Eyebrow Tattoo Aftercare And Healing In Australia

For the most part, aftercare and healing of an eyebrow tattoo in Australia is a matter of leaving it be once it has taken on a rough appearance, and seeing that the area is clean, sufficiently dry as your artist would have it, and shielded from the sun and any perspiration. The short of it is to put aside active skincare, not pick at it, stay out of the pool or sauna and let the colour mellow before you go in for a touch up; in other words, do as your aftercare sheet says.

Then there is the matter of day three when the brows tighten, day seven with all the flaking and the panic that ensues, and by week two one might think the pigment has just disappeared. I am Riley Pearson and I can tell you it has not. Most are caught out not by the appointment but by this odd interlude in the healing of an eyebrow tattoo. You will find it less of an ordeal if you know to expect it.

Riley’s Straight-Up Start

You have had your brows done so you have no call for ten different takes from your cousin, TikTok or some chap in a Facebook group who swears by paw paw ointment and good vibes. What is required is a sensible plan to deal with the heat and humidity here in Australia, the UV, pools and our national pastime of putting in enough of a workout to sweat through everything.

In this guide we will go over aftercare for microblading and cosmetic tattoos day by day, product options, the wet versus dry healing question and when to put in a call to your doctor or artist. We will also take a look at professional brow tattoo methods. It is for the Australian reader though, and you should take your cue from your clinician or tattoo artist in the end since their advice will be tailored to your skin type, medical history and the technique employed.

Quick Takeaway Checklist

Your head may be addled after the appointment, so make a note of these essentials for the first fortnight, or put them by the kettle.

• To a T, follow your artist’s written instructions on cleansing and the like.
• Clean the brows but do not soak them. A careful shower is fine but not a direct jet of water.
• Resist the urge to pick at scabs or flakes, patchy as they may seem.
• While the skin is open, forgo heavy exercise, saunas, steam rooms and swimming.
• Give active skincare a miss in the vicinity of the brows, whether it be retinol, AHA/BHA acids or potent acne treatments.
• No makeup, fake tan or anything with fragrance until the area is healed.
• Shield from the sun and once it is all sorted, apply sun protection every day to stave off fading.
• And book in for your touch up, which your artist will usually want to do about the sixth week.

The Importance of Aftercare

It is not about fussing. Proper aftercare is to ensure the pigment settles without risk of infection or irritation. A cosmetic tattoo is a form of controlled trauma to the skin and the way it heals will show in the outcome.

Put simply, if you do not put in the work you are looking at blurred strokes, extra fading or inflammation. So when an artist using professional brow tattoo methods harps on about hygiene and keeping your hands to yourself, he is not making a drama of it. He is sparing you the trouble of an unnecessary touch up.

Pigment Retention And Skin Repair

As the top layer of skin sheds and closes over during the healing process, the pigment will seem darker then lighter before it is settled. Too much moisture, scrubbing or early UV exposure and you will see to it.

People are apt to think the darker the better. But a fresh set of brows will have a boldness to them from the mild inflammation and dried lymph where the pigment is near the surface. When it is fully healed it is softer. Nothing to worry about.

On Infection Prevention

The TGA will tell you there are risks of infection with tattooing where hygiene is wanting and the skin is broken. Have a read of their guidance on permanent makeup for your own edification. Which is why it is of some import to have clean pillowcases and hands and not let the sweat from the gym sit on new brows. There is no point in self-diagnosing when you are faced with unwellness, pus, swelling that will not abate, or redness and heat on the increase. Leave the internet optimism to one side; such indications of infection call for a medical opinion.

Wet Or Dry Healing

You will find the wet versus dry healing argument as prevalent in an Australian studio as ever, with adherents to either side. Which way to go is a matter of your skin, the technique at hand, how the brows have been having it during the appointment and the system of the artist.

Riley’s advice is not to make this up as you go along. Should the artist put you on a dry healing protocol, do not think a thick ointment would be more comforting partway through. And if they put in for a light aftercare balm, resist the urge to go completely dry because some stranger on the web has made a case for it.

Dry Healing

For the most part you will be keeping the area devoid of any moisture, sweat or creams, and just doing a gentle cleanse as told. It is a good way to avoid oversaturation with certain hair-stroke work where crisp lines are important or for those with an oily complexion. One can feel the itch and tightness all the more acutely however, and be tempted to have a poke at the flakes. Do not. You run the risk of lifting the pigment before its time.

Wet Healing

This is cleansing and then a very sparing application of an aftercare balm or eyebrow tattoo ointment, nothing more than what is directed. An artist might be of the mind to use Bepanthen or their own product and eschew anything too heavy.

But remember, quantity does not make for quality. A greasy layer will turn things into a soggy mess, soften the scabs and hold in debris. If Bepanthen tattoo aftercare is put forward by your artist, enquire as to the frequency and amount. You are not icing a cake, a whisper of it will do.

Healing Timeline By Stage

One can be forgiven for poring over the bathroom mirror at 11.30 pm and searching for answers. The stages of an eyebrow tattoo can appear uneven, even a bit offensive, before they are any good to look at. To spare you from panicking needlessly, here is the pattern.

The following is a broad guide for microblading, powder brows and other cosmetic tattoo aftercare in Australia. Of course, your own timeline will be dictated by the climate, medications, the technique and whether you have heeded instructions.

Stage	What You May Notice	What To Do	What To Avoid
Days 1–2	Some tenderness or swelling, brows are sharper and darker	Only approved product, blot gently if the case and cleanse	Direct shower spray, makeup, a sweaty workout or touching
Days 3–5	Light scabbing, the itch and tightness set in	Stick to your cleansing routine and let the area be	Overdoing the ointment, picking or scratching
Days 5–7	Colour is not even, flaking and scabs are in evidence	Be patient and shield from friction and the sun	Brow gels, facials, pulling at the flakes
Days 8–14	A lighter brow, perhaps some ghosting	Gentle care only and what the artist puts you up to	Active skincare, making up your mind on the colour
Days 15–30	A softer, more settled colour comes back	Monitor retention and put on sun protection once healed	To assume you are done without a touch up
Week 6	Any fading or gaps are apparent in the healed result	Have your touch up if you have it down and it is warranted	Tinting or any home remedies of the last minute

Days One To Seven

Protection is the order of the day for the first week. Your brows will go from looking too dark to crusty to patchy. Not much fun but you are not alone in it. Sweat, a thoughtless face wash or the friction of sleep can be most damaging at this juncture.

If your job involves running after kids at a playground or you have to put up with Brisbane humidity on the commute, plan accordingly. Put in for an appointment ahead of a quieter spell rather than a bootcamp, a weekend at the beach or a full shift in 34 degree weather.

Days Eight To Thirty

Then there is the ghosting stage to spook you. The pigment may have seemingly vanished and the brows are much lighter. Often it is only while the skin is mending itself over the implanted pigment.

Do not be under the impression that once the flakes are off the healing is complete. The surface can be deceptively calm while there is still going on below, so put the acids, scrubs and product experiments away.

Touch Up At Week Six

Timing varies but an artist will want to see the finished article around week 6. A touch up is then in order to put some depth in the colour or correct the shape balance where it is called for.

An artist has an uphill battle if you present for your touch up with brows that have been put through the wringer by sun, acids and a good deal of chlorination. A healing period well managed will make for a much more exacting second appointment.

Daily Dos And Don’ts

Some discipline is called for, though nothing so onerous as a military operation. It is less expensive in the long run to put up with a bit of tedium and keep life uneventful for a time than it is to pay for corrective work down the track. These are the sort of habits that distinguish a smooth recovery from those who find themselves asking why one tail of the brow has vanished.

• Get a clean pillowcase and do not be tempted to grind your face into it when you sleep.
• Wash your hands prior to touching the area.
• You can shower right away according to most artists provided you steer clear of direct soaking and do not let products come in contact with the brows. But leave the swimming, surf, saunas and spas, or a protracted steamy shower until you are fully healed. The same goes for any exercise that brings on a heavy sweat in the early stages your artist has laid out.
• Retinol, vitamin A, acne treatments, AHA/BHA acids and scrubs are all to be kept at arm’s length from the brows. Nor should you have the area waxed, tinted, threaded, bleached or laminated while it is healing, unless given the all clear by your artist at some point. And once healed, make sure you have adequate sun protection; in Australia UV is among the fastest means of fading cosmetic tattooing.

Products Worth Using

The aftercare product of choice is what your artist puts forward for your skin and the technique at hand, be it microblading or a powder/machine job. It ought to be there to aid the process not smother it. One is apt to be led astray by some random skincare from the bathroom cupboard; fine for ordinary skin but of no use whatsoever on a fresh tattoo.

Ointments Balms And Cleansers

A tiny amount of ointment is sufficient if your artist has advised an eyebrow tattoo aftercare ointment. Bepanthen is often put forward in this country but not all artists are fond of it for every technique, some would rather have you use a lighter balm to forestall over-moisturising. When it comes to cleansing, a fragrance-free and gentle type is safest. Put the exfoliating pads and cleansing brush away and forgo any “tingly” concoction touting to have you resurfaced by Tuesday.

What To Keep Away

While the area is mending, stay clear of active skincare such as benzoyl peroxide, strong vitamin C, retinol and the like. Sunscreen is another matter; do not apply it to unhealed brows unless your artist makes an exception, but it is de rigueur once they are.

Makeup, brow pencils, styling waxes and fake tan can be an irritant or contaminate things in the early phase. Be patient and your future brows will be the better for it.

Australian Conditions Matter

Any sound advice on eyebrow tattoo aftercare in Australia has to take local realities into account: the UV, the pools in the backyard, humid summers and the way we tend to sweat just going about our day. You will not heal the same way in Brisbane in February as you would in Dunedin cold. Riley has found out the hard way that what is tolerable in the cool of the south can go wrong in a hurry in Queensland where a trip to the bus stop is enough to put a sheen on you.

Sun Sweat And Summer

Direct sun and new cosmetic tattooing do not mix. UV will bring on fading and irritation so make use of hats and shade and schedule your appointment with your social obligations in mind. If the Gold Coast or a long weekend at the pool is in the offing, or you have outdoor work to do, put the appointment off. There is no room for “she’ll be right” thinking for a fortnight.

Pools Beaches And Sport

Do not try to fit in a brow tattoo if you have a swim meet, netball comp or surf lesson on the books and only a day to spare. Salt water, chlorine and sand will get in the way of healing. This is not for anyone who cannot see to it that the area is dry and protected during the initial window.

This is for the person able to live a little quieter for a couple of weeks and follow instructions. As for anyone with holiday plans, laser resurfacing or an impending discussion on Roaccutane, or who intends to be out in the open with no plan and no shade, best to hold off on booking.

Prior to Booking

One does not have to wait for the pigment to be applied to put good healing in motion. A consultation of any worth will go over your medical background, what you put on your skin at present, old tattoos and allergies, and all manner of things that could impinge on retention or healing.

In such a conversation candour is to be preferred over the desire to be an easy client. The better consultations are about listening first, not making a sale; your artist should be putting it to you if you are suited to the procedure at this time.

What To Put On The Table

Make no bones with your artist about prescription acne medication, retinoids, blood thinners, or autoimmune issues. Lay out your history of cold sores (for lip work), any cosmetic tattooing done in the past, or keloid scarring and skin sensitivity. And of course, let them know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Then there is the matter of protocols. Do not make the assumption that one Australian artist is like the next. Studios from Riss’ Beauty + Hair to Tatt Lab, Luxeink, Sydney Cosmetic Tattoo, Nicole Mansur, A Hint Of Ink and Alison Jade will have their own way of doing aftercare and consultations, so make sure you have read the instructions.

A Question Of When To Seek Help

For the most part you can expect some redness, flaking, scabbing and tenderness; they are more of a nuisance than a threat. You need to be able to tell when the ordinary course of healing gives way to something of a medical nature.

Should you run a fever, feel under the weather, or find the area is hot, swollen, oozing pus or in escalating pain, see a doctor without delay. For concerns over colour, ghosting or unevenness, put in a call to your artist with some well lit photos.

Normal Or Not

You will have dryness, some itch, a softening of the colour from day one and perhaps some patchiness. That is normal. Worsening redness, a rash outside the treated zone, a foul odour, strong throbbing or any kind of significant discharge is not.

When in doubt it is wiser to be cautious. There is no point in letting your eyebrow do as it pleases while you put off a check up.

Answers To Some Common Queries

People have questions during the appointment and afterwards, even when eyeing themselves in the rear view mirror. Brow healing has its predictable side and is not always a pretty sight but that is to be expected.

How should I treat my eyebrows once they are tattooed?

The answer is not to use makeup or actives on them, to stay away from the sauna, steam or a swim and anything that makes you break a heavy sweat for the period your artist has set down. Nor should you be applying unapproved ointments or putting them in the sun. And leave the scabs and flakes alone.

What is the healing timeline?

Give it 4 to 6 weeks before you can properly assess the colour and retention, though the surface will have settled in 10 to 14 days. Which is the reason for having a touch up put in at week 6.

And the best aftercare?

Whatever has been put before you by your artist for your particular skin and technique. Follow it to the letter: gentle cleansing, sun protection once healed and nothing more unless told otherwise.

Can I have a shower?

Most will say yes the same or following day so long as you do not let the main spray, shampoo or hot water come into contact with the brows. Your artist will be able to advise on the safe way to cleanse.

Is the ghosting stage to be worried over?

Not usually. As the healing goes on the colour will return and the brows may look very light in the interim. Unless there is an infection or your artist has cause for concern there is no need to fret.

Some parting words from Riley

There is nothing glamorous about the aftercare of an eyebrow tattoo. It is a case of hygiene and patience and not getting in the way of the process. In Australia a little sun sense and keeping out of the pool for a while and you are ahead of most.

But if you take one thing from this it is that new brows seldom look their finest while they are healing. They will be dark, flaky, a bit of a ghost and then they settle. Let them have their strange little journey and the full timeline to heal before passing judgement on the result.