Gradient within a stroke in Hairstrokes

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1. Background

Growing Interest in Hairstrokes Technique

As we progress through 2024, the Hairstrokes technique in semi-permanent makeup is garnering increasing attention. This heightened curiosity has triggered a wave of inquiries about the details of this method. To shed light on this technique, this article is informed by interviews with 21 seasoned pigmentation artists who have integrated Hairstrokes into their service offerings.

Experience and Diversity of Interviewed Artists

The artists interviewed possess extensive experience in the field, each boasting over four years of practice. Notably, they have all utilized the Hairstrokes technique for at least a year while offering other pigmentation services. These interviews were conducted as part of research efforts from 2021 to 2023, with these investigations still underway.

Among these professionals, 16 are located across various European Union countries, with three in the United Kingdom and two in the United States. The majority, 17 out of 21, had experience with microblading, and 14 had worked with microblading and powder brows techniques. The insights and conclusions derived from these discussions have been meticulously analyzed by two dermatologists and a cellular biology specialist to ensure scientific validity and applicability.

The Focus of the Article: Exploring Gradients in Hairstrokes

This article focuses specifically on the technique of crafting individual strokes using the Hairstrokes method, with a special emphasis on the concept of gradients within these strokes. Our goal is to outline and compare the distinctive features of gradient strokes in Hairstrokes, examine how they stand apart from the lines created in microblading, and explore their differences from the simpler, monochromatic lines produced by traditional pigmentation machines.

2. Blading vs. Stroking

Distinguishing Between Blading and Stroking

In semi-permanent makeup, the techniques for line creation significantly vary depending on whether "blading" or "stroking" is employed. Each method has distinct effects on the skin, particularly the dermis layer, making understanding their differences vital from dermatological and pigmentation perspectives.

Blading - The Anatomy of the “Cut”

Nature of the wound. Microblading uses a blade composed of fine, sharp needles to make linear cuts in the skin. These incisions penetrate through the epidermis and into the upper dermis.

Impact on the dermis. These linear cuts extensively disrupt the collagen network. Collagen, the dermis's primary structural protein, gives the skin strength and elasticity. Cutting through the dermis severs collagen fibers along the incision's length.

Healing and collagen remodeling. The healing process activates fibroblasts, which generate collagen to repair the damage. However, the new collagen typically has a denser and more disorganized structure than the original, potentially leading to scar tissue formation. Repeated microblading sessions can aggravate this damage.

Depth control issues. The depth of microblading cuts can vary, with manual application causing inconsistent depths and affecting healing uniformity. Deeper incisions may harm deeper dermal structures and result in more noticeable scarring.

Stroking - The Anatomy of the “Puncture”

Nature of the wound. Pigmentation machines use a single needle, such as a 1 RL, to create puncture wounds. These punctures are pinpoint entries rather than the elongated cuts from microblading.

Reduced collagen disruption. Puncture wounds cause less disruption to the collagen network. The needle's entry and exit at a single point mean the surrounding collagen fibers are more likely to stay intact and suffer less trauma than linear cuts.

More controlled healing. Puncture wounds heal more straightforwardly, with localized disruption allowing the body to restore the original collagen structure. This minimizes scar tissue risk.

Uniform depth and less trauma. Machine needles provide consistent depth control and uniform healing across the treatment area. The reduced trauma from puncture wounds lowers the risk of extensive scar tissue formation or deeper dermal structure disruption.

Comparison of Impact on the Dermis

The fundamental difference between blading and stroking lies like the wound and its subsequent effect on the collagen network. Microblading creates elongated, linear disruptions, leading to more significant collagen damage and a higher likelihood of scar formation. Conversely, single-needle punctures cause localized, minimal disruption, allowing for more controlled healing and reducing scarring risk. Over time, these differences can lead to more pronounced changes in skin structure and a greater tendency for lasting scars with microblading compared to single-needle techniques.

3. Creating Gradient Effect

Punctures: The Basis of Line Formation

In the Hairstrokes technique, each line is created from a series of punctures, which differs greatly from techniques that produce continuous lines. This fundamental difference in line formation is essential for understanding how to achieve gradients within a single stroke using the Hairstrokes method.

Varied Penetration for Pigment Implantation

Unlike techniques that generate uniform lines, the puncture method used in Hairstrokes permits variations in depth and the amount of pigment implanted. This variability is key to creating gradient effects within a stroke.

Gradient Creation through Pigment Variation

The core of gradient creation lies in implanting varying quantities of pigment in different stroke segments. By adjusting the amount of pigment injected, artists can craft a visual gradient within the stroke, transitioning from darker to lighter shades, enhancing the natural appearance and depth of the brows.

4. Segmenting a Stroke

In the Hairstrokes technique, a stroke can theoretically be divided into numerous sections for pigment implantation. However, overly segmenting the stroke can overcomplicate the process and hinder the precise control of pigment quantity in each section. Thus, a balanced and manageable approach is crucial.

Standard Three-Section Division

For practicality and effectiveness in creating gradients, Hairstrokes are typically divided into three main sections.

Center. This central segment forms the core of the stroke.
Mid-Sections. Transitional areas flanking the center on both sides.
Ends (Tails). The extremities or tips of the stroke.
Creating Center-to-Ends Gradient

Experienced artists often use this tripartite strategy, regardless of stroke length, for a coherent reason.

Center Section. Receives the highest pigment concentration, resulting in the stroke's darkest part.
Mid-Sections. Pigmented slightly less than the center to facilitate a smooth transition in intensity.
Ends. Obtain the least pigment, making them the lightest parts of the stroke.

This method ensures a fluid gradient effect, with the center being darkest and gradually lightening towards the ends.

An attractive woman is on the right, and graphics with stroke parts and descriptions are on the left.

An attractive woman is on the right, and graphics with stroke parts and descriptions are on the left.

Comparison to Linear Wound

The inability to achieve a gradient effect with a linear wound lies in the method itself. A linear wound creates a continuous channel that, when filled with pigment, doesn't allow for variable pigment distribution due to the lack of constraints within the collagen network and the skin's extracellular matrix.

Therefore, the difficulty of creating gradient lines in microblading stems from the uniform distribution of pigment within linear cuts and the significant disruption to the collagen network. In contrast, the puncture wounds of the Hairstrokes technique provide greater control over pigment placement, enabling the creation of gradient effects within each line. This distinction underpins the different aesthetic outcomes achievable with each technique in semi-permanent makeup.

Implantation Control

Mastering pigment implantation in the Hairstrokes technique requires careful management of three crucial factors: the number of needle passes, the applied pressure, and the stroke's length. Skillfully balancing these elements is vital for producing a realistic gradient effect within each stroke, further enhancing the natural appearance and dimensionality of the brows.

5. Quantity of Passes

Mastering the Hairstroke technique presents a unique challenge compared to microblading, primarily because a systematic and replicable method of controlling the number of needle passes across different stroke sections is necessary.

Executing Needle Passes

The procedure typically initiates at the upper part of the stroke's center section. Traversing the needle over this center section and returning to the starting point is considered one pass. Extending the needle to the mid-section before reversing contributes an additional pass to the center and introduces one to the mid-section. Advancing the needle to the very end (tail) of the stroke and circling back to the center's beginning results in three passes on the center section, two on the mid-section, and one on the tail.

Pass Count Summary

To summarize, this technique involves tallying the passes for each section. Beginning at one end of the center section and executing a single pass over it, then expanding to include the mid-section for an extra pass, and ultimately reaching the tail and looping back to the start, allows the artist to accumulate three passes on the center section, two on the mid-section, and one on the tail.

Completing the Stroke

Reiterating this process towards the stroke's opposite results in four passes on the center section, two on each mid-section, and one on each tail section. This meticulous approach to pass count is crucial for controlling pigment implantation and lays the groundwork for achieving a gradient effect within the stroke.

By carefully managing the number of passes over each section, artists can finely tune the gradient effect, ensuring the resulting natural and visually appealing appearance.

6. Pressure Application

One of the subtler yet vital components of the Hairstrokes technique involves the application of pressure, a topic that has sparked considerable discussion among artists. There's a general agreement on the necessity for meticulous attention to how pressure is applied, as misjudging this aspect can result in less-than-ideal outcomes, underscoring its importance in the technique's mastery.

Appropriate Pressure Distribution

The overarching recommendation is to apply the most pressure in the stroke's center section, diminish it slightly in the mid-sections, and reduce it further at the tails. However, this guideline does not advocate excessive pressure at any stroke point.

Center Section. Here, what's termed as average “ordinary” pressure is recommended. This should not be confused with exerting additional force; rather, it implies a steady, controlled pressure that effectively implants pigment without overwhelming the skin.
Mid-Sections. These areas should experience a lighter pressure than the center. The artist should gently navigate through these sections, facilitating lesser pigment implantation.
Tail Sections. The tails demand the most delicate touch, like barely brushing the skin with the machine. Virtually no pressure is exerted here, enabling the lightest deposit of pigment.

Combined Effect of Passes and Pressure

Artists must balance the number of passes and the applied pressure across each stroke section. This is where the prowess of the 'puncture' technique shines. The center section undergoing the most passes should receive normal pressure, whereas the mid-sections and tails should be approached with increasingly gentler touches.

The learning curve for mastering hairstrokes can significantly differ, influenced by an artist's prior experience with microblading or powder brows. Those with experience in these areas might find certain elements of Hairstrokes more instinctive, though the distinctive pressure application required by Hairstrokes poses a learning challenge for all practitioners.

7. Whipping Length

In the Hairstrokes technique, the pigmentation needle's movement dynamics are pivotal. Artists primarily adopt a whipping motion to craft each segment of the stroke. Our research indicates that none of the artists involved in the study utilized a pendulum motion; instead, a preference for a whip motion directed towards themselves was noted, allowing for continuous visual monitoring of the needle's entry into the skin.

Controlling Stroke Density with Whipping Length

The whipping motion's extent significantly influences the pigment's density across different stroke sections.

Center Section. For the stroke's densest part, the center, artists apply much shorter whipping motions. This could entail multiple brief whips within a single pass—occasionally reaching five to ten—depending on factors like stroke length, machine specifications, skin type, and the artist's technique.
Mid-Sections. The whipping motions extend as the needle transitions to the stroke's mid-sections, leading to a lighter pigment deposit than the center.
Tail Sections. The stroke tails are treated with the longest—and thus often slowest—whipping motions. This method guarantees the gentlest application, consistent with the "brushing" movement required for these regions.

Combining Passes, Pressure, and Whipping Length

The stroke's center section undergoes the highest frequency of passes (four in total), subjected to the most pressure and the shortest, typically quickest, whipping motions. The mid-sections are given only two passes, with less pressure and longer, somewhat slower whipping motions. Lastly, the tails receive a single pass, minimal pressure, and the longest, slowest whipping motion, ensuring a nuanced application that enhances the natural look and depth of the hair strokes.

8. Self-Learning - Optimistic Idea

Among the artists surveyed in our research, the concept of independently learning the Hairstrokes technique was met with cautious optimism. While the idea wasn't entirely dismissed, the majority viewed self-teaching as a formidable challenge. Only three out of the 21 artists believed self-learning to be a feasible approach they would recommend.

Potential for Self-Learning in Experienced Artists

It was recognized that artists with extensive experience in powder brows, driven by high motivation, might stand a better chance at self-teaching Hairstrokes effectively. This possibility is attributed to the transferable skills and deep understanding of pigmentation techniques they already have.

Benefits of Professional Training
Nonetheless, there was a general agreement that navigating the learning curve of Hairstrokes tends to be more straightforward and structured with professional training, offering several benefits.
Structured Learning. Professional courses present a comprehensive learning path, encompassing the technique's fundamentals and advanced nuances.
Hands-On Guidance. Direct feedback and guidance from a trainer are invaluable for mastering the specific movements and pressure nuances essential in Hairstrokes.
Accelerated Skill Development. The mentorship from an experienced instructor can notably speed up the learning phase, allowing artists to bypass common obstacles and refine their skills swiftly.
Peer Learning and Support. Educational settings often facilitate peer interactions, creating a supportive environment conducive to collaborative learning and encouragement.

In conclusion, while self-teaching the Hairstrokes technique is not beyond the realm of possibility, particularly for seasoned artists in powder brows, pursuing professional training is generally more efficient and effective. Given the technique's complexity and the precision required, formal instruction is deemed a more dependable avenue to attain mastery.

9. Conclusions

A paramount benefit of the Hairstrokes technique over alternative semi-permanent makeup methods lies in its capability to produce a gradient effect within individual strokes. This unique attribute is enabled by the specific anatomical impact of punctures made by a pigmentation needle, contrasting with the cuts typically created by blades in microblading.

Achieving Varied Pigmentation Density

The key to crafting gradients is the strategic implantation of differing pigment amounts into various stroke sections, achieved through.

Stroke Division. Artists typically segment the stroke into the center, mid-sections, and end-sections or tails.
Gradient Strategy. This involves depositing the most pigment in the center section and progressively lessening it towards the mid-sections and tails.

Tactical Approaches for Pigmentation

Number of Passes. The center section receives four passes, mid-sections two, and tails one for optimal pigment density.
Pressure Application. The center section is treated with standard pressure, while mid-sections and tails experience progressively lighter touches, with tails receiving a very light, "brushing" motion.
Whipping Motion Length. The whipping motion length varies, with short, rapid movements for the center, longer ones for mid-sections, and the longest, slowest movements for the tails, ensuring precise pigment placement.

Learning and Mastering Hairstrokes

While self-learning to create gradients is theoretically feasible, it presents significant challenges, particularly for those without experience in microblading and powder brows. Participants in the study highlighted the importance of professional training for efficiently acquiring this nuanced skill.

The Hairstrokes technique stands out in semi-permanent makeup for generating natural-looking gradients. Mastering this technique necessitates a thoughtful blend of strategic stroke segmentation and adept manipulation of passes, pressure, and whipping motions. For those aspiring to excel, pursuing professional training is strongly advised.