Precare & Aftercare
Here’s where your homework begins! What you do before your appointment is critical for ensuring the best results. Please follow these steps to lay a strong foundation for your brow tattoo. Note that these restrictions will apply before your first session, second session, and all touch-ups.
Don’t let this happen to you! Caffeine, alcohol, and other blood thinners can cause bleeding and reduce the amount of pigment your skin absorbs. Source: @browsbyanahi/Instagram
Precare
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1. Avoid booking 2 weeks before or within 2 weeks after COVID vaccination.
Err on the side of caution and schedule an appointment several weeks past your second shot, as the effects on your body may be unpredictable.
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2. Avoid blood thinners.
You WILL NOT receive a service if you consume blood thinners in less than 48 hours. Blood thinners cause excessive bleeding, which counteracts the tattooing process and lengthens the appointment time. Your appointment will be canceled, and you will be charged 50% of the balance.
Starting 2 days before: NO caffeine, decaf drinks, tea, or alcohol
2 days before: NO NSAID pain relievers such as Aleve, ibuprofen, aspirin, or niacin. Tylenol is OK.
1 week before: NO fish oil and omega-3 supplements
1 week before: Avoid spicy foods, Vitamin E, gingko biloba, grapeseed extract
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3. Avoid booking your appointment during your period.
If your period is fairly normal and you’re able to track it, it’s best to book your appointment well before or after it, as you may bleed more. You’ll be more sensitive to pain as well. If it comes unexpectedly near your appointment, we can reschedule so you’re as comfortable as possible and your pigment retention is higher.
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4. If you have acne, eczema, or rosacea, avoid anything that normally causes you breakouts 1 week before.
We will have to reschedule your appointment if there are any active infections on your brows. Avoid sugar, dairy, touching your brows, and makeup on your brows if it causes you to break out. Also, sleep on your back on a clean pillowcase.
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5. Avoid plucking or waxing your brows within 3 days of appointment.
You may get your brows threaded at least 4 days before. Otherwise, let them grow out and I will shape them as you desire with a disposable razor, tweezers, and/or scissors.
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6. Stop using chemical exfoliators within 3 weeks of service.
This includes skincare products that contain glycolic acid, retinol, Renova, salicylic acid, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs). After your service, you may use these on your face but not on your brows. They can cause them to fade faster. Be sure to check your products for harsh ingredients before using them on your brows.
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7. Avoid Botox injections before your appointment.
Botox may result in an uneven brow shape when the injection wears off. Save it for after your second session.
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8. Don’t smoke within 3 days of your appointment.
Smoking any substance may cause bruising.
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9. Avoid brow tinting within 1 month of your appointment.
Your brows should be completely bare for best results.
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10. Do not tan 1 week before your appointment.
Sun-damaged skin will not absorb pigment well.
Aftercare: MUST READ
Flaking, peeling, and shedding are NORMAL and part of the healing process for many people. DO NOT PICK ANY SCABS. They usually fall off within 14 days.
After shedding, the color will appear too light at first, then slowly return. It takes 6 weeks to see the true healed results. This is NORMAL.
Trust the process!
PS: If you text me in a panic, I’m only going to say the same thing. The ONLY causes for concern would be 1) extreme swelling and 2) extreme fluid build-up, which would require medical attention.
Brow Aftercare Instructions
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Day 1: After your appointment
You may experience redness and swelling; this will subside within a few hours. You may also have a slight headache. Pain relievers should not affect your brows.
Lymph fluids involved in wound healing may weep onto the surface of your brows. Dab the fluids GENTLY every 5 minutes for the first 90 minutes with the cotton pad in your aftercare kit.
Dab fluids as much as needed until the weeping has stopped to prevent brows from hardening. If your brows harden, you will retain less pigment.
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Days 2-14: Wash & Ointment Routine
Your brow pigment will appear darker. This is from pigment oxidation, and it’s normal. No touching your brows!
Starting 24 hours after your appointment, you will wash with micellar water foam and apply ointment 2x/day for 14 days.
- Starting in the morning, GENTLY wash your brows with the micellar water provided in your aftercare kit.
- Apply the micellar water to one side of a cotton pad, hold the dry side up to your lips, and blow bubbles through the pad. Use the foam to GENTLY cleanse your brows, moving in one direction and dabbing. A thinner pad is easier to blow bubbles through. No scrubbing!
- To dry, gently pat your brows with clean gauze or tissue. DO NOT use any cleansing products containing acids (glycolic, lactic, salicylic, etc.) or any exfoliants.
- After washing your brows, apply a rice-grain amount of the A&D ointment from your aftercare kit to a cotton swab and spread it across each brow. Apply ointment up to 3x per day (morning and night and one additional time if your brows feel very dry).
- DO NOT OVERAPPLY the ointment, as this will suffocate your skin and delay healing. The balm should be barely noticeable on the skin, not glossy.
Continue washing your brows and applying balm morning and night for 14 days, even if the scabs fall off sooner.
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Scabbing/Shedding/Itching
Your brows may scab and then shed. DO NOT pick the scabbing prematurely. This could cause pigment to fade prematurely and/or cause scarring.
Scabs should come off in flakes vs. large sheets. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE ANY SCABS.Itchiness is normal. DO NOT SCRATCH YOUR BROWS.
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Ghosting
After any shedding is complete, the pigment behind may look very faint, as a fresh layer of skin has healed over the tattoo. THIS IS NORMAL. The color will return gradually over 6 weeks.
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14 Days: Externally Healed
Your brows are now healed externally! If your brows appear very light (which is normal!), you may apply makeup while the color gradually returns.
To protect your color, DO NOT chemical peel and/or directly exfoliate brows, but you can continue your normal skincare routine on the rest of your face. -
Days 14+
Your brow tattoo will take up to 4 weeks (28 days) to fully heal underneath the skin. Color will continue to change daily until all healing is complete at the 4-week mark.
Your brows may be itchy after the 14 days for up to 2 months as the deeper layer of skin heals. DO NOT SCRATCH YOUR BROWS.
You can come in for your second session starting 6 weeks after your initial session. We can adjust the shape and color as needed.
PLEASE READ THE HEALING DON’TS BELOW.
For the first 14 days, DO NOT…
DO NOT expose your brows to sun.
Wear a hat to protect your brows from the sun, as UV rays can alter the pigment. After 14 days, apply a thin layer of sunscreen to protect your color.
DO NOT go tanning.
UV rays affect your pigment retention and color.
DO NOT sweat excessively.
The salt in sweat can prematurely fade your brow tattoo. Moderate exercise is fine, as long as your brows aren’t drenched. Avoid saunas and hot tubs.
DO NOT use laser therapy on the brows.
It can distort the pigment.
DO NOT submerge your brows in water.
Wash your brows very gently as instructed above, but do not run water directly over them. Try to have someone else wash your hair. Do not swim.
DO NOT wear makeup or apply Vaseline, heavy creams, or exfoliants on the brows.
They may cause an infection or fade the pigment. After healing, do not use AHAs or BHAs directly on the brows.
DO NOT rub your brows.
Avoid anything that rubs your brows, including massages, facials, and eyelash extension tape. Sleep on your back and try to keep your hair off your brows.
DO NOT pick scabs!
It’s very tempting to pick at your scabs. Please try to resist this! Doing so may lead to pigment loss and scarring.
Ready for your dream brows?
If you’re medically eligible, understand the process, agree with the policies, and can follow the precare & aftercare steps, click the button to book!