What You Should Know Before Doing Eyebrow Threading

If you're someone who takes your eyebrows seriously, you've probably considered eyebrow threading. As celebrity brow expert Nikki Amini explained to Bustle, "Threading allows the beautician to develop the natural arch of your eyebrow as they have closer access to each hair growth since it is done individually." This means you can achieve a really precise shape and good definition. Better still, eyebrow threading is quicker than waxing and tweezing, and it's more gentle on your skin, too. "Unlike tweezing, threading does not create ingrown hairs and is safer for all skin types," Nitasha Dahiya, owner of Dupont Threading, told Allure. "A good practitioner has light and painless movements with the thread and skin." 

But like most methods of hair removal, there are some downsides to eyebrow threading. First of all, depending on your pain threshold, eyebrow threading can hurt and in some cases, can irritate the skin. "Most people say threading is more painful as it takes longer to do, whilst waxing is instant," celebrity brow pro Sherrille Riley, explained to Elle, adding "Threading is often the most requested for precision results so people are prepared to forgo the pain in favour of good results."

While threading is safe for all skin types, those who have recently had cosmetic surgery should actually avoid it. "We recommend checking with your physician first, and then come back to us three to four weeks after the surgery for your threading appointment, so your skin has had some time to heal," Shobha Tummala, founder of Shobha hair-removal salon, warned Allure.

And lastly, eyebrow threading comes with some health risks. According to dermatologist Amy Derick, dirty threads and broken skin are a breeding ground for herpes virus and staph infections. "You need to make sure that there is a clean thread, and the person is washing their hands," Derick told Time. And, studies in the Clinical and Experimental Dermatology and the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, have shown that there are even instances of people picking up warts from their eyebrow threading experience. Yikes! 

Ultimately, you need to decide if eyebrow threading is a risk you are willing to take. Always do your research and don't be afraid to head into your chosen salon to ask any necessary question and check out their hygiene practices.