Nano Brows
About Nano Brows
Nano brows are a semi permanent brow treatment where a trained artist uses a digital machine with a single, ultra fine needle to place pigment just under the skin in tiny strokes that look like individual brow hairs. The result is soft, natural looking definition that fills sparse areas, balances shape and saves time on daily brow make up. Because the machine builds each stroke through many small punctures rather than cutting the skin, many artists find nano brows suit a wide range of skin types, including oilier, mature or thinner skin, and brows that have been tattooed before. It is a cosmetic tattoo, so it is regulated in many places, and choosing a registered or licensed artist matters. The first session often takes around three hours or more, including design time, with a follow up session booked once the skin has healed to refine and perfect the strokes. Results commonly last one to three years, depending on your skin, sun exposure and skincare, and a colour boost keeps them fresh. Expect mild redness and swelling for a day or two, then light flaking for around a week, with the brows fully settled after several weeks.
On the day, and after
During the treatment
Your artist will review your consultation form, health and any patch test, then talk through the look you want, from soft and subtle to fuller and more defined. They measure and map your brows to suit your face and draw the design on, so you can see and approve the shape before anything begins. Pigment colour is chosen to match your hair and skin tone.
A topical numbing product is often applied to keep you comfortable, where it is allowed and suitable for you. Using a sterile, single use needle cartridge, the artist then builds each hair stroke gradually with the machine, working in sections and checking the result as they go. More numbing may be applied once the skin surface is open.
The first appointment commonly takes three hours or more, with much of that time spent on design. A follow up session is usually booked several weeks later, once you have healed, to strengthen colour and refine any strokes.
How it feels
Most clients describe nano brows as uncomfortable at moments rather than painful, and many find it far easier than they expected. Where a numbing product is used, you may feel very little for much of the session. Without numbing, or as it wears off, the sensation is often compared to light scratching, buzzing or a series of quick, fine pricks.
The machine makes a soft humming sound and a gentle vibration. Some areas, such as the start of the brow or near the tail, can feel more sensitive than others, and sensitivity can be higher around your period or when you are tired or stressed.
Your artist will check in regularly and can pause or reapply numbing where appropriate. Afterwards, the brows may feel tight, warm or a little tender, similar to mild sunburn, for a day or two. Light itching during healing is common; resist scratching and tap gently instead.
Results and maintenance
Nano brows commonly last around one to three years, though this varies with skin type, lifestyle and the pigment used. Oily skin, frequent sun exposure, swimming and exfoliating skincare all speed up fading. Semi permanent means the colour softens over time, not that it disappears completely.
Most artists include or recommend a follow up session several weeks after the first treatment, once you have healed, to refine shape and strengthen any lighter strokes. After that, a colour boost every year or so, or when the strokes start to soften, keeps them looking fresh.
To help your brows last:
- Wear SPF on healed brows every day.
- Keep retinoids, acids and exfoliants away from the brow area.
- Tell any skin or laser professional about your brow tattoo before treatment.
- Book your colour boost before strokes fade completely.
Before and after your appointment
Before your appointment
Start by choosing an artist whose healed work you love and who is properly registered or licensed where they work. Book a consultation to discuss your health, skin, the shape you want and any previous brow tattoo.
In the days before your appointment, follow your artist's guidance, which commonly includes:
- Having any patch test they require, usually at least 24 to 48 hours before.
- Avoiding alcohol, and asking your doctor before stopping any medicine, including aspirin or other blood thinners. Never stop prescribed medicine without medical advice.
- Pausing retinoids, acids and exfoliating treatments on the brow area for the period your artist suggests.
- Avoiding tanning, sunburn, chemical peels, laser and brow tinting or waxing close to the date.
- Leaving your brows to grow, so the artist can see your natural shape.
- Planning around events, as brows look darker and may flake during the first week or two.
Aftercare
Good aftercare helps the pigment heal evenly and keeps the strokes crisp. Your artist will give you their own instructions, and these are the ones to follow, but they commonly include:
- Gently blotting or cleansing the brows as advised in the first day or two to remove lymph fluid.
- Applying only the aftercare product your artist recommends, in a very thin layer.
- Keeping the brows dry and out of steam, saunas, swimming pools and heavy sweating for around a week.
- Not picking, scratching or rubbing any flakes, so they lift away naturally.
- Avoiding make up, skincare and sunscreen directly on the brows until healed.
- Sleeping on your back if you can, and using a clean pillowcase.
- Keeping out of strong sun and sunbeds while healing.
Once healed, protect your brows with SPF and keep retinoids, acids and exfoliants away from them to help the colour last.
There is little true downtime, but your brows will go through visible stages while they heal, so plan any important events with this in mind.
- Days one to two: brows look darker, sharper and bolder than the final result, with mild redness and swelling.
- Days three to seven: light flaking or peeling begins. Let it lift naturally.
- Weeks two to three: strokes can look patchy or very soft as new skin forms over the pigment. This is normal.
- Weeks four to six: colour settles and the true result appears.
Most people return to work the next day. Avoid swimming, saunas, intense exercise and strong sun until your artist confirms you have healed. Some strokes may fade more than others during healing, which is exactly what the follow up session is for. Contact your artist and doctor if you see signs of infection.
Safety and medical considerations
Safety essentials
Nano brows are a cosmetic tattoo, so the same hygiene and legal standards apply as for any skin piercing treatment. Rules vary by country and region, so check what applies where you live.
- England: artists and premises usually need to be registered with the local council for semi permanent skin colouring, with local byelaws to follow. London boroughs use their own licensing system.
- Wales: since November 2024, practitioners need a special procedures licence, and premises need approval, including an infection prevention and control course.
- Scotland: a skin piercing and tattooing licence from the local council covers micropigmentation.
- Australia: skin penetration businesses are regulated by state and local councils, such as notification and inspection in New South Wales.
- US: permanent cosmetics are regulated by states and local health departments, often under tattoo or body art rules, with bloodborne pathogen training.
Good practice always includes single use, sterile needle cartridges opened in front of you, gloves, a clean, wipeable room and pigments from reputable suppliers.
Medical considerations
Because nano brows break the skin, your artist will ask detailed health questions and may decide treatment is not right for now. Beauty professionals do not diagnose, so check with your doctor or pharmacist if any of these apply:
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding: most artists will wait until afterwards.
- Blood thinning medicine, a bleeding disorder, diabetes, a heart condition or a weakened immune system, including chemotherapy.
- A history of keloid or raised scarring.
- Recent or current isotretinoin, retinoids or other medicines that make skin more fragile.
- Eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, moles, cold sores or any active skin condition near the brows.
- Known allergies, including to numbing creams, pigments or latex.
- Recent injectables, peels or laser treatment near the brows.
Tattoo pigments can occasionally cause allergic reactions, sometimes years later. If you need an MRI scan in future, tell the radiographer about your brows; reactions are rare and should not stop you having a scan you need.
Patch testing
Yes, a patch test is recommended and many artists, local authorities and insurers expect one. It is usually carried out at least 24 to 48 hours before treatment, and some artists ask for a longer gap.
A small amount of the pigment, and often the numbing product, is applied to a discreet area of skin, commonly behind the ear or near the hairline, sometimes with a few tiny scratches so the product reaches under the surface. You then watch for itching, redness, swelling or rash.
A clear patch test is reassuring but cannot completely rule out a reaction, as tattoo pigment allergies are uncommon and can appear later, sometimes long after treatment. Tell your artist about any past reactions to hair dye, tattoos, cosmetics or metals. If you notice a reaction during the test or after treatment, contact your artist and speak to your pharmacist or doctor. A dermatologist can advise on persistent or delayed reactions.
Knowing a good practitioner
Green flags
An excellent nano brow artist is precise, patient and transparent. Look for:
- Clear evidence of registration or licensing where required, plus specialist training and insurance.
- A portfolio of healed results, not just fresh photos, ideally on skin like yours.
- A full consultation covering health, medicines, skin and lifestyle.
- A patch test explained and carried out in good time.
- Careful mapping and a drawn design you approve before treatment.
- Sterile, single use cartridges opened in front of you, fresh gloves and a clean, organised room.
- Honest advice about how your skin type is likely to heal and how long results may last.
- Written aftercare and a follow up session included or clearly explained.
- Willingness to say no, or to wait, if treatment is not right for you yet.
The best artists want your healed brows to look natural for years, not just on the day.
Red flags
Take your time choosing an artist and walk away if you notice:
- No registration or licence on display where one is required, or reluctance to show it.
- Needles or cartridges not opened in front of you, or equipment that looks reused.
- No gloves, or gloves not changed when they touch other surfaces.
- No consultation, health questions or patch test.
- Unlabelled pigments, or no answer about what pigment is used.
- Treatment in an unclean space or one shared with food or pets.
- Pressure to book on the spot, or no time to approve the design before starting.
- Promises that results are guaranteed or completely fade without trace.
After treatment, spreading redness, heat, increasing pain, swelling, pus or a fever are signs of infection and need prompt medical attention from your doctor or pharmacist.
Questions to ask
These questions will help you choose an artist with confidence.
- Are you and your premises registered or licensed for semi permanent make up here?
- Can I see healed photos of your nano brow work on skin similar to mine?
- Do you require a patch test, and how far ahead?
- Which pigments do you use, and how do you match colour to my skin and hair?
- How long will the first appointment take, and is a follow up session included?
- How do you expect my skin type to heal and hold pigment?
- What should I do if I have a reaction or something does not heal as expected?
Frequently asked questions
What are nano brows?
Nano brows are semi permanent brows created with a digital machine and a single, ultra fine needle. The artist places pigment just under the skin in tiny hair like strokes, building natural looking definition. It is a form of cosmetic tattoo, so choose a trained, registered or licensed artist.
How long do nano brows last?
Nano brows commonly last one to three years. Oily skin, sun exposure, swimming and exfoliating skincare can make them fade sooner. Most clients have a follow up session after healing, then a colour boost roughly once a year to keep the strokes crisp.
What is the difference between nano brows and microblading?
Both create hair like strokes. Microblading uses a handheld blade of tiny needles to make fine cuts in the skin, while nano brows use a machine with a single needle that builds each stroke through tiny punctures. Many artists find nano brows suit oilier or more mature skin and heal with less trauma.
Do nano brows hurt?
Most clients find nano brows more uncomfortable than painful, especially when a numbing product is used. The feeling is often compared to light scratching or fine pricks with a gentle buzz. Afterwards brows may feel tender and tight, like mild sunburn, for a day or two.
Do I need a patch test for nano brows?
A patch test is recommended and many artists and insurers require one, usually at least 24 to 48 hours before treatment. Pigment and often the numbing product are tested on a small area of skin. It cannot rule out every reaction, so always share any past allergies with your artist.
How long do nano brows take to heal?
The skin surface usually heals in about a week, with darker brows and light flaking during that time. Colour can look patchy in weeks two and three, then settles over around four to six weeks. Your follow up session is booked after this so the artist can see your healed result.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Speak to a qualified practitioner, and to your GP if you have a medical condition, before booking.