Can botched microblading be corrected?

Posted on October 27, 2024

Maria Prieb

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Since around 2014, a technique known as microblading has become widespread in the field of eyebrow pigmentation - a manual method for creating permanent hair-like strokes. Unfortunately, in many cases, there is a significant gap between expectations and actual results, which often leads to disappointment and dissatisfaction among clients.

What can be done if the microblading didn’t turn out as expected? Are there options for correction? First and foremost, this depends on what problem arose after the microblading treatment.

The #1 Microblading Problem

The color is too dark, black, or gray.

The most common complaint from clients is that the color has turned out too dark. Blonde women, in particular, are very upset when they see grayish or even partially black eyebrows in the mirror. There are two causes for this problem: either the wrong color was chosen or mixed, or the incisions were made too deeply into the skin. Solution: If the wrong color was chosen, you can wait until the microblading fades.

Problem-solving:

The incision was only superficial, and ideally, only one treatment was performed. In this case, the result could fade after a few months. Exposure to the sun and lightening cosmetic treatments would be beneficial (of course, only after the skin has fully healed).

However, if the tattoo was inked too deeply, waiting will do virtually no good. This is especially true if more than one session was performed, and even more so if the tattooing has caused scarring. In such cases, the only solution is removal or lightening through professional removal treatments.

The #2 Microblading Problem

The shape is flawed (too long, too wide, asymmetrical).

This scenario ranks second. Although the client is already unimpressed when the microblading outline is drawn, she is usually reassured by the technician that it is merely a template within which the fine hairs will be drawn. Most of the time, this results in a botched shape and a disappointed client.

Problem-solving:

Here, you can fix the eyebrows by removing the unwanted areas and setting the correct shape with a follow-up correction treatment. Since most clients don’t want another microblading session after their first experience, the eyebrows can be gently and naturally shaded during the correction session.

The #3 Microblading Problem

It doesn't fade over time, as promised.

Many clients wait several years for the microblading to fade or disappear on its own. After all, during the treatment, they were told that it is only scratched very superficially into the skin and therefore fades away after 6–12 months. Unfortunately, this statement is very misleading and has little to do with reality. While there are exceptional cases in which microblading does indeed fade, the lines are usually gone as early as 1–2 months after the treatment.

Problem-solving:

If the microblading has achieved the desired shape and has faded sufficiently, you can work over it to create a beautiful, realistic shading effect on the eyebrows. However, if it is still very dark and/or the shape is unsatisfactory, the only options are removal or lightening.

The #4 Microblading Problem

Scars have formed as a result of the microblading treatment.

It is not uncommon for microblading treatments to leave behind scars in the form of indented lines that are more or less visible. The more treatments performed in total, the greater the risk of scarring. Often, the scars only become clearly visible once the microblading pigments have faded or been removed. The remaining pigments often conceal the existing scars, so that the client initially has no idea that she has scars.

Problem-solving:

No more microblading! Existing scars can be smoothed out or reduced using modern treatment methods (laser, mesotherapy, microneedling). You can apply special ointments at home. Afterward, you can proceed with eyebrow shading.

When removing or lightening microblading, there are two major issues:

If you want to have microblading removed with a laser, you may be in for some unpleasant surprises. For one thing, the incised lines (micro-cuts) can “burst” or open up under the laser’s effect. The laser technician will notice this immediately due to the bleeding. In this case, the risk of scarring is quite high, but the pigments often remain in the skin.

You never know how pigments will react to laser removal or laser exposure. They may change color (e.g., turn red or orange) or even melt into the skin if the pigments used contain acrylic or microplastics. If the color mixture contains white or beige pigments (especially titanium dioxide), these may turn green or blue under the laser beam (color inversion).

All in all, it’s not that simple. Unfortunately, what you’ve done wrong in just a few hours often takes months of careful, patient work and a great deal of expertise to fix… That’s the sad truth and the bad news.

The good news, however, is that removal - and, if necessary, subsequent correction - is possible! And that’s by no means a given. Just about 5 years ago, such removal was hardly conceivable. The only options were lasers or lactic acid, which could be used to remove the pigments. However, neither method is suitable for microblading removal or correction, as the risk of scarring or inflammation is far too high in both cases. We remove microblading exclusively with our PigmentOff oxide remover, a unique product that ensures a gentle and pain-free treatment and is incredibly effective.

How does the PigmentOff removal method work?