Lip tattoos are a great way to enhance your natural lip color or to correct any unevenness in tone you might have. They can significantly cut down the amount of time you spend on your daily makeup routine, saving you some money on lipsticks and lip liners along the way.
Like many other PMU treatments, lip tattoos require some care and time to heal properly. Following the correct aftercare routine is also a must in order to enjoy maximum results of your lip tattoo treatment.
Let’s take a look at the day-by-day process after getting lip tattoos and how long do lip tattoos take to heal.
So, How Long Do Lip Tattoos Take to Heal?
In total, the healing period takes about 4-6 weeks, but the process can be divided into 2 stages: superficial healing and internal healing.
Superficial healing can last about 7-10 days for most people, and it includes phases of swelling, peeling, and pigment fading. Once the peeling phase ends, the surface of your lips is pretty much healed, and you can relax a bit.
Internal healing can take about a month. During this time the tissue underneath the treated skin will heal completely and the color pigments will settle in. After this time, you can go back in for a touch-up.
The length of both these stages can vary somewhat, primarily depending on the client’s age and how fast their body heals from injuries in general.
Image source: Instagram @beautyslesh
What Does the Lip Tattoo Healing Process Look Like?
You really love the way lip blushing looks but you’re not really sure about healing and aftercare after the treatment? Don’t worry, you’re at the right place! Let us guide you through the lip blush healing process day by day:
Day 1 – Swelling and High Color Intensity
Right after the lip blush treatment, you can expect some swelling and tenderness, which is the body’s natural reaction to the trauma caused by the tattoo machine.
Your lips may appear swollen, uneven or asymmetrical, sometimes even doubling in size, but keep in mind that this is just an initial reaction to the treatment. You can use an ice pack to minimize the swelling and help relieve the tightness you may be experiencing.
High color intensity is normal right after the procedure. This is not a true representation of the color you chose with your artist and it will fade up to 50% during the healing process.
Day 2 – Tenderness and Dryness
The swelling should subside and your lips should be getting back to their normal size. If that’s not the case during the next few days, you should call your technician to make sure you’re not having an allergic reaction to the lip tattoo pigment.
You will feel some tenderness and a slight burning sensation when moving your lips. They will start to feel dry and scabs will begin to form. It is important not to touch your lips or pick at scabs during this time to prevent unevenness in color.
Image source: Instagram @rosetintedstudio
Days 3-5 – Heavy Peeling
The first peeling phase should begin around Day 3. The scabby film that formed during Day 2 will begin falling off in patches and strips from the center of the lips outwards, towards the outline.
Peeling is usually accompanied by some itchiness. Remember to not pick at scabs or scratch your lips in order to prevent the lip tattoo color from becoming patchy.
You will still experience some tightness and dryness, so it is important to apply moisturizer prescribed by your artist.
Days 5-10 – Color Ghosting
The healing process is almost over. Around Day 5, you can expect some more minor peeling and after that phase is over, you can consider the superficial healing stage over as well.
Color ghosting is a normal part of healing and it becomes noticeable around Day 8. You may think that something went wrong and that you lost all the pigment applied during the initial treatment, but don’t worry! The color will re-emerge during the internal healing stage, which will last for about 6 weeks.
What Does the Lip Tattoo Aftercare Entitle?
The lip tattoo aftercare generally implies avoiding certain activities, cleaning the treated area regularly, and moisturizing with specially prescribed ointments. Following the correct aftercare routine after any PMU procedure is crucial for proper healing and avoiding infection.
Let’s take a look at the dos and don’ts of lip tattoo aftercare:
The Dos
- Clean your lips after every meal
- Use an ice pack to reduce swelling
- Apply aftercare ointment regularly
- Refrain from excessive sweating
- Avoid swimming, saunas, and long hot showers
The Don’ts
- Don’t touch your lips or pick at scabs
- Don’t put any makeup or skincare products on your lips
- Don’t expose your lips to direct sunlight
- Don’t get toothpaste on your lips
- Don’t sleep face down
Image source: Freepik
To Sum Up
After the lip tattoo treatment, your lips will go through phases of superficial and internal healing.
The superficial healing stage can last 7-10 days, while the internal healing stage takes about 6 weeks, or as long as the deep tissue regenerates and color pigments settle in.
Your age and the general state of your system do play a role in how long do lip tattoos take to heal, but so does your attentiveness when it comes to following your aftercare routine. Regular cleaning and moisturization, plus avoiding certain activities, will help your lips heal properly and you will be able to enjoy all the benefits of the procedure in no time!
To find out everything you need to know about lip tattooing, click here.
Cover image source: Freepik
