Jun 5, 20215 min read

Microblading Gone Wrong: What You Need to Know about Botched Brows

Updated: Nov 16

Imagine going to a “certified” microblading physician and paying hundreds of dollars for a treatment procedure that leaves you with botched brows.

Oh, the horror!

We wouldn’t wish this on our worst enemy!

While microblading is a safe and efficient procedure to transform unaesthetic eyebrows into fuller, darker, more beautiful brows, the situation can get scary if your physician doesn’t know what they’re doing.

Yes, you heard that right.

There really is a thing called bad microblading.

What is Considered Bad Microblading?

Although microblading has gained a lot of popularity, many people are still reluctant to go for it. Perhaps the biggest reason for this is the fear of a botched job. Nobody would want to pay to get distorted brows, right?

A botched job refers to a poorly executed procedure in all forms, including too long needle strokes, too short or too thick brows, asymmetric arches, unnatural arch positions, wrong choice of pigment shade, and blocks of color instead of hair-like strokes.

Another common issue resulting in bad microblading is related to the depth at which the physician injects the pigment into the skin. If they inject it too deeply, you’ll get gray or blue undertones once the area heals. On the contrary, if the pigment isn’t injected deep enough, pigment retention will be minimal.

All of these aesthetic disasters can leave you with disfigured, unsightly, and artificial-looking eyebrows for as long as two years!

In addition to this, poor task execution can result in an infection. If your microblading physician makes aggressive strokes, you may even face permanent scarring. Furthermore, there’s a risk of an allergic reaction if they don’t conduct a patch test before starting the procedure.

Keeping these things in mind, you must do your research before deciding to get your eyebrows microbladed. Check out our helpful guide [a1] to learn everything you need to know about this semi-permanent cosmetic procedure.

Why Does Bad Microblading Happen?

The primary reason botched microblading jobs happen is the lack of rules and regulations preventing ill-skilled physicians from performing the procedure in the permanent makeup industry.

While some states did pass some laws regarding microblading, there’s no way to stop self-taught, inexperienced individuals from performing the procedure on clients. In most cases, these people haven’t even finished basic training, yet they promise professional results. The main reason people turn to underqualified and inexperienced physicians is low prices.

Another reason bad microblading happens is the availability of poor training courses at cheap rates. Even if you find a certified physician, you can’t be sure of the quality of the course they’ve completed. Some microblading training centers are run by physicians who aren’t qualified themselves.

Microblading through the Lens of Law

Legal regulations concerning microblading vary from state to state. Some states require aspiring physicians to go through a comprehensive training process and government-supervised apprenticeship. In other states, the laws are less strict, if they exist, that is. A few states don’t recognize microblading as a separate cosmetic procedure. For them, it is a branch of tattooing. Hence, there are no specific laws about it.

Needless to say, this is a problem. The only way states can protect the clients is by ensuring that no untrained microblading physicians can offer their services to the public.

As a client, you should check the licensing requirements in your state and see if your microblading expert complies.

The Consequences of Poorly Executed Microblading Procedure

The effects of bad microblading can be both physical and mental.

Physical Consequences

In addition to leaving the client with botched brows, it can lead to an allergic reaction causing inflammation. The same thing can happen if your microblading physician uses low-quality pigment or one with nickel. In the latter case, your skin will try to get rid of the metal, resulting in severe discomfort.

Most of the time, the infections caused by bad microblading are mild and temporary. In case things get serious, you may experience swelling and permanent scarring. You may even have to take antibiotics to prevent further damage.

Considering that the eyebrows are located near the sinus cavities, an infection may become life-threatening if not treated properly on time.

Psychological Consequences

Botched brows can take a toll on your self-esteem by compromising your appearance. It may also lead to perpetual psychological discomfort. You’d obviously avoid interacting with people and withdraw yourself from social situations to avoid embarrassment and weird looks from strangers.

Deep within, you may feel disappointed and perhaps even guilty to a certain extent. You may regret that you didn’t research properly and were unable to verify the authenticity of the microblading physician. Besides, when you don’t get what you hoped for, you naturally feel upset and frustrated. It is also possible that you feel angry at your physician for ruining your eyebrows. All these emotions will affect your well-being, in general.

This will be followed by the stress of finding a trustworthy expert to correct or remove the botched brows.

3 Ways to Fix Botched Brows

If you’re not satisfied with microblading results, you can get rid of the botched brows in the following ways.

1. Apply Makeup

Minor brow imperfections can easily be camouflaged with makeup. You can fix your brows with a nice eyebrow pencil before heading out.

2. Get a Touch-Up

Another way to fix botched brows is by consulting with another microblading physician who is properly trained, qualified, and experienced. They may have a practical solution to save you the stress and embarrassment of facing people with distorted eyebrows.

This will definitely be an extra cost but as long as your brows can be fixed with a few additional strokes, you wouldn’t want to miss the chance. Please note that you’ll have to wait for your brows to heal before you can get a touch-up. This will probably take a month.

3. Saline Removal

Saline removal is an excellent option for removing unwanted microblading pigments. Your physician will use a microneedling machine to inject a saline solution into the treated area. This will pull up the pigments to the surface of the skin.

The best thing is that saline removal can be done 24 hours after the eyebrow procedure. However, it may take a few sessions, depending on the amount of injected pigment.

Prevention is Better than Cure

To avoid the disappointment and additional cost of botched brows, you should ensure that you get your microblading done by a reputable expert with proper training and years of experience. For further information and consultation, get in touch with us today.