Nano Brows

The microblading and nano brow techniques aim to achieve hair-like texture created through the brow enhancement service. The main difference between nano brows and microblading is that microblading is a manual technique that uses a handheld tool with a tiny blade that cuts the skin to implant ink. In contrast, nano brows use a handheld machine with a tiny needle that pierces the skin to implant ink. In addition, Nano brows are generally a gentler service because it involves poking or piercing the skin rather than cutting it like with microblading. 

Since the nano brow service is gentler, it typically involves less risk of bleeding, may be more comfortable, and will heal quicker than microblading. This is ideal for sensitive skin types prone to bleeding easily during microblading, which causes poor results but doesn’t present an issue during a nano brow service.

In contrast to microblading, the primary distinction of nano brows is that the hair-like texture produced can be either light and airy or dense and dark but generally not as delicate and defined as microbladed hair strokes.

The answer is it depends on what your goals are. Nano brows can work for almost any skin type but will present differently visually for everyone. For example, clients with somewhat oily skin who may not be candidates for microblading may opt to get nano brows done to have a brow that still has a hair-like texture but should realize that the healed result may still be soft and less crisp than desired. 

The skin can be compared to a sponge in this respect. A line painted with a paintbrush onto a dry sponge (like normal to dry skin) will generally stay in a line. A line painted with a paintbrush onto a wet sponge (representing oilier skin types) will blur a bit, depending on how wet the sponge is. In the same respect, the oilier the skin is, the more a hair stroke will blur, and that will happen whether the hair stroke is made via the microblading or nano method.  

The one case where nano brows are very clearly the obvious choice and beneficial over microblading is with sensitive skin types. For example, a client may have normal to dry skin with tiny pores and would typically be a good candidate for microblading, but their skin is also sensitive and prone to bleeding easily. In this case, though their skin is visually good for microblading, the risk of bleeding makes the technique an absolute no-go, as the healed result will be poor, looking blurry and diluted. However, since nano brows are gentler and cause less trauma and bleeding, it is a great way for the sensitive-skinned client to still achieve the hair-stroke textured brow they seek. 

The opinion of whether microblading or nano brows is more natural is subjective, as both have advantages. Hair strokes made by microblading tend to be thinner and crisper, whereas hair strokes made by the nano brow technique tend to be slightly thicker and airier. Nano brows have an advantage over microblading in that hair strokes can be layered and crossed during the service, giving a more hyperrealistic effect. During a microblading session, hair strokes cannot be overlapped, and layering can only be performed once the initial stroke set has healed.

Maintenance is typically required on nano brows every 2-4 years, depending on skin type, lifestyle, and level of sun exposure. The duration of maintenance can vary from person to person. For example, people with oily skin may experience faster pigment fading and require more frequent touch-ups. It is important to note that final results cannot be guaranteed as everyone’s skin type is unique and breaks down pigment differently. 

The initial, complete nano brow procedure typically takes slightly longer than a microblading procedure, as it can be a more laborious process, taking anywhere from 2-5 hours to complete. In addition, the perfecting touch-up done at around eight weeks requires an extra 1 to 2 hours. To attain customized and natural-looking eyebrows, particularly for nano brows, both the client and artist must dedicate adequate time to each phase of the procedure. 

While the stages of the healing process are typically the same for nano brows as they are for microblading, the duration of the healing process for nano brows tends to be shorter for many individuals. During the initial healing period of up 14 days, your eyebrows will go through several stages of healing.

Initially, they may appear very dark and become increasingly darker over the next few days as scabs form. It’s important to leave the flaking brows to shed on their own and not pick the flakes as they are healing. Once the flakes have shed, your newly healed nano brows may appear very light or have a milky cast for a short time. The fully healed result is not seen until around week six when the tattoo work “blooms back” as the ink settles within the fully healed skin.  

In short, the answer is that it depends. Whether nano brows can be redone over existing brow work depends on several factors, such as the artist’s expertise, the color of the old tattoo or microblading, and the client’s skin type. In most cases, the old tattoo or microblading must first be faded to achieve the desired results and conceal the old design. Sometimes we can use the old work as a base to build on, but if the old work is not light enough, there will not be enough contrast from the new nano strokes to show through, and everything will blend into a solid mass.

Our studio only takes a limited number of clients with existing work. If you have an old tattoo or want to correct/redo old microblading with nano brows, you can send us a picture or book a consultation with one of our artists to assess whether it’s possible.