Shahnaz Husain
The eyebrows frame the face and actually give balance and expression to it. With shaved brows, something seems to be missing from the face.
The eyebrows not only help to define the shape of the eyes, but the entire face. That is why people with sparse brows keep dreaming of a permanent solution, so that they don’t need to draw their eyebrows every day.
Eyebrow trends, like all trends, keep changing. Over the years, eyebrows have become thin or thick, or shaved off altogether! From shaved, plucked or bleached eyebrows, the style has moved from thin brows to the current trend of thick, full brows and keeping them well groomed is as important as eye make-up. Brows may be made to look thicker using an eyebrow pencil to draw feathery strokes. The effort has to be made to keep the shape as natural as possible. However, the current trend of heavy brows seems here to stay and have given way to many newly innovated products, like “eyebrow enhancers,” or eyebrow extensions, and now the procedure of “microblading” is gaining popularity. In fact, it can be a boon for those who have lost their brows totally due to a condition like alopecia.
What is microblading? After having tried other temporary means to make the eyebrows appear thicker, one can try a more permanent method to have thicker looking brows. This method, called microblading, is a form of tattooing done on the brows, by which pigment is implanted under the skin to make them appear like tiny hairs of the eyebrows. Unlike normal tattoos, microblading does not allow the tattoo to go deeper into the skin. The pain is also less than normal tattoos. In fact, a cream is applied on the area first, so that it becomes slightly numb. The cream is re-applied during the procedure, so that there is no pain. The entire procedure can take about two hours.
Microblading is done manually, with a hand-held fine pen, which is actually made up of about 10 to 15 needles. It is unlike the tool that is used for normal tattoos. The tip of the pen is extremely fine and each stroke resembles a hair. The colour is chosen to make the brows look more natural. The specialized microblading tool allows more control, so that the operator can make small, feathery strokes that appear more natural. It is important that one should have microblading done by an experienced person, who gets the shape of the brows right. Initially, the shape of the face is studied and brows are drawn with pencil to decide on the best shape. During the procedure too the shape is checked and re-checked by both the client and the therapist.
There are several aspects to be considered too before going in for microblading. The first is to select the date for the procedure with care. You should be free from important events for at least two weeks after the procedure. For one thing, you need to pay attention to after-care. Secondly, the immediate effect of microblading may cause redness, peeling or scabs, so you need a few days to get over the after-effects. In terms of after-care, it is important to keep the area clean. You may be told to clean the area with distilled water and cotton wool and apply an after-care cream or ointment.
The results of the microblading are said to last for about 3 years. However, touching-up may be needed after 6 to 12 months. The cost of microblading ranges from Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000, but it may be considered worth it if the effects last for 3 years. Many therapists do not charge for subsequent touch-ups after the initial payment.
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