Microblading has commonly been in talk as a form of tattooing, but is microblading like a tattoo, really? After all, it is a cosmetic tattooing procedure, it makes sense to wonder “is microblading like a tattoo?” Although microblading is referred to as a cosmetic tattooing procedure, microblading differs from traditional tattooing in several ways that set the two procedures apart.
But before we get into that, let’s take a look at what exactly microblading is.
What is Microblading?
Microblading is a cosmetic procedure that aims to give sparse brows new life by filling them in, giving brows a natural, fuller appearance. Microblading is performed using a manual, handheld tool that delivers semi-permanent makeup. This tool uses tiny needles in the shape of a blade to create fine, hand draw strokes of hair along the brow bone, implanting pigment into the skin.
If you’re looking for a more scientific explanation of microblading this article is a great place to start
Is Microblading like a Tattoo? The Difference Between Microblading and Traditional Tattooing
Is microblading like a tattoo? Though similar, microblading and tattooing have important differences that set the two apart.
Let’s take a look at some of the key differences:
Permanent vs Impermanent
The main difference people between microblading and traditional tattooing is how long results last.
Unlike traditional tattooing, microblading is semi permanent. Results from microblading last anywhere from between 12 and 18 months. Though permanent tattoos may fade over the years and require touch-ups, the pigment is just that, permanent. So when you have an eyebrow tattoo, it’s there forever.
This impermanence of microblading makes it a very popular and very forgiving procedure. If the desired results aren’t achieved the first time around, your esthetician may go over the area later to correct it.
Microblade Pigment vs. Tattoo Ink
Another different between microblading and traditional tattooing in the ink or pigment used. Microblading pigments come in a variety of colors and are designed to lighten up over time. The tone of the underlying skin always stays the same. That’s why it’s preferred to use light colors to reduce their change over time.
In contrast, traditional tattoo ink leaves a blue-green tint in their black ink as it fades over time. If microblading treatments were performed with tradition tattoo ink, our clients would be left with odd-colored blue-green faded ink across eyebrows, as if they were drawn on with a sharpie.
This, of course, isn’t the case, and because of that our microblading clients experience a natural fade over time, no blue-green ink included.
Blading vs. Needling
Microblading is a manual process with a hand tool to create fine hair lines. It doesn’t deposit pigment deep into the skin, therefore it heals a lot faster than a traditional tattoo would.
Tattooing is done with an automatic machine that penetrates deep within the skin. This requires more ink because it needs to bleed through the layers and why recovery time is noticeably longer.
Natural-looking Outcome
Microblading is all about recreating the eyebrows and creating as realistic results as possible. The hand-drawn tool allows our estheticians to create individual hair strokes, allowing them to create the natural growth pattern that looks mimics your natural hair pattern.
Pain
When answering the question of “is microblading like a tattoo” one of the biggest differences we need to look at is pain level.
Traditional tattoos are relatively painful. This is due to how deep the needle needs to penetrate the skin in order for the permanent ink to set in.
Microblading, on the other hand, is less invasive and doesn’t deposit pigment as deeply as traditional tattooing does, so you’ll feel less pain than with a tattoo machine. Many people compare the feeling of microblading to tweezing.
If you have questions about microblading, feel free to contact us!
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