Microdermabrasion
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Microdermabrasion vs Microblading
Microdermabrasion sands the surface of your skin. It is a facial treatment for dullness and rough texture, done with a spray of fine crystals or a diamond-grit tip, plus a vacuum. Microblading tattoos hair-like strokes into your eyebrows, by hand, with pigment, and it lasts a year or more. These two treatments have nothing in common except the first five letters, so almost everyone who compares them meant one or the other.
At a glance
| The difference | Microdermabrasion | Microblading |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A facial that scuffs off dead skin | A semi-permanent eyebrow tattoo |
| What it is for | Dull, rough or congested skin | Sparse, patchy or over-plucked brows |
| How long until you see the result | The same day, and it is subtle | About six weeks |
| What it feels like, and the downtime | Scratchy, then pink for a few hours | Stinging, then a week of flaking |
| Cost | Low per session, but it is a course | One larger cost, plus the touch-up |
Microblading
A semi-permanent eyebrow tattoo A hand tool with a row of tiny blades draws fine strokes and deposits pigment just under the surface, so the strokes look like individual hairs.
Side by side
The differences that matter
What it is
Microdermabrasion
A facial that scuffs off dead skin
A handpiece either sprays fine crystals at the skin or drags a diamond-grit tip across it, while a vacuum pulls the loosened cells away.
Microblading
A semi-permanent eyebrow tattoo
A hand tool with a row of tiny blades draws fine strokes and deposits pigment just under the surface, so the strokes look like individual hairs.
How it works, illustrated
Microdermabrasion
Where on you it is done
Microdermabrasion
The face, and often the back or chest
It is a whole-surface treatment, not a spot treatment.
Microblading
The eyebrows only
The shape is drawn on and agreed with you before any pigment goes in.
What it is for
Microdermabrasion
Dull, rough or congested skin
Surface texture and a same-day glow. It is also used to prepare skin before other treatments.
Microblading
Sparse, patchy or over-plucked brows
It fills gaps and rebuilds a shape, so you stop drawing brows on every morning.
Does it break the skin
Microdermabrasion
No, it works on the dead top layer
That layer is about as thick as a tenth of a hair, and it grows back within days.
Microblading
Yes, pigment is placed into the skin
It is a tattoo. That is why it lasts, and why it takes time to heal.
How long until you see the result
Microdermabrasion
The same day, and it is subtle
Skin looks brighter and feels smoother straight away.
Microblading
About six weeks
Colour looks dark and sharp for the first week, then softens and fades as it heals. A touch-up at six to eight weeks sets the final look.
How long it lasts
Microdermabrasion
Days to a couple of weeks
Clinics usually sell it as a course, because a single session does very little on its own.
Microblading
One to three years
Most people book a refresh every 12 to 18 months as it fades.
What it feels like, and the downtime
Microdermabrasion
Scratchy, then pink for a few hours
Mild stinging and a dragging feeling. There is nothing to hide afterwards.
Microblading
Stinging, then a week of flaking
A numbing cream is used. Afterwards the brows scab lightly, itch and flake, and they must be kept dry.
Conditions treated
Microdermabrasion
Keratosis Pilaris
Sanding the surface has the same problem as a body scrub: the plug sits inside the follicle, below where it reaches. Any smoothness is short-lived, and it adds redness. On deeper skin tones the irritation can leave dark marks, so it is one to skip.
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Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Sands off the very top of the skin, which is above where the pigment actually sits, so it does little for brown marks and nothing for gray ones. Repeated sessions add friction and inflammation to skin that marks easily. Money spent here is better spent on daily sunscreen and a treatment that reaches the pigment cells.
←2 / 6→
Sun Spots (Solar Lentigines)
Polishes off the very top layer of skin, which makes it briefly smoother and brighter. The pigment in a sun spot is held in ridges below that layer, so it is not reached. It is often sold as a treatment for spots and it is not one, and repeated sessions can irritate skin enough to leave marks of their own.
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Stretch Marks
It polishes the surface layer, and the tear that made the stretch mark is well below that. It is commonly sold as a stretch mark treatment and the published results are minimal. If a clinic is offering this as their answer, it is worth asking what else they do.
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Wrinkles and Fine Lines
Sands off the outer dead layer, so skin feels smoother and looks brighter for a few days. It does not reach the dermis, which is where wrinkles are, so it does not change them. Pleasant, safe on most skin, and frequently sold as an anti-aging treatment when it is not one.
←5 / 6→
Acne Scarring
Polishes the very top layer of skin, which is nowhere near deep enough to reach the collagen that makes a scar. It can leave skin looking brighter for a few days. It is widely sold for acne scarring and it does not change acne scarring.
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The downside
Microdermabrasion
It does very little on its own
Measured changes are small and short-lived. It will not fix scars, deep lines or pigment problems.
Microblading
It is slow and expensive to undo
Colour can shift toward warm or grey over time, and removal takes several laser or saline sessions. Pigment can also spread slightly, blurring fine strokes.
Related topic illustrations
Microdermabrasion
Microneedling
Moderate evidence. Aimed at indented scars and texture, which microdermabrasion does not touch. More downtime per session, more cost, and usually done once active acne is controlled.
Cost
Microdermabrasion
Low per session, but it is a course
Ask what a course of six costs rather than what one costs.
Microblading
One larger cost, plus the touch-up
Check whether the six-week touch-up is included in the quoted price.
The at-home or drugstore version
Microdermabrasion
Yes, and it is a weaker version
Home kits and small suction wands do the same thing with far less power. They will not reach clinic settings, but they are the same idea.
Microblading
No, and the pens sold online are not it
Brow pens and pomades draw on the surface and wash off. Home "microblading" tools put pigment into skin without training or sterile technique.
Who each suits
Microdermabrasion
- Best for — Someone who wants brighter, smoother skin before an event and does not need a lasting change.
- The mindset — A maintenance treatment, bought by the course.
Microblading
- Best for — Someone tired of drawing brows on daily and happy with a shape for a year or more.
- The mindset — A commitment. Choose the artist first, and see healed photos of their work.
If you landed here by mistake, this sorts it
Microdermabrasion
If your question is about your skin, you mean microdermabrasion. Dull skin, rough patches, blackheads, big pores, wanting a glow before a wedding.
Microblading
If your question is about your eyebrows, you mean microblading. Thin brows, gaps, over-plucked arches, wanting to stop using a pencil.
Before you book
More photographs
Microdermabrasion
Common questions
Questions Patients Ask
What is the difference between microdermabrasion and microblading?
They are unrelated. Microdermabrasion sands dead cells off the surface of your skin as a facial treatment. Microblading tattoos hair-like strokes into your eyebrows.
Which one is for eyebrows?
Microblading. Microdermabrasion is a facial treatment for skin texture and is not used to shape or fill brows.
Is microblading a real tattoo?
Yes. Pigment is placed into the skin, which is why it lasts one to three years and why it takes several weeks to heal.
Does microdermabrasion hurt?
Not really. It feels scratchy and slightly rough, and skin is pink for a few hours afterwards. Microblading is more uncomfortable, and a numbing cream is used.
Can you have microdermabrasion on your eyebrows?
The treatment can pass over the brow area, but it does nothing to the hairs. If you have had microblading, tell the therapist, because surface abrasion can fade the pigment faster.
What about microneedling and microshading?
Microneedling is a skin treatment that makes tiny channels to build collagen. Microshading is a brow tattoo done with dots rather than strokes, giving a softer, powdered look.