q & a
Microblading Questions & Answers
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WHAT IS MICROBLADING?
Microblading is a semi-permanent tattoo technique used to create the illusion of fuller brows. A handheld tool is used to make small hairlike strokes in the brow that blend with your natural hairs for a soft and subtle, but defined, look. The size and shape of the brow will be customized to your bone structure, proportions, and preferences. After your initial visit and touch-up appointment, it’s typical for the pigment to last up to 3 years, but we recommend an annual session to keep your brows looking crisp and fresh.
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WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR MICROBLADING?
The simple answer is, anyone that wants to have full, beautiful brows all day, everyday! That would include busy parents or business people who don’t have much time to apply brow makeup, active people who don’t want to worry about sweating off makeup while working out or swimming, or any person who struggles with getting that perfect shape that the celebrities and YouTube makeup artists always seem to have. Other clients include those suffering from scarring, Trichotillomania, Alopecia, Cancer, or other diseases and disorders that have led to natural hair loss. Let Fountain Aesthetic Artistry do all the work for you! Learn more before you book.
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WHO MAY NOT BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR MICROBLADING?
If you... are on blood thinners or have a condition which causes you to bleed easily, have skin irritations near the area such as sunburn or psoriasis or sever acne, have taken Accutane within the last year, have a history of keloid scarring, have an auto-immune deficiency, and if you are pregnant or nursing. Chemotherapy patients will need to check with their physician and provide a doctor's note. Finally, anyone with prior permanent makeup may not be a good candidate - please email me clear photos or book a consultation to determine if we can cover old work. Learn more before you book.
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ARE YOU CERTIFIED AND LICENSED TO OPERATE?
Yes! Fountain Aesthetic Artistry is a licensed tattoo studio and all working artists are certified permanent makeup artists. The studio and staff are all insured. All artists completed hands-on apprenticeships and received certification from one or more permanent makeup artists and training academies. All artists have received extensive training and certification in Blood Borne Pathogens as deemed necessary for tattoo artists by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It’s crucial that you choose not only a certified permanent makeup artist, but also a licensed one to ensure your health is protected!
DO I NEED TO SHAVE OR WAX BEFORE MICROBLADING?
No! We will shape your eyebrows as needed with shaving and/or tweezing and choose a color pigment that blends seamlessly with your natural brows. If you have a lot of brow hair it may be useful to have your brows waxed several days before your appointment – but that is optional. If you typically fill your brows in, you can come to your session with makeup on so we can see the shape and color you prefer. Learn more about the microblading process.
HOW IS MICROBLADING DIFFERENT FROM EYEBROW TATTOOS?
The most common type of traditional eyebrow tattoos involves the use of a lot of pigment and a block style brow, which leaves the client with a dark outlined eyebrow and no depth. These often fade to really unflattering colors and just look unnatural. Fountain Aesthetic Artistry’s services leave the client with natural looking eyebrows that look real! Careful selection of pigment is chosen to give depth and shape so that the natural brow hairs and permanent makeup blend seamlessly. Note that everything we do looks natural, but all permanent makeup is still a tattoo. There are just different techniques.
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DOES MICROBLADING HURT?
Every client is different and pain tolerance varies by client. Most clients describe the pain level as minimal and find tweezing and threading more uncomfortable. At Fountain Aesthetic Artistry, we use the best topical lidocaine cream available to minimize discomfort. That being said, this is still a tattoo so you may still feel some discomfort. Based on experience, we would describe the feeling as a slight burning astringent-like sensation. Very tolerable and worth it!
HOW LONG DOES THE MICROBLADING PROCEDURE TAKE?
The microblading process takes approximately 2.5 hours from the moment you walk in the door to completion of your beautiful new brows. The first hour or so is spent designing your new brows and numbing the area. There is no downtime! Occasionally, some clients will have some slight redness and swelling around the area which is very normal and will subside within a couple of hours. Most clients go on about their normal day when they leave their appointment.
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WHAT IS THE MICROBLADING HEALING PROCESS LIKE?
Some swelling and tenderness after the procedure is normal and may last a day or so, depending on the client. Your new brows will appear DARKER, WIDER, AND SHARPER than the way they will heal. This is especially true for days 2-5. This is harder for some clients than others. Clients who rarely wear makeup may find that they don't like how their brows look on these days because they are too intense. That's normal! The pigment is sitting on top of the skin and has not yet settled into your face. As your skin heals over the tattoo, your brows will lighten and soften. This process takes about 7 days or so on average. It’s important to follow all after care instructions and to attend the free follow up appointment to make the finishing touches to your new brows! Your healing is only about 50% in our control. Once you leave it's up to you to be diligent about following the instructions you're given to get the best result!
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HOW LONG DOES MICROBLADING LAST?
This will vary by client. If aftercare instructions are followed diligently, your new brows could last up to 3 years, but the average is approximately 18 months before they're mostly faded; For some people, their brows will last even longer, and some less. Certain factors such as sun exposure and tanning beds, getting chemical peels, oily skin types, bleeding, etc. will affect whether your brows will last on the higher or lower end of the range. We recommend one touch-up per year to keep the color fresh and the shape crisp. Coming more often increases the risk for scar tissue or causing your brows to look unnatural.
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DOES MICROBLADING LOOK NATURAL?
Absolutely! The techniques used at Fountain Aesthetic Artistry create realistic, simulated hair strokes and/or powder fill that looks just like a real eyebrow! Your brows can be as big and bold, or as soft and subtle, as you like!
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DO SOME CLIENTS NOT RETAIN PIGMENT WELL?
Yes this does happen. Some people have highly effective immune systems that reject the pigment, and some just have highly effective skin healing. It's very rare, but it's important that all clients understand this is a possibility and in most cases, there is no way for us to know if this will take place prior to the work being done. Occasionally, we will recommend a third appointment to further touch the brows up if the client is retaining some pigment after the first touch up, however anything beyond that would likely be too much for the skin and the client would likely not be a candidate for further procedures.
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WHAT IF MY BROWS FADE FASTER THAN I'D HOPE?
We will revisit aftercare and lifestyle to make sure that is not the issue. If not, it’s likely that you need to go darker and fuller at your touch up, and/or you are ready for a more full coverage, longer-lasting technique like powder brows.
WHAT IS MICROBLADING AFTER CARE LIKE?
It usually takes around 7-10 days for the skin to heal. However, you should follow the after care until your skin is completely healed. Your skin is healed when all flaking and/or scabbing is gone. See full after care instructions here.
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