Microshading is generally considered relatively pain-free. Obviously, everyone has a different pain threshold and the definition of pain varies from person to person.
The treatment is done with anaesthetics. A numbing cream is applied to the brow area before any needling starts, and it’s left on for long enough to numb the area. This is usually between 30 to 50 minutes, although it depends on the formula. During the treatment, if the initial numbing wears off, more numbing can be added. This formula is different, though – it’s suitable for broken skin, so it works a lot faster.
But besides the numbing, what makes the treatment relatively pain-free is the nature of the application. The needles go really shallow into the skin, and the needles are very thin. They enter the skin at a 90° angle, so they afflict minimal damage.