What To Expect

For the first day of healing, your eyebrows may appear darker, sharper, warmer, and more intense than you expected. This is a normal part of the healing process and will subside. During this period, your skin will be producing blood and lymph. Follow the provided aftercare instructions to promote healing and prevent unwanted irritation.

Your brows will continue to look darker and warmer. Again, this is a normal part of the healing process. Continue applying your aftercare as directed.

This is the final stretch of the initial phase of healing. During this time your brows can feel flaky or itchy, and may begin to peel. It is imperative that you do not pick at your skin, as this will cause further damage and can affect the final visual result. Let your skin exfoliate itself slowly and naturally, and continue to gently apply your aftercare ointment to the area twice per day. You may see flakes of color appear over the skin during this period, and the skin underneath may appear very light in color, creating the appearance that the tattoo is “falling out”. Don’t be alarmed—during this time the skin is repairing itself, and the layer of new skin healing over the ink underneath is more opaque than usual, making the tattoo appear dull or faded. The color, meanwhile, needs a bit more time to settle. The initial phase of healing is followed by a secondary phase that cosmetic tattooists call the “bloom”: the return of the color’s richness once the epidermis has fully regenerated and regained its natural translucence. The bloom takes 4-6 weeks to fully conclude. Now more than ever, I ask that you trust the healing process.

By this time most of the flaking (if any) will subside. The color of your brows will be anywhere from 20-60% lighter than it started, and the skin should again feel soft and smooth. You may now feel your brows are light, or notice inconsistencies in tone. This is completely normal and signals the start of the bloom. Everyone heals differently, and everyone’s skin will retain pigment in different ways. This is the reason that we scheduled your perfecting session: to put finishing touches and adjust for evenness of color. Once your brows have no more signs of peeling and the skin is uniformly soft and smooth, you may discontinue use of your aftercare ointment. You may also wet your brows and begin exercising again.

Now that initial healing has concluded, all that remains is the bloom. The exact duration of this secondary healing phase varies from person to person, but should last no longer than 6 weeks from the date of your first session. During this period, the ink begins finding its way back towards the skin’s surface to settle. Due to this, some days your brows will look lighter, and some days they will look darker. Again, I ask you to trust the healing process. Once the ink has fully bloomed, I will see you for your perfecting session to finalize the tattoo and ensure evenness of color. You’re almost done—just a little more patience, and your healing will be complete!