How Long Does It Take for Powder Brows to Heal?

Until around 7 to 10 days following a powder brow treatment, clients are instructed to avoid using water or cleansers to wash their eyebrows to ensure that the brows can heal and absorb the pigment properly. For the first day following the treatment, proper cleaning instructions for the eyebrows typically include using a clean cotton pad that has been dampened with lukewarm distilled water to gently wipe the eyebrows. After the first day, some powder brow providers will allow their patients to use a small amount of water to clean the eyebrows as gently as possible, avoiding rubbing movements and not using any cleansers or other products until it has been around 7 to 10 days. Some powder brow specialists prefer their patients keep to only using the mildly damp cotton pad to cleanse the brows for the first week of healing, but it is important to closely follow all of the provided instructions.

It is expected for there to be some variation from patient to patient for the healing process of powder brows, but it is common for the pigment that has been applied to the eyebrows to vary in darkness until they have entirely healed and settled. Initially, the eyebrows will likely appear quite dark and dramatic until the skin starts to peel and flake. After the skin has started to peel, the pigment of the eyebrows will then likely appear as much lighter than the desired final pigmentation. This lightened phase of the eyebrows following a powder brow treatment is often referred to as the “ghosting” of pigment, often only lasting for a week or two until the pigment gradually returns, revealing the final, beautiful, powdered appearance to the eyebrows. The eyebrows should have settled entirely once they are fully healed, at which point either the patient has achieved their final desired look or can receive a touch-up treatment if they are unhappy with the settled pigmentation.

Powder brows will undergo a few visible changes throughout their 4 to 6-week healing process, varying in pigmentation and texture, until they have fully healed, and the final results are achieved. Initially, the eyebrows will most likely appear to be quite dark and one solid block of color, significantly darker than the final desired pigmentation, and will also likely be a bit red and swollen for the first couple of days following the treatment. As the skin starts to heal, causing it to peel, flake, and scab, the pigment of the eyebrows will likely fade quite a bit, appearing much lighter than what the final pigment will be, and the skin will often flake, with some scabs forming on the eyebrows. This period will only last a couple of weeks, at which point the pigment will develop into the final desired color, and the skin will heal entirely, revealing beautifully pigmented and healthy-looking eyebrows.

Throughout the healing process following a powder brow treatment, it is common for the skin to be peeling, flaky, and scabbing, all of which are indications that the skin is healing properly. While the most visible signs of healing will likely occur within the first 10 days following treatment, it takes around 4 to 6 weeks before the eyebrows have healed enough to be ready for a touch-up appointment, at which point the pigmentation will have also fully developed so that the powder brow specialist will be able to more accurately determine where more pigment should be applied, if any. 

Patients will be able to determine that their eyebrows have likely fully healed from their powder brow treatment once the skin is no longer peeling, any scabs have gone away, and the pigment has fully settled into the eyebrows. For more information, contact us today or you can book an appointment online at your earliest convenience. We are located at 18820 E. Bagley Rd.#1 Middleburg Heights, Ohio 44130. We serve clients from Cleveland OH, Middleburg Heights OH, Strongsville OH, Parma OH, Lakewood OH, Brooklyn OH, Akron OH, North Royalton OH, North Olmsted OH, Sandusky OH, Mansfield OH, and Maple Heights OH.