keep it clean and dry. No direct sun. |
| Days 2-7 | Tightness, darkening, perhaps a little scabbing | Put on a hat and stay in the shade. Do not apply sunscreen to open skin without your provider’s say so. |
| Days 8-14 | Flaking should subside, colour can be light for a while | No tanning or swimming. Check in before you go back to your normal sunscreen. |
| Weeks 3-6 | Skin is comfortable, colour is settling | Broad-spectrum protection is sensible once the skin has closed. |
Take the table as a guide and nothing more. Sensitive skin or working in the heat can extend the healing period. If there is still some soreness or scabbing, treat it as such come what may.
Make Appointments That Make Sense
Do not book in for the day prior to a beach wedding or a trip to the tropics. To have a treatment and then be off for a long weekend on the Gibb River Road is not well thought out if you are going to be in the elements, sweating and pulling over for photos in a dusty hat. For an outdoor day, make sure you have a good wide-brimmed hat and some indoor breaks in your plan. Parking in the shade of a covered spot is advisable for those who have to make the commute, as is putting up the sun visor and keeping the window shut to keep out any wind or dust. And while the time spent on your eyebrows at the clinic is brief, the aftercare does not end when you walk out the door.
Sunscreen: when and how
There is a point after microblading when sunscreen is of use, namely when the skin has ceased to weep and any scabbing is no longer active. Put it on too soon and you risk stinging the new work or trapping moisture; better to heed the instructions of your artist.
When given the go ahead, a broad-spectrum SPF 50 is called for in Australia. In test conditions an SPF 30 will filter some 96.7 per cent of UVB, an SPF 50 around 98 per cent. But do not think either one renders you impervious to the sun; it is a matter of applying and reapplying in sufficient quantities.
Refrain from Slathering Product on Open Skin
Refrain from slathering on a thick coat of sunscreen, facial oil or anything with fragrance in the initial stages of healing. Your artist might put an aftercare balm in your hands or tell you to leave the area be. There is no virtue in using more product, eyebrows are not a roast that requires basting.
When the skin is properly closed you can put on some sunscreen over and around the brows, but do so with clean hands and without scrubbing. A mineral formula works for certain sensitive skins, though your provider will be able to advise what is right for you. If there is any sign of burning, swelling or a rash, desist.
Reapply For Outdoor Days
On days you are out and about, follow the directions on the bottle for reapplication, particularly if you have been sweating or towelling off. Be circumspect in application so as not to get it in your eyes with the sweat, and wash your hands when done. For the first two weeks however, do not put all your faith in sunscreen. A hat and some shade are a more sensible way to keep the direct rays off the brows than to be dabbing at delicate skin.
Use Hats And Shade Properly
A sun hat is the easiest protection for post-microblading eyebrows. Make sure it is a clean and comfortable affair with a brim to put some shadow on the brow, not a cap that leaves the forehead open. The same goes for shade: a verandah or beach umbrella is good, but be aware that reflected light off sand, concrete or the inside of a car will still find its way to your face.
Choose A Clean Hat
And leave the dusty hat from your last fishing or bush trip at home. Grit, sweat and hair products will only irritate the skin. See that the inner band is not in contact with the treated area.
Large sunglasses are fine for the glare but they do not take the place of a hat; for a road trip or a day at the oval a broad-brimmed hat is preferable to a cap.
Manage Heat And Sweat
Sweat in any quantity will soften scabs and if your hands are not clean, spread bacteria. So in the early going, stay away from hot yoga, the sauna or strenuous exercise. Those of you in the Pilbara or Top End should have a word with your artist before you book. A cool day indoors is not the same as a full shift in the heat and dust of your job; aftercare needs to be practical for the life you lead, not one of idly reading by a pool.
Avoid Water And High-Risk Activities
Water is to be avoided. The chemicals in a pool, salt and microorganisms at the beach, contaminants in a river or waterhole, none of it is suited to skin that has just been treated. Postpone any activity that would soak or rub the brows or put them in the sun until you have your artist’s say so, all the more so if you are making plans for the coast or travelling in the wet season.
Activities To Postpone
- Swimming of any kind, be it in the sea, a lake or a pool.
- Any form of hard exercise that will have you perspiring, in hot weather especially.
- Tanning beds, sunbaking or being out in the open with no shade to speak of.
- Four-wheel-driving, boating, snorkelling or fishing where the wind and glare are strong.
- And hold off on any exfoliation, face treatments or brow products your provider has not given the nod to.
There is more to being out of doors in Western Australia than the heat, I found on my first few long days there. By late afternoon one’s skin is made taut by a mix of salt, wind and glare. Newly done brows are subject to the same elements but have little tolerance for it.
Travel Friction
Should you be flying or behind the wheel in the wake of an appointment, make sure to have a clean hat, some tissues and your aftercare balm to hand. At a service station put no hands to your brows and do not put your forehead up against a headrest that has seen better days. And while you should wash before tending to them, a public toilet is no reason to have a look and pick at the odd flake.
On the road, put in stops where there is shade. You will not find any cover off the Stuart Highway but a town’s shopping arcade will do to cool off. In remote country with little in the way of water, reception or shade, it is best to have the return leg planned in advance.
After Healing: Colour Maintenance
UV rays will dull the pigment of a cosmetic tattoo in time, much like they do with a black T-shirt or the furniture on your patio. So when the brows are healed, sun protection is part of looking after the colour. A broad-spectrum SPF 50 and a hat for extended time outside, with reapplication as needed after a swim or from the sweat, will aid retention and possibly put off the next maintenance session.
Long-Term Protection
Be wary of acids, retinoids and anything too aggressive in the way of exfoliation around the brow. What works on the rest of your face is not necessarily right for treated pigment; put it to your skin professional for guidance. In Australia one is exposed to the sun without thinking about it, be it for a lunch outside, a ride on the coast or to see the children play. Those incidental moments of gardening or walking to the car accumulate.
Spotting Irritation
Some tightness, a bit of redness and flaking is to be expected post microblading, provided it does not get worse. Your provider will be able to say what is normal with the products and technique at hand. But if you have hives, fever, pus, swelling of any note, pain that is on the increase or symptoms in the eyes, then put down the internet article and call your brow artist or a doctor. Do not go about applying old medication or antiseptics on a hunch.
When To Cease
A new product that rashes or burns should be put aside. Let scabs be, even if they are unsightly; to remove them is to risk taking some of the pigment and a longer healing time with it. If you have trouble breathing or facial swelling, do not think a cosmetic procedure means you have to endure it, get medical attention at once.
Questions on Aftercare
I am asked these most often from those wanting to put fresh brows and the Australian climate in harmony. The answers below are straightforward enough, but you would do well to put more stock in what your treating professional says, given their knowledge of the method and products.
How long to stay out of the sun?
For the first week at least, none of it. Then strong protection for 10 to 14 days. Give it four to six weeks for the pigment to fully settle. If there is still some tenderness or scabbing, be cautious beyond that.
Sunscreen?
Not on weeping or open skin unless the provider gives leave. When the skin is comfortable and closed a gentle SPF 50 is fine. Use clean hands and desist if it irritates.
What of an exposure?
It can make things drier and redder and hasten fading, but an accident of it is not going to undo the work. Get out of the sun and carry on with your aftercare.
Exercise and swimming?
Most will tell you to hold off for 10 to 14 days or so, though it is a matter of how you are healing. Light activity is another matter. Do not head to the pool or beach until the skin has closed and your artist has said so.
Healing time?
You can expect 10 to 14 days of visible healing, the colour will take its time for another four to six weeks. In this country the heat and humidity or dust can put that back, as can water and sweat. The touch-up is typically put in after the fact.
Let the Brows Be
It is a question of timing and having some restraint. A good sun hat is a must. Have at it with the sunscreen only when the skin is ready, and keep the fresh work out of the direct sun.
The sensible thing is to plan for the UV here in Australia instead of expecting it to oblige, whether you are off for the weekend with a new set of brows or mulling over some blonde microblading. Adhere to the instructions of your provider and let the healing phase run its course.
