Search | The Hair & Beauty Directory

Filters

Clear all

Treatment

Features

Applied

"Threading" (remove)

Search for what actually matters to you

Accessibility and inclusivity

PDO Threads (Thread Lift)

PDO threads are a non-surgical procedure that uses fine, absorbable surgical sutures made from polydioxanone (PDO), the same material used in some medical stitches. The threads are inserted under the skin using a needle or cannula. Smooth or twisted threads are used mainly to stimulate the skin's own collagen, while barbed or cog threads can gently reposition and lift areas of mild-to-moderate laxity, such as the cheeks, jawline, brows or neck. Over several months the PDO is broken down and absorbed by the body, leaving behind newly stimulated collagen. This is an injectable, medical-type procedure that breaks the skin and carries real risks, so it should always be treated as a clinical treatment rather than a beauty service. Results are typically subtle and are not a replacement for a surgical face lift; they usually last somewhere in the region of twelve to eighteen months, though this varies from person to person. Because outcomes depend heavily on the practitioner's anatomical knowledge, sterile technique and choice of thread, choosing a qualified, insured and appropriately regulated provider matters more than the price you pay.

The most important step is a proper face-to-face consultation with a qualified, insured practitioner, ideally a medical or prescribing professional, who takes a full medical history and assesses whether threads suit your degree of skin laxity. Be honest about medicines and supplements, especially blood thinners, and about any bleeding, autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, recent illness or infection. In the days beforehand you may be advised to avoid alcohol, and to pause blood-thinning medicines or supplements such as fish oil, high-dose vitamin E, aspirin or ibuprofen only if your prescriber agrees, as this can reduce bruising. Any dental work or elective surgery is usually best completed first because of infection risk. Arrive with clean skin, no make-up, and allow time for a cooling-off period so you can give genuinely informed consent rather than deciding on the day.

Treatment takes place in a clean clinical setting. The practitioner marks the areas to be treated, cleans the skin thoroughly and usually applies a local anaesthetic, sometimes with a small injection, so the procedure is well tolerated. A fine needle or blunt cannula is used to place the threads at the correct depth in the tissue. With lifting threads, you may feel a tugging or pulling sensation as the thread is gently anchored and the tissue repositioned, and the practitioner may ask you to make facial movements to check symmetry. The number of threads depends on the area and the effect you want, and the plan can be tailored to give a more subtle or more noticeable result. A typical session lasts around thirty to sixty minutes. Mild pressure, stinging or a pinching feeling is normal; sharp or severe pain should be mentioned straight away.

Follow the written aftercare instructions your clinic gives you and keep the contact details for any concerns. For the first day or two keep the area clean and avoid touching or massaging it. It is generally advised to sleep on your back with your head slightly raised for several nights, and to avoid wide mouth movements, exaggerated facial expressions, chewing very hard or chewy foods, and dental treatment for a couple of weeks so the threads settle. Avoid strenuous exercise, saunas, steam rooms, swimming and very hot showers for about a week or two, and hold off on facials, massage and energy-based skin treatments for four to six weeks. Steer clear of alcohol for a day or so, and protect the skin from strong sun. Take any recommended pain relief as directed. Attend your follow-up appointment so results can be reviewed and any early problems caught quickly.

Treat PDO threads as a medical procedure. In most cases the safest choice is a qualified, insured practitioner who is appropriately regulated, ideally a medical or prescribing professional such as a doctor, dentist, nurse or suitably qualified prescriber, working in a clean clinical environment with single-use sterile threads. Insist on a face-to-face consultation, a full medical history and written informed consent, and check the practitioner can manage complications or refer you if something goes wrong. In England, a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures is being developed and higher-risk treatments like threads are expected to sit in a higher tier requiring healthcare-professional involvement, but this is not yet fully in force, so check the current rules where you live. You can look for practitioners on voluntary registers such as the JCCP or Save Face. Avoid anyone offering threads as a cheap, rushed beauty add-on without proper assessment.

PDO threads break the skin and place a foreign material into the tissue, so medical suitability matters. They are generally not advised if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have an active skin infection or inflammation in the area, a bleeding disorder, are taking blood thinners without prescriber agreement, or have certain autoimmune or inflammatory conditions. Tell your practitioner about diabetes, a history of keloid or poor scarring, cold sores, recent or planned dental work, previous facial surgery or fillers, and any allergies. Threads can, rarely, cause infection, thread migration or extrusion through the skin, prolonged asymmetry, nodules, and, uncommonly, nerve irritation or injury. If you have underlying health conditions or take regular medication, discuss the treatment with your GP or prescriber first. Anyone under eighteen should not be treated for cosmetic reasons. This procedure is not suitable for significant sagging, where surgical options may be more appropriate.

A skin patch test is not the relevant safety check here, because PDO threads do not rely on a substance applied to the skin in the way that tints or dyes do, and PDO is a long-established, well-tolerated suture material. What protects you instead is a thorough face-to-face consultation and medical history taken by a qualified practitioner before treatment. This is where genuine contraindications, medicines such as blood thinners, bleeding or autoimmune conditions, allergies, scarring tendencies and realistic suitability are identified and documented. Proper assessment and written informed consent are central to reducing risk and to a practitioner's insurance and UK liability position; skipping them can leave an insured practitioner exposed if a claim arises. If you have a known sensitivity to local anaesthetic, tell the clinic, as a separate check for that may be sensible.

Be cautious if a provider offers threads with no proper face-to-face consultation, no medical history and no cooling-off period, or pressures you to book quickly or take a discount on the day. Other warning signs include a non-clinical or unhygienic setting, reluctance to confirm qualifications, insurance or regulatory status, no plan for managing complications, and threads reused or not clearly single-use and sterile. A non-medical practitioner performing this injectable procedure, or one who cannot prescribe or access emergency medicines, should give you pause. After treatment, seek help urgently for spreading redness, heat, increasing pain, pus or fever, a thread poking through the skin, severe or lasting asymmetry, or numbness that does not settle.

Good practice looks like a qualified, insured and appropriately regulated practitioner, ideally a medical or prescribing professional, working in a clean clinical environment. Expect an unhurried face-to-face consultation, a full medical history, honest discussion of whether threads suit you and realistic expectations about a subtle, temporary result, plus written informed consent and a cooling-off period. Look for single-use sterile threads, clear infection-control, transparent pricing, and named aftercare and follow-up arrangements. A good provider explains the risks as readily as the benefits, is happy to be checked on registers such as the JCCP or Save Face, and has a clear protocol for managing or referring complications. Being told threads are not right for you is itself a sign of a trustworthy clinic.

What are your medical and aesthetic qualifications, are you registered with a body such as the JCCP or Save Face, and are you insured specifically for thread lifts?
Are you a prescriber, and if not, who oversees prescribing and how would you manage a complication or emergency?
Based on my skin and face, am I a suitable candidate, and would you honestly recommend threads or another option?
What type of threads will you use, are they single-use and sterile, and how many will you place?
What results and how long a duration can I realistically expect, and what does this cost including any review appointments?
What are the specific risks for me, what does aftercare involve, and what follow-up and support do you provide?

During treatment you will usually feel the cold of the antiseptic and then the local anaesthetic taking effect, which may sting briefly. Once numb, most people feel pressure, tugging or a pulling sensation, particularly with lifting threads as the tissue is repositioned, rather than sharp pain. Afterwards it is normal to feel tightness, mild soreness, a slightly pulled or stiff sensation when moving the face, and tenderness at the entry points for several days. Some people notice minor dimpling or puckering that settles. Sharp, severe or worsening pain is not expected and should be reported to your clinic promptly.

Downtime is usually modest but real. Most people have some swelling, tenderness, bruising and small entry-point marks for several days to a couple of weeks, and mild tightness or slight dimpling that eases as the tissue settles. Many return to desk-based work within a day or two, though visible bruising can last longer. Full collagen-related results build gradually over roughly one to three months. Because everyone heals differently, allow a buffer before any events and avoid booking treatment right before a holiday or big occasion.

Results appear in two stages. Any lifting effect is visible fairly soon, though it is partly masked at first by swelling, while the collagen-stimulating benefit builds gradually over about one to three months as your skin responds to the threads. The PDO itself is fully absorbed within roughly six months, but the collagen it stimulates lingers, so the effect typically lasts somewhere around twelve to eighteen months, varying with your age, skin quality and lifestyle. Results are subtle and are not equivalent to surgery. To maintain the look, people often repeat treatment before the effect fully fades, and combine it with good skincare, sun protection and sometimes other treatments as advised. The intensity can be tailored by adjusting the number and type of threads. Protecting your skin from strong sun and not smoking help results last.

Threading

Threading is a precise, chemical-free method of removing unwanted hair, most often used to shape the eyebrows and to tidy the upper lip, chin, cheeks and sides of the face. A trained technician twists a length of fine cotton thread and rolls it across the skin, catching individual hairs and lifting them cleanly from the follicle in neat rows. Because it removes hair at the root, results typically last longer than shaving, and because no wax or heat touches the skin, many people find it gentler on sensitive or reactive areas. It is one of the lower-risk beauty treatments, but the eye and brow area is delicate, so skill, hygiene and honest advice about your skin still matter. Threading suits most skin types and can be tailored to your preference, from a subtle clean-up to a defined reshape. It does not treat any skin condition and is purely a hair-removal and grooming service. A good practitioner will talk through the shape you want, check that your skin is healthy and intact, and work with fresh thread to keep the treatment clean and comfortable.

Service

Threading

In most cases little preparation is needed. If you are reshaping your brows, letting the hair grow for a couple of weeks beforehand gives the technician more to work with and a better result. Arrive with a clean, make-up-free face where possible, as this keeps the area hygienic and lets the practitioner see your natural hair pattern. It helps to bring a reference photo or to be ready to describe the shape and thickness you would like, so the outcome matches your expectations. Avoid strong exfoliants, retinoids, acids or sunbeds and heavy sun exposure for a day or two beforehand, as these can leave skin more sensitive or fragile. If you have recently had a facial, peel or laser in the same area, mention this. Tell your technician about any skin conditions, medicines or recent treatments at the start, so they can adjust their approach or advise waiting if your skin is not suitable that day.

You will usually sit or lie back while the technician holds the skin taut with one hand and works a twisted cotton thread across the area with the other. The thread rolls over the skin and lifts several hairs at a time directly from the root, following the shape you have agreed together. You may be asked to hold your own skin or eyelid gently in place to help keep the area steady and the lines clean. Brow shaping typically takes only a few minutes; larger areas such as the full face take a little longer. A skilled practitioner works methodically, checking the shape and symmetry as they go and pausing to show you progress if you wish. The sensation is a quick, repeated light scratching or plucking feeling rather than the pull of wax. Fresh thread should be used for you, and the technician should have clean hands and a tidy workspace throughout.

Threading has minimal aftercare, but the follicles are briefly open afterwards, so a little care helps prevent irritation. Some redness or small pink bumps are normal and typically settle within a few hours to a day. Avoid touching or rubbing the area with unwashed hands, and try to keep heavy make-up off freshly threaded skin for the rest of the day to lower the risk of blocked pores or infection. A cool compress or a simple soothing gel such as aloe vera can calm any warmth, though some people prefer to leave the skin bare. For around 24 hours it is sensible to avoid saunas, steam rooms, hot workouts, swimming pools, sunbeds and strong sun, as heat, sweat and UV can aggravate sensitive skin. Hold off on exfoliating acids and retinoids on the area for a day or so. If you notice unusual swelling, spreading redness or signs of infection, seek advice from a pharmacist or GP.

Threading is low-risk, but good hygiene is what keeps it safe, because the thread runs directly across the skin and briefly opens the follicles. Fresh, clean cotton thread should be used for each client and never reused between people, and the technician should have clean hands and a clean working area. Choose a practitioner who is trained and experienced, ideally insured, and who works in a clean, professional setting. A careful technician will check that your skin is healthy and intact before starting and will not thread over broken skin, active acne, cold sores, sunburn, eczema or any inflamed or infected area, as this can spread bacteria or worsen the skin. The eye and brow area is delicate, so precision and steady skin tension matter to avoid nicks or catching the skin. If anything about the cleanliness or the practitioner's confidence feels off, it is reasonable to pause and ask questions before going ahead.

Threading is a cosmetic hair-removal service and is not a substitute for medical care, but a few health factors are worth flagging to your technician. If you take the acne medicine isotretinoin (Roaccutane) or have recently finished it, your skin can be thin and fragile and may lift or tear easily, so many practitioners will decline threading or advise waiting; guidance in this area is debated, so check with your prescriber or a GP first. Let your technician know if you use retinoids or acid exfoliants, take blood thinners or steroids, or have a skin condition such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea or very reactive skin, as any of these can make skin more sensitive or prone to marking. Recent facials, peels, laser or microneedling in the same area also mean the skin may need time to recover. If you are unsure whether threading is suitable for your skin or medication, speak to a GP or your prescribing clinician before booking.

A skin patch test is not standard for threading, because it uses only cotton thread with no dyes, chemicals or products that commonly trigger allergy. What matters instead is a proper check before the technician starts. Expect a brief consultation covering your skin health, any medicines such as isotretinoin or blood thinners, recent treatments in the area, and the shape you want. The practitioner should look at the skin to confirm it is intact and free of active acne, cold sores, sunburn, eczema or infection before threading over it. These checks reduce the risk of irritation, marking or spreading bacteria, and they protect you and the practitioner if anything were later disputed. Being open about your history at this stage is the best safeguard; if in doubt about a medicine or skin condition, a GP or prescriber can advise whether to proceed.

Be cautious if the thread looks reused between clients, if the technician does not appear to take a fresh length for you, or if their hands and workspace are visibly unclean. It is a warning sign if no one asks about your skin, medicines or recent treatments, or if a practitioner is willing to thread over active acne, cold sores, sunburn, broken or infected skin. Rushed, heavy-handed work that repeatedly catches or nicks the delicate skin around the eyes is a concern, as is a practitioner who dismisses your questions about hygiene or shape, or who cannot explain their training or insurance. Pushy upselling, no consultation and a dirty or chaotic setting are all good reasons to pause and reconsider.

Good practice starts with a clean, tidy setting and a technician with clean hands who takes a fresh length of cotton thread for you. Look for someone trained and experienced who is happy to explain their approach and show they are insured. A good practitioner asks about your skin, medicines and recent treatments, checks the skin is healthy before starting, and talks through the shape you want rather than assuming. They work with steady, controlled tension, check symmetry as they go and pause to let you see progress. Clear, honest aftercare advice and a willingness to say no or reschedule if your skin is not suitable that day are strong signs you are in careful, professional hands.

Do you use a fresh piece of thread for every client, and how do you keep the area hygienic?
What training and experience do you have in threading, and are you insured?
Is threading suitable for my skin if I use retinoids or acids, take blood thinners, or take isotretinoin (Roaccutane)?
Can we agree the brow shape and how much hair to remove before you start?
What redness or reaction is normal afterwards, and what aftercare do you recommend?
Would you advise waiting if I have recently had a facial, peel, laser or sunburn in the area?

Most people describe threading as a quick series of light scratching or plucking sensations as each row of hair lifts from the root, rather than the stronger tug of waxing. There can be a brief sting on more sensitive spots such as the upper lip or close to the inner brow, and your eyes may water a little around the brows, which is a normal reflex rather than a sign of harm. First-timers often feel it more, and skin can be more tender around the time of your period. Any discomfort is usually short-lived and eases as soon as the area is finished, often leaving a mild warm or tingly feeling for a short while.

Threading needs little to no downtime and most people return to their day straightaway. It is normal to see some redness, mild tenderness or a few tiny raised bumps immediately afterwards, particularly if it is your first time or the area is sensitive, and this typically fades within a few hours and often within a day. Because the treatment is quick and non-invasive, there is usually no lasting mark. If your skin runs reactive, you may prefer to schedule threading a day or two before an event rather than immediately before, so any short-lived redness has time to settle.

Because threading removes hair from the root, results typically last longer than shaving, commonly around two to four weeks, though this varies with your natural hair growth and cycle. As the hair grows back it tends to feel finer and softer than stubble, and regular threading can make regrowth look more even over time. Most people settle into a rhythm of every three to four weeks for brows to keep a defined shape, or as needed for facial areas. Between visits, avoid over-plucking at home, which can disrupt the shape your technician has created. The intensity of the result is easily tailored, from a light tidy that keeps your natural brow to a more defined reshape, so it is worth discussing your preference each time, especially if your ideal shape changes. Gentle daily brushing and a light moisturiser help keep the brows and surrounding skin in good condition between appointments.

Brows (Shaping, Tinting, Henna and Lamination)

Brow treatments cover a family of services designed to define, shape and enhance your eyebrows. Shaping removes stray hairs and creates a tidy outline using threading, waxing or tweezing. Tinting uses a semi-permanent dye to darken the hairs and any fine, sparse areas so the brows look fuller. Henna brows work in a similar way but also stain the skin beneath, giving a temporary tinted, pencilled-in effect that suits gappy brows. Brow lamination is a chemical process that softens and re-sets the hairs so they sit brushed-up and uniform, creating a fuller, groomed look without adding hair. Many salons combine these, for example a lamination with a tint and a shape in one appointment. None of these treatments changes the number of hairs you have, so results are cosmetic and temporary. A good practitioner will talk through your natural brow shape, face and what is realistic before starting, and can dial the intensity up or down, from a soft, natural finish to a bold, defined brow, depending on what you want.

Book a consultation and, for any treatment involving dye or lamination chemicals, a patch test in good time beforehand (see the patch test section). Come to your appointment with clean brows, free of make-up, oils and heavy skincare, as these can stop tint and lamination products working evenly. If you normally tint or fill your brows, it helps to arrive bare so the practitioner can see your natural shape and colour. Avoid brow tinting, waxing or exfoliating acids on the area in the days before, and flag any recent sunburn, active spots, eczema, psoriasis or broken skin, as treatment is usually best delayed until skin has settled. Let your practitioner know if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, take medication that thins the blood or affects the skin, or use retinoids near the brow. If you have a colour or finish in mind, bring a photo so you can agree the shape and intensity together before anything is applied.

Your practitioner will start by discussing the shape, colour and finish you want and checking your skin and patch test record. Shaping is done first if included, using thread, wax or tweezers to tidy the outline; you may feel a quick sting or pull as hairs are removed. For tinting, a small amount of dye is brushed onto the brows and left for a few minutes, then wiped away; henna is applied more thickly and left longer so it stains the skin as well as the hair. Brow lamination involves brushing the hairs into position, then applying a softening lotion, a setting lotion and finally a nourishing oil, each left on for a controlled time. The practitioner watches the timings closely, as leaving chemical steps on too long is a common cause of problems. A single service takes around fifteen minutes; a combined shape, tint and lamination may take up to an hour. You should feel comfortable throughout and can ask them to stop at any point.

For the first 24 hours after tinting, henna or lamination, keep the brows dry and avoid water, steam, saunas, swimming, sweaty exercise, facial oils and heavy creams on the area, as moisture and rubbing can lift colour or disturb the newly set hairs. Do not pick, scrub or over-brush the brows. After laminated brows, brushing them gently into shape each day with a clean spoolie helps them sit well and keeps them looking groomed. Because lamination and tinting can leave the hairs feeling drier, applying a nourishing brow oil or conditioner as advised helps keep them soft and healthy. Avoid exfoliating acids, retinoids and strong scrubs directly on the brows for a few days. If you have had shaping, keep the area clean and avoid touching it with unwashed hands. Should any redness, itching, swelling or irritation appear, contact your practitioner, and seek medical advice if a reaction is more than mild.

Choose a trained, insured practitioner who patch tests, keeps records and follows the product manufacturer's instructions, as this is what protects you and, in the UK, what keeps their insurance valid. Good hygiene matters even for these lower-risk treatments: threading thread, wax spatulas and applicators should be single-use or properly sanitised, and nothing should be double-dipped. Because tints, henna and lamination lotions are chemicals used very close to the eye, correct timing and careful application are essential; the most common problems come from products left on too long or from skipping the patch test. The eye area is delicate, so treatment should never be carried out over broken, irritated or sunburned skin, or on anyone with an active eye infection. A responsible practitioner will explain what they are using, check your history each visit and adjust or decline treatment if your skin is not in a suitable condition, rather than pressing ahead regardless.

Brow treatments are cosmetic and cannot treat any skin or eye condition. Tell your practitioner about any allergies, particularly to hair dye, PPD (paraphenylenediamine), henna or previous reactions to beauty products, as these raise the risk of a reaction to brow tint and henna. Skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis or dermatitis around the brow, active cold sores, styes or eye infections, and recent sunburn are all reasons to delay treatment until the skin has healed. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, many practitioners will still tint or laminate but some prefer to wait, so discuss it and check with your midwife or GP if unsure. Certain medicines and treatments, including oral retinoids such as isotretinoin (Roaccutane), blood thinners and recent skin resurfacing, can make skin more sensitive or fragile, so mention these. If you have watery, sensitive or recently operated-on eyes, or wear contact lenses, let your practitioner know. When in doubt about a medical condition, speak to your GP before booking.

Yes. For any brow treatment using tint, henna or lamination chemicals, a skin patch test is strongly recommended, ideally 24 to 48 hours (and up to 72 hours) before your appointment, and repeated for new clients, when products change and periodically for regulars. In the UK, if the manufacturer requires a patch test and it is skipped, an insured practitioner can be found at fault in a claim, and their cover may not respond, so the test protects you both. A small amount of the actual product is dabbed behind the ear or on the inner arm and left to see whether any redness, itching or swelling develops. It is important to understand a patch test is not a cast-iron guarantee: reactions can still occur, and sensitivities to dyes such as PPD can build up over time, so a previously fine client can react later. Shaping-only appointments do not need a dye patch test, but still involve a suitability check.

Be cautious if a salon offers to tint, henna or laminate your brows with no patch test, or dismisses one as unnecessary, especially on a first visit or after switching products. Other warning signs include reusing threading thread, wax or applicators between clients or double-dipping into pots, a practitioner who cannot tell you what chemicals they are using or how long they leave them on, and treatment pushed ahead on broken, irritated, sunburned or infected skin. Rushed timings, leaving lamination or tint on far longer than the product allows, or ignoring stinging you report during the treatment are all concerns. A practitioner who will not discuss your allergy history, cannot show basic hygiene, has no insurance, or pressures you into a bolder or different result than you asked for is not putting your safety first.

A good practitioner is trained and insured, patch tests before dye or lamination work and keeps signed records of it. They give you an honest consultation, map your natural brow shape and agree the colour, shape and intensity with you before starting, offering a soft or a bold finish depending on what suits you. The workspace is clean, thread and applicators are single-use or properly sanitised, and products are used within their timings and never double-dipped. They ask about your skin, allergies, medication and any eye issues each visit and are willing to delay or decline treatment if your skin is not in a fit state. They explain the aftercare clearly, tell you how long results should last and set realistic expectations, and they are happy to answer questions about the products and their qualifications without making you feel rushed.

Are you trained and insured for this treatment, and can you tell me about your qualifications?
Do I need a patch test, and how far in advance of my appointment should it be done?
Which products and chemicals will you use, and how do you manage the timings to avoid over-processing?
How do you keep tools and applicators hygienic between clients?
Given my natural brows and skin, what shape, colour and intensity would you recommend, and how long will the result last?
What aftercare should I follow, and what should I do if I notice a reaction?

Most brow treatments are comfortable. During shaping you may feel a brief sting or pinch as hairs are threaded, waxed or tweezed away, and the skin can look a little pink afterwards. Tint, henna and lamination products are usually cool and not painful; you might notice a faint tingle or a slight smell, but they should not sting or burn. If you feel any real stinging, burning or sharp discomfort while a chemical is on your brows, tell your practitioner straight away, as this is not normal and the product should be removed. After treatment the area can feel slightly tight or sensitive for a short while. Laminated hairs may feel a touch stiffer or drier at first, which softens with a nourishing oil.

Brow treatments usually have little or no downtime, and most people return to normal activities straight away. You may notice slight redness or sensitivity around the brow after shaping, tinting or lamination, which typically settles within a few hours. Tinted or henna skin can look a little darker at first and softens over the following days. The main thing to observe is the 24-hour rule of keeping the area dry and unrubbed so colour and shape set properly. If you experience anything beyond mild, short-lived redness, such as persistent itching, swelling or blistering, treat it as a possible allergic reaction, stop using products on the area and seek advice from your practitioner or a pharmacist or GP.

How long results last depends on the treatment. Brow tint typically lasts around two to four weeks on the hairs, fading gradually. Henna brows last a similar time on the hairs but the skin stain usually fades within one to two weeks, giving a softer look as it goes. Brow lamination generally holds for around six to eight weeks before the hairs return to their natural direction, though this varies with hair type and aftercare. Shaping needs topping up as hairs regrow, usually every three to five weeks. To keep results looking their best, follow the aftercare, brush laminated brows daily and use a nourishing brow oil, as tinting and lamination can leave hairs drier. It is wise not to over-treat: repeated lamination too frequently can leave brows brittle, so most practitioners suggest leaving a sensible gap and giving the hairs recovery time between sessions. Your practitioner can advise on a schedule that suits your brows.

Blemish Removal (Advanced Electrolysis)

Blemish removal, often called advanced electrolysis or advanced cosmetic procedures, uses a fine probe to deliver a tiny amount of heat energy (short-wave diathermy or electrocautery) to the skin. It targets common, harmless surface blemishes such as skin tags, milia (small white bumps), thread veins and facial red veins, blood spots (cherry angiomas), seborrhoeic keratoses, sebaceous hyperplasia and some warts. The energy dries up or lifts away the blemish so the skin can heal cleanly, usually leaving a small crust that falls off over the following days. It is a precise, targeted treatment rather than a general facial. Importantly, it is only suitable for lesions that a suitably qualified practitioner has confirmed are benign. Anything pigmented, changing, bleeding or uncertain, including any mole, should never be treated cosmetically and needs medical assessment first. Results are often good for a single blemish in one session, though thread veins and some conditions can need repeat visits, and new blemishes can appear over time. It suits most healthy skin types when carried out by a trained, insured practitioner.

Start with a proper consultation before any treatment, ideally in person, so the practitioner can look closely at each blemish and confirm it is safe to treat. This is the most important step, because a mole or any pigmented, changing or unusual lesion must not be treated cosmetically and should be checked by a GP or dermatologist first. Share your full medical history, including any heart condition, pacemaker, epilepsy, diabetes, immune conditions, current medication and whether you might be pregnant, as several of these mean the treatment is not suitable. Avoid sunbathing, sunbeds and fake tan on the area beforehand, and come with clean skin free of heavy make-up. Do not use strong actives such as retinoids or acids on the exact spot for a few days before. If you are prone to cold sores and the area is near your lips, mention it, as treatment can trigger an outbreak.

Your practitioner will cleanse the skin and assess each blemish again before starting. A very fine probe or needle tip is applied to or just into the blemish, delivering a brief pulse of heat energy that treats the tissue. Each blemish typically takes only seconds to a minute or two, depending on its type and size, and several can often be treated in one appointment. You will usually feel a short, sharp heat or a stinging, prickling sensation with each application, which most people tolerate well without numbing. For thread veins the vessel may blanch or disappear as it is treated; for skin tags the tag is lifted or dried at the base; for milia the tiny contents are released. The area often looks red, slightly raised or swollen straight afterwards, and small pin-dot crusts may begin to form. Your practitioner should explain what they are treating, how it should heal, and set honest expectations about likely results.

Good aftercare protects the healing skin and lowers the risk of marking or infection. Small crusts or scabs will usually form to seal the area, and it is essential not to pick, rub or scratch them, as they need to fall away naturally over several days to a couple of weeks. For the first 48 hours, avoid heat and friction on the area: no hot showers or baths, saunas, steam rooms, swimming, vigorous exercise, alcohol or other facial treatments. Keep the skin clean with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser and pat rather than rub it dry. Hold off on make-up, perfume and fake tan over the treated spots until fully healed. Protect the area from the sun completely while it heals and use a high-factor sunscreen once any crust has gone, as new skin marks easily in UV light. If the area becomes increasingly painful, hot, swollen or oozing, contact your practitioner or GP.

The single most important safety point is that only harmless, benign blemishes should ever be treated this way. A mole, or any lesion that is pigmented, changing shape or colour, bleeding, itching, crusting or that anyone is unsure about, must not be removed cosmetically and needs assessment by a GP or dermatologist to rule out skin cancer. Choose a practitioner who is specifically trained and qualified in advanced electrolysis or advanced cosmetic procedures, insured for this work, and working in clean, professional premises with single-use, sterile probes. They should take a full medical history, carry out a proper consultation and be willing to decline or refer anything outside their competence. Correct technique, settings and depth matter, as overtreatment can cause burns, scarring or pigment changes, particularly in deeper skin tones. A good practitioner treats conservatively and reviews healing before doing more.

Several conditions typically make this treatment unsuitable or mean you need medical clearance first, including a pacemaker or metal implant in the area, epilepsy, uncontrolled heart problems or high blood pressure, uncontrolled diabetes, any current or past cancer in the area, immune conditions or immune-suppressing treatment, and pregnancy. Active infection, cold sores, herpes, eczema, psoriasis or sunburn on the spot mean treatment should wait until the skin has settled. Blood-thinning medication and a tendency to keloid or raised scarring should be discussed, as should a history of cold sores if the face is being treated. Because heat energy is used, always tell your practitioner about implanted electrical devices. If in any doubt about what a blemish is, or if a lesion has recently appeared or changed, see your GP or a dermatologist before booking, rather than having it treated cosmetically. This treatment does not diagnose or treat skin disease.

A skin patch test is not the standard for this treatment, as no allergy-triggering products are applied. What matters far more is a thorough face-to-face consultation and lesion assessment before anything is treated. The practitioner should examine each blemish, confirm it is benign and safe to treat, and refuse or refer any mole or any pigmented, changing or uncertain lesion for medical review first. This protects you and reduces the practitioner's liability, because treating a lesion that later turns out to be skin cancer, or working on unsuitable skin, can leave them at fault. Many practitioners also treat a single small test area or one blemish first to see how your skin heals and reacts before doing more, which is sensible and worth asking for.

Be cautious if a practitioner offers to remove a mole, or any pigmented, changing or bleeding lesion, without insisting it is medically assessed first, as this is a serious warning sign. Other red flags include no proper consultation or medical history, no clear training or insurance in advanced electrolysis, reused or non-sterile probes, dirty or unhygienic premises, pressure to treat lots of blemishes aggressively in one go, and unrealistic promises of permanent, scar-free results for everything. Vague answers about aftercare or what a blemish actually is, dismissing your questions, or an unwillingness to say no to unsuitable work should all make you think twice.

Good practice looks like a thorough, unhurried consultation where each blemish is examined and only benign lesions are treated, with clear referral of anything suspicious to a GP or dermatologist. Look for a specifically trained, qualified and insured practitioner working in clean premises with single-use, sterile probes, who takes a full medical history and checks for contraindications. They should explain honestly what can and cannot be improved, treat conservatively, offer a test area or single blemish first, and give you clear written aftercare. A willingness to decline unsuitable work, review your healing before doing more, and answer questions openly are all strong signs you are in safe hands.

What training and qualifications do you hold in advanced electrolysis or advanced cosmetic procedures, and are you insured for this work?
How do you decide a blemish is safe to treat, and what would make you refer me to a GP or dermatologist instead?
Are the probes single-use and sterile, and how do you keep the treatment area hygienic?
Given my skin type and medical history, is this treatment suitable for me and are there any risks I should know about?
Realistically, how many sessions might I need, and could this blemish return or leave any mark?
What does the healing process involve, and what aftercare and follow-up do you provide?

During treatment you will usually feel a brief, sharp heat or a stinging, prickling sensation each time the probe is applied, a bit like a quick tiny sting. It is short-lived and most people tolerate it comfortably without numbing cream, especially as each blemish takes only seconds. Afterwards the area often feels tender, tight or slightly sore to the touch, and looks red and a little swollen for a day or two. As the small crusts form and heal, you may notice mild itching, which is normal, though it is important not to scratch or pick. Any strong, worsening or lasting pain is not expected and should be checked.

Most people carry on with normal daily life straight away, though the treated spots will look red and slightly swollen for around 24 to 48 hours, and small crusts may be visible for several days up to about two weeks. Healing time depends on the type and number of blemishes treated and where they are on the body. Facial areas often heal quickly but are more noticeable in the meantime. It is best not to plan treatment right before a big event or a holiday with strong sun. Full skin recovery and any final settling of the colour and texture can take a few weeks.

For many single blemishes such as a skin tag or a milium, one session gives a lasting result once the area has healed. Thread veins, red veins and some other conditions often need more than one treatment, and can gradually recur, so occasional top-up sessions may be needed to keep the skin clear. It is worth remembering that this treatment tidies existing blemishes rather than stopping new ones forming, so if you are prone to skin tags, milia or thread veins, more can appear over time and be treated as they arise. Protecting your skin from the sun, keeping to a gentle skincare routine and staying at a stable weight can all help. Your practitioner can tailor how much is treated in each visit to your comfort, budget and how your skin heals, building up gradually rather than doing everything at once.