Eyebrow microblading is widely reported to be a semi-permanent procedure, meaning that the tattoo will eventually completely fade.
The Beauty Ink Store reports that “microblading fades completely” after one to three years for most people. However, the time it takes to fade is dependent on a couple of factors. Those factors include “skin type, texture, pigment, blade, and how the artist did the treatment.”
Las Vegas local and TikToker Stace (@freckledfacestace) shared that her microbladed eyebrows are still apparent after a whopping five years and that she deeply regrets having the procedure done.
“I am about to go into to see if I can get these red eyebrows removed,” she starts, getting closer to the screen to showcase what her microbladed eyebrows look like. They appear faded but red.
Stace says the last time she got a touch up on her eyebrows was five years prior. “This is how they look now,” she says. It’s apparent where her real eyebrow hair ends and the microbladed area is as red outlines her real brow.
@freckledfacestace This is going to be posted in a few parts, but this one was from March of this year when i began my microblading removal. #microblading #eyebrows #microbladingremoval #lasertattooremoval #permanentmakeup #permanentmakeupremoval ♬ original sound – freckledfacestace
In a comment, Stace explained why she initially got the procedure done and called it one of her “biggest mistakes.”
“I only did it bc someone made me feel bad ab my own eyebrows back when I cared ab what other ppl thought!!” she said.
In a part-two video, Stace shows the initial outcome of the first round of laser treatment. The results are already apparent. “This is more than I already expected for the first day,” Stace says. “I’m happy with how it looks right now. It will continue to fade until my next appointment.”
Stace also filmed what her eyebrows looks like after the second round of laser treatment. The results—again—are very noticeable. Viewers thought so, too. “I am really impressed with how much of a difference this is from where you started! I love this for you!” the top comment on that video exclaimed.
While a few of her eyebrow hairs whitened due to the laser, Stace also appears happy with the results.
Stace took these two videos in March but only just posted them. The first video was viewed over 820,000 times since it was posted on July 7.
Why isn’t microblading supposed to be permanent?
“Unlike traditional tattoos, which use a tattoo gun, microblading uses a blade-shaped tool with a row of tiny, barely visible needles to create hair-like strokes along your brows while depositing pigment into your skin,” according to Cosmopolitan Magazine.
And if you’re wondering why microblading isn’t permanent, that’s because the pigment shouldn’t go deep enough into the skin if properly applied.
Reasons why your microbladed eyebrows won’t fade
Allure spoke with Melanie Palm, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in San Diego, about this. Palm said that if the pigment does breach the second layer of skin, it could very well last longer than three years.
“Most microblading procedures cause some degree of light bleeding or redness. This is an indication that the dermis, or second layer of the skin, is being penetrated. Pigment placed in the dermis is far more likely to persist for long periods or even be permanent,” Palm told the magazine.
Other reasons Palm and another board-certified dermatologist, Mona Gohara, MD, gave as to why microbladed eyebrows may not fade have to do with the type of pigment used and people simply reacting to things differently.
“Remember that everyone is different, with unique biology. When it comes to pigment, there are slow metabolizers, fast metabolizers, and in-between metabolizers. Some may say that they see [their microblading] fading in weeks. Others can enjoy the fruits of their brow labor for years,” Gohara told Allure.
In a comment, Stace said her artist “used iron oxide pigments unfortunately.”
That’s likely one of the main reasons Stace’s eyebrows haven’t completely faded. Iron oxide pigments contain inorganic compounds, which Palm told Allure are “much more likely to persist.”
The Daily Dot reached out to @freckledfacestace via TikTok comment.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
