There are many brow shapes and styles and just as many ways to achieve these looks. Eyebrow threading is one popular way to remove brow hairs and achieve the look you desire.
Similar to other hair removal techniques, threading is a relatively quick way to clean up your brows. However, as with any treatment, there are some things to consider before booking your first appointment.
We are going to go over everything you need to know about eyebrow threading. Find out what it entails, if it hurts, and how much it usually costs. We will also review other options out there for removing brow hair and creating the brows of your dreams!
What Is Threading?
Eyebrow threading has been around a lot longer than you may think. While it became a common brow grooming technique in recent years, it's actually been around for centuries. Parts of Asia have been using it to remove unwanted brow hairs for a long time.
The treatment entails placing a cotton thread close to your skin, looping it, and gently twisting and pulling to remove hairs from the follicle. It's ideal for small areas like around the brows and upper lip. This process may sound tedious, but it happens quickly. If you go to an experienced eyebrow threader, the whole appointment should only last 30 minutes tops.
The cost of threading varies depending on where you go. It can cost anywhere from $15-$45. The results last anywhere from two to five weeks since everyone's hair growth rate isn't the same.
Does Threading Hurt?
Grooming your brows usually requires some level of pain. The process rips hairs from your follicles which are connected to nerves.
The nerves in your head and face are wired directly to your brain's principal emotional signaling hubs. Essentially, anything that has to do with your face is going to hurt a little more than it does in other places.
However, on a pain scale of one to ten, threading isn't a very high number. Each person has a different level of sensitivity, so it will hurt less for some than it does for others. Threading feels like multiple hairs being tweezed out at once. You will have some redness around the brows after the treatment, which should disappear in a few hours.
Have a Regular Threading Schedule
One way to minimize the pain from threading is going for touch-up appointments. Life gets busy, and things that are unavoidable pop up, but try to maintain a threading schedule.
Instead of allowing your brow hairs to grow back fully, get threading more often for a less intense experience. The nice thing about threading is that the technician can remove the tiniest hairs. You don't have to wait for them to be at a certain length.
Another reason to try to stick to a brow threading schedule is that going too early or waiting too long can hurt the process. If you go too soon, you may end up with thinner brows because you may think more needs to be removed than is necessary. It can feel long a long process to grow your brows back out, so it's best to avoid this situation.
On the flip side, if you want too long, you'll lose the shape you once had, and accomplishing the look again will take more time. It would be best to ask your threading technician what they think will be the best schedule for you to follow.
Once you are regularly going, your brow hair will start to grow on the same cycle. You won't have random hairs at different lengths. Your hair will also start growing back finer, so it won't be as noticeable. After several treatments, you may also notice that fewer hairs are popping up.
You have less hair because the threading removes the hair from the follicle, which weakens over time. Once this happens, you may be able to adjust your threading schedule.
Other Eyebrow Hair Removal Options
There are many other options for grooming your brows if threading isn't for you.
Tweezing
Tweezing is most likely something you've done before. It's the least expensive option. The only thing you need is a pair of high-quality tweezers, and with a little skill, you can achieve many different shapes.
The process takes some time, but you have complete control over each hair you remove.
Here are some things to consider when tweezing:
- Invest in a good pair of tweezers because others will struggle to grip the hair or will break it off.
- Pull your skin taut, and then remove the hair from the root.
- Don't pull your hair out slowly, do it quickly in one motion.
- Always tweeze the hair in the same direction it is growing.
- If you have sensitive skin or redness after plucking, try using a soothing lotion on the skin.
- Sterilize tweezers before using each time.
Tweezing results usually last between three and eight weeks. Some people's hair will grow back faster.
Waxing
Waxing is perhaps the quickest way to remove unwanted brow hair. Wax is applied to the area and swiftly removed, taking all the hairs with it. It can be done with cold or hot wax.
The wax is melted over a heater and then applied to the skin. Next, a strip is pressed into it the wax and then quickly pulled back. The wax sticks to the strip and comes off easily. There's also a form of hot wax that doesn't require a strip. It hardens directly on the skin and then can be pulled off.
Sometimes there can still be stray hairs left behind after waxing. The specialist will remove these hairs with tweezers to finish off the look. They will also apply a soothing cream to your red skin. If you have a hot date, don't get waxed the same day. Sometimes waxing can cause folliculitis, which is tiny red bumps. These bumps eventually go down after a few days. Before a big event, you may want to air on the safe side and get waxed a few days before!
The waxing process can also be a slightly painful experience. However, since the removal process is so quick, the most painful part only lasts a second for each strip. Waxing results last around four weeks.
There are a few people who may want to avoid waxing. Those taking prescription acne medication, like Accutane, may need to opt for another option. When on a medication like this, your skin can already be irritated and sensitive. You also don't want to get waxed if you have a sunburn.
Laser Hair Removal
If you're tired of keeping up with your brow hair removal and you're content with your brow shape, consider laser hair removal. This option is the most permanent since it means the hair won't be growing back once the procedure is done.
A laser will be put over the areas you don't want eyebrow hair, and the heat and energy produced destroy the hair follicles. Usually, you need several laser treatments for the results to prevent new hair growth permanently.
You will want to go to a very experienced specialist since the procedure involves lasers near your eyes. Studies have revealed damage can occur to your eyes after laser hair removal. This injury happens because the energy of a laser can scatter, so even if it never goes over your eyes, it can still cause issues. However, with very careful handling, a professional can do it safely.
Laser hair removal is the most expensive option to groom your brows. A single laser session can cost anywhere from $75 to $125. You will need anywhere from six to eight sessions to make your results last. The number of sessions all depends on your hair color, hormones, and more.
Sessions don't last long since there's not a large area to cover, usually about 20 minutes. There is only a small amount of pain associated with a laser treatment that feels like a stinging. Temporary redness and swelling are possible after each session.
How To Get Full Brows
Having amazing brows is a two-step process. The first is to remove unwanted hair and the second is to add in the appearance of hair where you want it. It may seem counter-productive, but you don't want stray hairs all over the place and sparse areas in the center of your brows.
Here are ways to fill in your brows after you go throw the grooming process.
Filling In Your Brows With Makeup
Makeup is the simplest way to fill in your brows. Find a great brow pen, like TatBrow's Microblade Pen. It can give you the appearance of brow hairs similar to what microblading does. You can also use a brow gel and brush up your brow hairs for a feathery look. If you have bushy brows and don't need to add false hairs, you may just need a clear gel to tidy things up. Try the TatBrow Ultra Hold Gel.
Hair Growth Serum
If you desire fuller brows, you can actually grow more hairs instead of creating artificial ones. A brow growth serum can grow new hair so you can have bushy brows or more hair to reshape your brows.
Try TatBrow Enhancement Serum to achieve fuller and bolder brows in weeks! It contains vitamins, amino acids, and more to stimulate hair growth. Each bottle contains enough product for 16 weeks. This isn't an overnight fix, but over time you will have fuller brows.
Tinting
If you're happy with how much hair you have, but it's too light to really see, you can tint your brows. Tinting your brows involves applying hair dye to your brows and rinsing it off to be left with more defined brows.
After tinting, your brows will appear thicker, and it only takes 10-15 minutes. You can't get them wet after the treatment for 24 hours, but the results will last for several weeks. The cost is only $10 to $20, so it's one of the more affordable options.
Brow Lamination
If you want the feathery, bushy brow look, consider laminating your brows. The process involves applying a perm to the eyebrow hairs. The first step is a relaxer that allows the brow professional to reshape the brows. The second step is a solution that ensures the new shape stays in place. The last step is a brow conditioner, which adds moisture back into the brow hairs.
The service costs anywhere from $50 to $100 and lasts four to six weeks. If you have sensitive skin, you may have a reaction to the solutions used in the lamination process. A brow professional can help make sure you won't have adverse side effects.
Microblading
Microblading is similar to tattooing but is semi-permanent. A handheld tool is used to place pigment into the skin. The brow technician makes tiny lines that mimic brow hairs to reshape your brows. It is a two-session process, but you will wake up with a perfectly filled look once finished.
Unlike a tattoo, the pigment is only in the top layers of skin, so it doesn't last forever. The results last anywhere from 18 to 30 months. The cost varies for microblading. It can be between $200 to $2,000. The procedure can be somewhat painful, but a numbing cream is used so you don't feel too much.
In Summary
Brow threading can be an excellent option for you to groom your brows. It doesn't involve placing any chemicals on the face, so it is a good choice for people with sensitive skin.
Once you clean up your brows, you can fill in the sparse areas with one of several different options. If you choose makeup, the TatBrow Microblade Pen will allow you to create the look of more brow hairs with just a few simple swipes!
Sources:
Hair Removal (for Teens) | Nemours KidsHealth
Ocular Injury After Laser Hair Reduction Treatment to the Eyebrow | Jama Network