Microblading: how long it lasts and the touch ups
Microblading lasts between twelve and eighteen months depending on skin type and sun exposure, needs a first touch up four to six weeks afterwards which is normally included, and an annual maintenance session thereafter.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- The first touch up falls 4 to 6 weeks after the initial session.
- The usual duration is 12 to 18 months.
- The full service costs 250 € to 500 € including the first touch up.
- The premises must meet the hygiene rules for micropigmentation.
It is a micropigmentation technique rather than a make up product. That changes two things: the rules that apply and how reversible the result is.
What it involves
Pigment is deposited in the superficial layer of the skin in fine strokes that imitate individual hairs, using a hand held tool with micro blades. The result reads more naturally than a shaded micropigmentation, and it lasts less precisely because the deposit is superficial. The design stage beforehand, which takes 20 to 30 minutes, is what determines the final shape.
| Stage | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Initial session with design | day 1 | 250 to 500 € |
| First touch up | 4 to 6 weeks | usually included |
| Surface healing | 7 to 10 days | |
| Final colour visible | 4 to 6 weeks | |
| Annual maintenance | every 12 to 18 months | 120 to 250 € |
| Session length | 2 to 3 hours | |
| Laser removal if wanted | several sessions | 80 to 200 € each |
The first ten days
The colour looks more intense for the first 3 or 4 days and then lightens noticeably as the surface layer sheds. Do not pick the flaking. No pool, sea, sauna or intense exercise for 10 days. Strict sun protection once the skin has closed. And gentle cleansing with whatever the studio specifies, avoiding any cream that is not part of the protocol.
Where it fades faster
On oily skin, where the pigment diffuses sooner and the strokes lose definition, cutting duration to 8 or 12 months. On very mature skin or skin with open pores, where a fine stroke spreads. And in anyone with heavy sun exposure, because radiation degrades pigment: on an island with a long beach season, that variable shortens the result appreciably.
In those cases a shaded or combined technique usually holds better than pure fine strokes.
What to check about the studio
That the premises comply with the health and hygiene rules for micropigmentation, with health authorisation, accredited training for the technician and single use materials unsealed in front of the client. That written informed consent is taken. And that a pigment sensitivity test is offered where there is any history of allergy, carried out 48 hours in advance.
Frequently asked
+How long does microblading last?
Twelve to eighteen months, less on oily skin or with frequent sun exposure.
+When is the touch up done?
Four to six weeks afterwards, and it is normally included in the price of the initial session.
+What are the first days like?
The colour looks intense for 3 or 4 days then lightens. No pool, sea or sauna for 10 days.
+What does it cost?
Two hundred and fifty to five hundred euros for the initial session with touch up, and 120 € to 250 € for annual maintenance.
+What must the studio comply with?
Health authorisation, accredited training, single use materials and written informed consent.
Sources
- 1Boletín Oficial del Estado, BOE (August 2026)
- 2Ministerio de Sanidad, Gobierno de España (August 2026)