“Blading” refers to several different things depending on context. The term most commonly comes up in three areas: eyebrow microblading (a semi-permanent cosmetic procedure), blading in professional wrestling (intentionally cutting the skin to produce bleeding during a match), and rollerblading (inline skating). Here’s what each one involves and why people search for it.
Microblading: Semi-Permanent Eyebrows
Microblading is a cosmetic technique where a technician deposits pigment into the upper layer of your skin to create hair-like strokes that mimic natural eyebrows. Unlike a tattoo machine, microblading uses a handheld pen fitted with a blade made of tiny needles arranged in a row. These needles only reach the papillary dermis, the shallowest layer of the deeper skin, which is why the results fade over time rather than lasting permanently like a traditional tattoo.
During the procedure, the technician maps out your brow shape using calipers and measurement tools, then makes small, precise strokes while dipping the blade into pigment. Because the cuts are so shallow, most people don’t need injectable numbing. The technician knows they’ve reached the right depth when there’s a faint grating sound, pinpoint bleeding, and a small amount of clear fluid (lymph) appears within seconds.
What Healing Looks Like
The full healing process takes about six weeks. In the first few days, the color darkens slightly due to oxidation, which can be alarming but is temporary. Around days five through seven, the skin flakes lightly. By day eight to ten, flaking is done and your brows feel normal, though the color will look lighter than the final result because fresh skin is still maturing underneath. The true color and shape “bloom” between weeks two and four, and most technicians schedule a touch-up appointment around day 42 to refine anything that healed unevenly.
During healing, you’ll want to avoid picking at flaking skin, which can pull pigment out and leave gaps in the strokes. Results typically last one to two years before fading enough to warrant a refresh.
Blading in Professional Wrestling
In professional wrestling, blading (also called “gigging,” “juicing,” or “getting color”) is the practice of a wrestler intentionally cutting themselves during a match to produce visible bleeding. The forehead is the preferred spot because scalp wounds bleed heavily, the blood mixes with sweat to create a dramatic “crimson mask” across the face, and the area heals relatively quickly compared to other parts of the body.
Wrestlers typically conceal a small piece of razor blade and make a shallow cut during a moment when the camera or audience attention is elsewhere, often right after taking a big hit to the head. The blood makes the match look more brutal and raises the emotional stakes for the audience.
Why It’s Controversial
Blading carries real health risks. Bloodborne infections, including hepatitis, have been transmitted through wrestling. Notable cases include Abdullah the Butcher and several other wrestlers who contracted hepatitis during their careers. The combination of open wounds, shared ring surfaces, and close physical contact creates conditions where disease transmission can happen even with testing protocols in place.
Major wrestling promotions have largely moved away from the practice. WWE banned blading in 2008 when it shifted to a TV-PG rating. TNA Wrestling (now Impact Wrestling) followed with its own no-blood policy in 2014. All Elite Wrestling has continued to use blading selectively with certain performers, which remains a point of debate among fans and industry figures.
Rollerblading and Inline Skating
“Blading” is also casual shorthand for rollerblading, or inline skating. Inline skates place wheels in a single line (like an ice skate blade) rather than in a two-by-two “quad” arrangement. The sport blends elements of ice skating and traditional roller skating, and it’s used recreationally, for fitness, and in competitive disciplines like hockey and speed skating.
The concept of inline wheels dates back centuries, but the modern version took shape in the 1980s when Minneapolis brothers Scott and Brennan Olson modified inline skates for off-ice hockey training. Their work led to the founding of Rollerblade Inc., and the brand name became so synonymous with the sport that “rollerblading” entered everyday language. Earlier milestones include the first inline skate patent in 1819 by French inventor Petitbled (whose designs couldn’t turn), the invention of the maneuverable quad skate in 1863, and the switch to polyurethane wheels in the 1970s, which dramatically improved speed and control.
Fitness Benefits
Inline skating is a solid cardiovascular workout that’s easier on your joints than running because the gliding motion reduces impact. At a moderate pace of about 10 mph, skating burns roughly 360 calories per hour. Faster skating increases that number, and the sport engages your core, glutes, and inner thighs more than many people expect. It also challenges balance and coordination in ways that build functional stability over time.
Less Common Uses of the Term
In engineering, “blading” refers to the design and arrangement of blades in turbines and compressors. Turbine blading is a critical concern in jet engines, rocket engines, and power generation, where blade failure from vibration-induced fatigue can be catastrophic. This is a highly specialized term you’d only encounter in industrial or aerospace contexts.
The word occasionally appears in discussions of self-harm, used informally to describe cutting. If you or someone you know is struggling with self-injury, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) provides free, confidential support around the clock.