❤️Microblading Vs Machine Hairstrokes❤️
I get asked a number of questions about brow tattooing a lot so I’ve done a little Q&A below. I hope it’s helpful!
I can both tattoo with a machine or with a blade so I’m not biased in any way due to my skillset, so anything I say below is just my professional and personal preferences and a little bit of experience doing what I put my heart and soul into.
Q. Is it true that Microblading is more natural?
A. Well, that depends on your artist. The technique and skillset is what makes it natural, not the tool used.
Q. Is it true that Microblading is semi permanent and machine tattoos are permanent?
A. 100% not true, if you are told otherwise they are fibbing. Semi permanent is an oxymoron, it doesn’t exist! A tattoo is a tattoo is a tattoo. They are all implanted in the same layer of skin (or should be) and as much as it fades and needs maintenance, it is absolutely not semi permanent.
Q. I’ve been told microblading is better for your skin, is that true?
A. I won’t be popular for this one, but no I don’t believe that to be true. In my experience the opposite is true. Why? Well, when you blade you slice the skin. When you use a machine the tattoo is made up of tiny pinhole puncture wounds. If you sliced your finger with a knife or stabbed yourself with a pin, which would heal better and faster with no trace? Of course it is the pin, the same principle can be applied to tattooing.
Q. Why do I see hairstrokes that look blue?
A. This is caused by a couple of things. Sadly, many people who tattoo faces are trained on a two day training and feel qualified to brand a face. This is terrifying to me! They cannot possibly know what they are doing and actually how dare they even think about it! You must learn skin, colour theory, needles, machines, pigments, hair patterns, anatomy, contraindications and much much more before touching a face. When education is lacking, colour theory is lacking and usually it is a very poor choice of colour but it can also be that that tattoo is far too deep. Both can cause this blue hue. It’s very difficult to correct. It can also cause scar tissue.
Q. Is it true that ink is used for tattooed brows and pigments for microblading?
A. Nope. All nonsense, it’s all ink. The ‘pigment’ is ink too, it’s just formulated a bit differently for faces.
Q. Does it hurt more to have a machine tattoo?
A. Absolutely not, in my experience the opposite is true. It really isn’t painful.
Q. Will I bleed less with microblading?
A. Nope, my clients barely bleed at all. Trauma is minimal and not noticeable for almost everyone. Blading is quite a bleedy process sometimes, it’s not usually a big deal but bleeding should be very minimal. Excessive bleeding, if not a medical issue, is worrying and indicating a skill problem in most cases.
Q. Is it important that my technician is a traditional artist?
A. I think I only get this question because people know I am a pencil artist. But it’s a good question I think. It certainly helps a lot, it’s not something I’ve ever really found difficult to do and I’m certain this is because I draw and have done for decades so I had done all the groundwork. But this can be learned, so the more important question is if they have put the time into learning their trade to the best of their ability. Not everyone is a natural artist so the best advice I can give is to look at their work and make sure you like it. I would also strongly advise making sure the images are their work and not pinched from someone else.
Q. Is there a limit to how many times I can be tattooed?
A. Yes and no. I firmly believe that microblading should be done a maximum of 2 or 3 times or you seriously risk scar tissue that will become too dense to tattoo or correct. Machine work, when done properly and not too frequently, is indefinite. It causes much less trauma and long term is the far better solution.
Q. Can everyone have a tattooed brow?
A. If all contraindications stipulated are not an issue then yes they can. The better question is can everyone have hairstrokes or microblading. The answer here is absolutely not. Microblading is really only suitable for people with perfect skin and no previous pmu. Hairstrokes with a machine can be a bit more forgiving on some skins but often a powder/ombre brow is the better option. Our advice is to find an artist that knows their limitations or an artist that can carry out all treatments and advises based on skill not bias.
I get asked these questions on a weekly basis so I hope it’s helpful. If you have any other questions please ask away. If you are thinking of having your brows tattooed and want to have a chat, we offer free consults, so just get in touch ❤️❤️
