Eyebrow Tattoo Aftercare: The Complete Guide for Perfect Healing

Getting your eyebrows tattooed can give you flawless, full arches that enhance your features and cut minutes off your daily makeup routine. But while the tattoo process takes just a few hours, the healing will take patience and proper aftercare to get those perfect results.

So how do you care for eyebrow tattoos and achieve gorgeous, lasting eyebrows? Proper aftercare is vital for the first 4 weeks while the skin heals and settles the pigment. By gently cleaning the area, using ointments, and avoiding irritants, you can minimize scabbing as the tattoo heals beautifully.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about eyebrow tattoo aftercare:

• Common healing timeline and what to expect
• Step-by-step aftercare instructions
• How long eyebrows take to heal
• Longevity and touch up information
• Plus pro tips for optimal results

Do Eyebrows Scab After Getting a Tattoo?

It’s very common to get some scabbing on a new eyebrow tattoo. When a tattoo needle repeatedly pierces the skin, it causes trauma and disruption to the area. As the skin goes into repair mode, it will form scabs to protect the wounds.

Scabbing should be minimal, lasting around 1 week as the skin beneath regenerates. Allow any scabs to naturally dry up and shed off – do not pick or peel them. Picking can pull out pigment and lead to patchy spots.

Why Eyebrow Tattoo Scabbing Happens

The reasons eyebrows may scab after a fresh tattoo include:

• Body’s natural response – Weeping plasma and lymph fluid will dry and form scabs as the skin mends.
• Overtrauma – If the artist went too deep, more scabbing will occur.
• Bacterial infection – Poor sanitization can lead to infection, fluid buildup.
• Improper aftercare – Picking, scrubbing, makeup use slows healing.

So some scabbing is normal, but call your artist if you have excessive crusting, oozing, swelling or pus as that indicates an infection.

7 Key Steps for Eyebrow Tattoo Aftercare & Healing

Caring properly for your new eyebrow tattoo will help you heal beautifully with minimal scabbing or complications. Be diligent for the first 2 weeks, and you’ll love your results!

1. Clean Eyebrows Gently Twice A Day

Use a soft cotton pad or round soaked in sterile saline solution. Gently wipe away lymph fluid and plasma around the eyebrows, but don’t scrub the area. Rinse the area with water and pat dry with a clean tissue.

2. Use Aftercare Ointment & Vaseline

Apply a rice-sized amount of the artist-recommended aftercare ointment (Aquaphor, Bacitracin, A&D) with a cotton swab. Ensure the whole brow is covered.

Use Vaseline on brows for the first 5 nights to protect from rubbing on bedding.

3. Avoid Sun, Tanning & Sweating

For 2 weeks post-tattoo, keep your brows away from direct sun exposure, tanning beds, and heavy sweating such as hot yoga, gym workouts or steam rooms.

UV light and sweat can irritate the healing skin and fade pigment. Wear SPF 30+ daily.

4. Don’t Scratch or Pick Scabs

Let any scabbing or dry skin naturally flake off after a week or so. Picking can remove color and cause scars or missing spots in brows.

5. No Makeup, Skincare, Facials for 4 Weeks

Cosmetics, chemical exfoliants, and skin procedures will all irritate freshly tattooed brows. No makeup should be applied until brows fully heal after 4 weeks.

6. Avoid Getting Brows Wet for 7-10 Days

For the first week, carefully cleanse your face without getting water directly on the eyebrows. After 10 days, you can let water run over brows but don’t soak or scrub them.

7. Get Touch Ups at 6-8 Weeks

As skin regenerates and replaces itself, some pigment will fade. Most artists recommend a touch up visit 6-8 weeks later to reinforce lasting color.

💡 Pro Tip: Take arnica tablets and use arnica gel on brows for the first 2 days to prevent bruising and minimize swelling after your appointment.

When Can I Get My Eyebrows Wet After Microblading?

The eyebrows need time to form a protective barrier before getting them wet. Otherwise, moisture can shift pigments or leak plasma and lymph fluid, causing a loss of color.

Here’s the short timeline:

• No water/moisture on brows for 7-10 days.
• On Day 10, lightly splash water to cleanse face without directly touching brows.
• After 2 weeks, brows have sealed and can get gently wet.
• But avoid direct high-pressure spray, hot tubs, swimming for a full month.

If brows accidentally get extra wet early on, gently dab – don’t wipe – them dry with a tissue. Skipping cleansing is better than wiping off scabs too soon.

What’s the Eyebrow Tattoo Healing Timeline? Stage-by-Stage

While each person heals slightly differently, here is the general timeline you can expect as your eyebrow tattoos transform from sharp dark strokes into soft, natural arches:

Days 1-4

• Eyebrows appear much darker and bolder due to swelling.
• Skin is sore, heavy feeling, stinging, with some redness.
• Small scabbing may emerge around the fine tattoo strokes.
• Gently cleanse twice daily; apply ointment.

Days 4-7

Mild itching emerges. Skin begins peeling, light scabbing develops on brows:

• Don’t pick scabs
• Keep ointment on brows 2x daily
• Redness and swelling continue to fade
• Color remains very dark

Days 7-14

Scabbing peaks then starts falling off:

• Let scabbing shed naturally
• As skin regenerates, some true color emerges
• But pigment remains much darker than final tone

Days 14-30

Scabbing gone, skin is regenerated. Pigment lightens significantly:

• Most redness fades
• True color starts to stabilize
• Light makeup can be worn if skin is fully closed

After 30 days, brows are considered fully healed. Pigment will continue stabilizing and reach final shade at 6 weeks. Remaining pigment should retain in skin permanently with proper care.

Get touch ups during week 6-8 for reinforcement before color settles.

How Long Do Permanent Eyebrow Tattoos Last?

With proper aftercare, an eyebrow tattoo can last 2-5 years on average before needing a refresh. Results vary based on your skin type, lifestyle habits, sun exposure and genetics.

Here are factors that influence permanent eyebrow tattoo longevity:

• Oily skin – Sebum breaks down pigment faster. Brows may fade after just 1 year.
• Sun exposure – UV rays quickly zap color from the skin. It fades within months if unprotected.
• Smoking – restricts blood flow and oxygen shortening pigment duration.
• Chemical peels, laser – Can lighten or remove brow pigment.
• Lighter original eyebrows – Those with blonde/grey hair have shorter retention.
• Normal skin – Average 2-3 years before refresh needed.
• Dry skin – Longest lasting results, 4-5+ years.

No matter your skin type, be diligent about SPF protection, and skincare, and avoid laser/peel treatments on brows to help your beautiful tattoos last.

Get yearly touch-up appointments before the pigment fades too much. This will bolster color and keep eyebrows looking flawless every day.

I hope this guide has helped answer all your most pressing questions about caring for and healing your new eyebrow tattoos! With proper aftercare in the first month, you’ll have gorgeous, low-maintenance brows for years to come.

If you have any other eyebrow tattoo questions I didn’t cover, let me know in the comments!