Microblading Gone Wrong? Female Lawyers Give Free Advice

Manual microblading has become one the most popular beauty treatments in the UK over the last few years, with beauticians and salons struggling to keep up demand for the semi-permanent cosmetic tattooing procedure. Microblading involves the use of a handheld device consisting of tiny needles (rather than an actual blade) to deposit the selected pigment under the skin, achieving thinner and more defined hair strokes than similar treatments and results that can last for up to three years.

As with all invasive cosmetic procedures however, there are a number of risks associated with microblading. The absence of any mandatory training requirements means that under-qualified and inexperienced practitioners are routinely performing what is a delicate and complicated treatment that is unsuitable for many potential customers, often in unhygienic conditions.

Reports of microblading disasters in the newspapers often contain horrific images of blistered, swollen and red skin on the eyebrows following a treatment, which may be the result of an infection or an adverse reaction to ingredients contained in the pigment. By penetrating the skin, the needles of the microblading device create the conditions for a patient to contract a blood-borne virus such as hepatitis or a bacterial skin infection like Staphylococcus aureus. For this reason it is essential that sterile (and disposable) needles and other equipment are used and that the salon where the treatment is carried out maintains stringent hygiene standards.

Allergic reactions to the pigment used during a microblading procedure are rare, but far from unheard of, and a salon should carry out skin patch tests on prospective patients to ensure this is not a possibility. A patch test should ideally form part of a thorough pre-treatment consultation that should also identify any contraindications that make microblading unsuitable for patients, such as skin conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis, autoimmune disorders, recent use of Botox, and pregnancy or breastfeeding. Far too often practitioners ignore these basic safety measures, sometimes with disastrous consequences.

Finally, microblading can go badly wrong due to the poor technique of the practitioner, leading to undesirable results that are hard to either cover up or reverse. This can necessitate costly correctional procedures with an uncertain outcome causing long-term embarrassment and inconvenience. All beauty practitioners are required to exercise reasonable care and skill when carrying out treatments, and where they fail to do so, they or their employer can be held legally liable for the damage caused. If you have been injured by a microblading procedure at a salon or clinic, contact specialist team of female solicitors today for free, confidential and sympathetic legal advice.

While microblading can be performed on the scalp, it is more popular for the eyebrow region, and micropigmentation is viewed as the best alternative for achieving a more natural-looking and long-term hairline solution. Scalp micropigmentation uses tiny needles to penetrate the skin and implant pigment (colour) deeper than microblading, with results that last far longer. This also means that the procedure is slightly more risky than microblading, with a successful outcome depending largely on proper pre-treatment care, hygiene standards, and the skill and experience of the practitioner.

While complications from scalp micropigmentation are rare, there is the possibility of ingredients contained in the pigment triggering an allergic reaction, or an infection developing due to unsterilized needles, contaminated pigment or other hygiene failures. A person’s body and skin may also react negatively to the implanted pigment causing inflammation, nodules (granulomas) and keloid scarring. These risks emphasise the importance of skin patch tests and a pre-treatment medical consultation to minimise the risk of adverse reactions, as well as the importance of maintaining clean and sanitary conditions at salons and clinics. Unnatural and undesirable results are another possible outcome, and this will often be due to the practitioner’s lack of training, skill and experience.