Lip Blush Tattoo
Lip blush tattooing is a semi-permanent procedure that brings a myriad of benefits enhancing the beauty of your lips and overall appearance. Also going by the name of lip tint, ombre lips or lip stain, this popular procedure has come a long way since its early days with major improvements in techniques, pigments, machines and training. Lip tattooing is perfect for restoring colour, volume and improving the size and shape of the lips. It gives lips a youthful appearance by bringing back definition and pigment which we naturally tend to lose with age, especially along the vermilion border. Results can be as natural or bold as you like. The procedure is a two-step process with a 6–8 week gap between the two sessions. If you naturally have dark lips, 3 or more sessions may be required.
What are the contraindications?
- Under the age of 18
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Extremely sensitive skin or skin conditions like Eczema, psoriasis, Keratosis Pilaris or Dermatitis on the area being treated
- Diabetes, autoimmune disease, epilepsy or medical conditions – GP consent must be obtained
- Taking blood thinning medication
- HIV/ STD/ herpes (active)
- Sun damaged skin
- Organ transplant
- Heart conditions / using heart medications
- Skin disease or irritations
- Severe allergies (allergies to hair dye/ink/pigment/anaesthetic)
- Cancer patients must be 6 months post chemotherapy with GP or specialist approval required
- Tendency to keloid
- Vaccines – must wait 2 weeks before tattooing
- Accutane/strong acne medication – must discontinue use 1 year before tattooing
- Retinol and vitamin A – must discontinue 1 month prior
- Antibiotics – must discontinue 2 months prior
- If you suffer from anxiety it is strongly recommended to please consider carefully if this is something for you as the process is lengthy and the final results can take up to 12 weeks in which your tattoo may not appear perfect until after the second or third session. Unless you are certain this is a procedure you are definitely committed to, it is not advisable to go forward if “trusting the process” could potentially trigger anxiety.
How do I prepare for the appointment?
You will need to perform the following pre care before your appointment to ensure optimal results are achieved. This is a very important step in the final outcome of your tattoo, it’s just as important as the aftercare protocol.
- If you are prone to cold sores, you will be required to take oral antiviral medications for two days prior to treatment and three days following to prevent any outbreaks.
- Hydration is key! Ensure you drink plenty of water and your lips are well hydrated/moisturised one week prior.
- Exfoliate your lips for the week prior to your appointment at home using a drop of coconut oil and sugar to create your own scrub. Ensure that you are using a lip conditioner/balm every day leading up to your appointment. Bepanthen ointment is recommended.
- Do not consume alcohol, caffeine or take any blood thinning medications including (aspirin, ibuprofen, other NSAID medications, fish oil, Niacin, Vitamin E) 48 hours prior to your procedure to avoid excess bleeding which directly affects colour retention.
- Avoid sun/tanning bed exposure for 30 days before and after your procedure.
- No Botox or fillers less than one month prior to your appointment.
What can I expect during the treatment?
Once we have deemed you a suitable candidate during the pre-screening, you will be booked in for a consultation which can be done on a separate day to the procedure or on the same day if you are confident in your decision to have the treatment done. An in depth consultation regarding expectations and desires is discussed and a removable outline is drawn before the procedure. You are welcome to bring along your favourite lipstick colour to help in deciding the colour of choice. A custom colour can be tailored to create the perfect match if you have a specific colour in mind. We allow enough time to complete paperwork, take before/after photos, application of topical numbing, the procedure and review of aftercare. Please allow up to 4 hours for this procedure.
How do I care for my lip blush tattoo?
- Day 1 of healing (day of treatment) ensure you are wiping away any lymph from your lips with the provided wipes.
- Avoid spicy foods, hot drinks, red wine, kissing or citrus drinks for 5 days.
- Use a cold pack if required. Cover your lips with a sterile gauze as to avoid ice burn.
- Your lips will be extremely dry. It’s important to keep them moist with the provided aftercare ointment. If you have dry pieces of skin do not pull or pick at them, let the lips exfoliate naturally.
- You still may get a cold sore after the tattoo even if you have never in the past as the virus may be living dormant in your system. If so, take over the counter medications such as Valtrex or you can alternate application with your aftercare cream and zovirax.
- Continue to frequently hydrate the lips and drink plenty of water
- Avoid gloss and lipstick for 5 days
- Do not touch your lips with your fingers during the healing process, only apply your aftercare ointment using clean cotton tips.
- No facials, Botox or active ingredients should be used for four weeks post treatment.