One of the notorious no-nos after microblading is exercising, which many customers noticed has ruined the effect and speeded up colour fading. This leads to more frequent touch-ups and redos, making the whole treatment expensive and rather pointless.
Here’s everything you need to know about microblading and working out: why it’s not recommended, how long you need to wait, and when it is safe to get back to the gym.
What is microblading?
Microblading is a form of skincare procedure that primarily includes semi-permanent cosmetic tattooing done on eyebrows to shape them or create a natural-looking effect of fullness.
Most salons will cover the 4 main steps:
- Apply numbing cream or some kind of a topical anaesthetic (hopefully)
- Create a stencil/template using your instructions by drawing lines, marks and making measurements until you agree on the final look
- Following the template, the technician makes fine, hair-like lines eyebrows with a razor
- The tech finally applies semi-permanent ink (pigment), filling in the cuts
Opposed to real tattooing, in microblading cosmeticians use different pigments and less aggressive tools to shape and ‘carve’ seemingly bushy eyebrows and the effect can last up to 3 years. To maintain the colour fullness, you might need several retouches and check-ups.
Although it does fade away over time, microblading includes breaking into the skin, making tiny lesions that are prone to infection, which is why it is essential to find a trained and skilled cosmetician to perform the treatment.
Why shouldn’t I exercise after microblading?
The main reason behind this is sweat. In fact, any kind of long-lasting contact with water (soaking and long bathing) or even oil may damage the work and ruin the pigmentation. Sweat is also full of minerals (salt) that eat out the pigment.
Most techs are rigorous about the ‘no work out’ rule since any kind of straining physical activity triggers the sweat glands and sebum production.
You may consider yourself a person who doesn’t sweat much, but even a tiny amount of moisture on the brows will significantly diminish the tinting effect.
Not to mention that face sweating is mostly concentrated on the forehead, dripping down and accumulating on the eyebrow area.
When can I exercise after microblading?
The healing process mostly lasts 7 days, but it is recommended to wait for at least 10 days before the first workout, just to be on the safe side.
If you have oily skin and tend to sweat profusely, you should not only avoid exercising in the first week but also abstain from any kind of physically straining activity, direct sunlight, hot and stuffy areas, or anything that will cause perspiration.
Will sweating ruin microblading?
The short answer is yes. To be more precise, it won’t ruin the microblading cuts but it may cause the pigmentation to scab up and clump, and eventually fall off faster and much more than normal.
What actually happens during the healing process is simple: the cuts naturally start to close and heal, ‘locking’ the pigment inside them.
If the pigment gets in contact with water and salt (from the sweat) or too much oil before the cuts close, the colour will most likely remain bland and uneven.
Can I sweat 7 days after microblading?
Although 7 days is a minimum for healing, it all depends on your skin, face oiliness, and healing speed.
To make sure you won’t make any damage to the colour, it’s best to stay in recovery for at least the recommended week.
Can you lift weights after microblading?
Lifting weights can trigger profuse sweating just as much as a cardio workout. That said, it all depends on your fitness level and the way your sweat glands work.
Any kind of sweat-inducing activity is on the risky side, therefore better not to experiment for at least the recommended 7 days of the recovery period.
If you’re an avid training enthusiast, there may be possible solutions to stay active right after microblading, but only by following rigorous precaution measures:
- Apply sunscreen around the microbladed area
- Restrain from scratching and frequently touching your eyebrows (despite the fact that it WILL itch)
- Frequently remove access sebum and sweat on and around the eyebrows
- Keep the tattooed area dry by lightly patting it with blotting paper or a disposable towel
- Make sure you follow the technician’s instructions and apply the provided after-care ointment regularly
- Strictly avoid heavy exercising! Instead, opt for slow-pace walking in the shade, yoga, or similar low-intensity activities (minimum sweating)
- KNOW YOUR BODY – If you are prone to heavy perspiration and excessive oiliness, just take the recovery time as a chance to let your brows really heal and do nothing that could damage the microblading.
Can I exercise after a microblading touch-up?
A microblading touch-up leaves your eyebrows just as sensitive as after the first treatment. All the rules that apply then, also apply to touch-ups, if you’re looking to keep a long-lasting, pigmented effect.
That means restraining from high-intensity physical activity for at least 7 days after your microblading appointment.
I worked out after microblading. What should I do now?
If the deed is done, there are still chances to save your microblading treatment.
The best thing to do is immediately rinse the tattooed area with lukewarm water and dry it out with light patting motions with a clean disposable towel.
Don’t give in to the urge to rub or pick on your sensitive brows as that can also diminish the colour and give poor results.
The key is to keep the microblading work free of sweat, so the exercising itself won’t do anything harmful to the brows, but the perspiration can, so making sure the tattooed area is dry and clean is what actually matters the most, even after exercising.
