​

How to make your lip blush tattoo last longer

Once you've invested in beautiful lips you'll want to keep them looking their best for as long as possible.

Many factors determine how long they last and how vibrant the color stays but your commitment to aftercare is one of the  most important factors that determine the longevity of your cosmetic tattoo.

​

Immediately after your treatment you may experience:

​

• Tingling

• Tenderness

• Swelling

• Redness

• Flaking

• Itchiness

​

Immediately after procedure lips may feel dry, chapped or tender.  The reasons for this is that your skin is already beginning the healing process. These can last up to 72 hours but are usually mild and subside after a day or two.

​

​

​

48 HOURS AFTER PROCEDURE

​

• DO NOT GET LIPS WET - When brushing teeth very gently part lips and be sure to shake excess water off toothbrush before puttingit in your mouth to avoid getting ANY water on lips.  We recomend dry brushing wih no water or toothpaste for at least 24 hours following procedure and for flossing use a small floss pick to avoid having to open mouth wide enough to floss manually.   You may wash face gently taking care to avoide the lip area. 

​

• COMPLETE ANTIVIRAL MEDICATION (if applicable):  If you are prone to coldsores and began a prophylactic antiviral medication prior to lip blush procedure you will need to complete your antiviral medication to prevent an outbreak.  This is very important and failing to do so can result in an outbreak that will affect your healing process negatively.

​

• ICE IF NEEDED - You may apply an ice pack for 10-minute intervals for the first 48 hours to prevent bruising and/or swelling.  This may be applied every hour or so, if desired, and must be covered with a barrier to prevent water from touching lips.  Use paper toweling or clean cloth to cover the ice pack, and never put actual ice directly on lips as this will get water on the procedure area and can cause infection or interfere with healing.

​

Expect moderate swelling, usually one to three days following the procedure. Scabbing may occurr making lips feel thick.

 

Lips will fade up to 50% after the first 5 days. While healing, the tattoo will look patchy. This is due to skin regeneration and healing. Two or three sessions may be required to achieve desired results. Please be patient.  Cosmetic tattooing is a multiple-step appointment process with a healing time of approximately 4-8 weeks in between touch up appointments.

​

​

​

FOR 2 WEEKS AFTER PROCEDURE

​

Th first 7 days of healing is the time when lips are most vulnerable because skin is open and pigment has not been sealed in under the new skin that will form as lips heal.  After 7 days the new skin is forming and skin is no longer open but fresh new skin is extremely delicate so we ask you to follow these steps faithfully for a full two weeks after your procedure.  Failure do so will greatly decrease success.

​

• Use AFTER CARE OINTMENT as instructed: QUESTION: "How many times should I apply ointment" ANSWER: "As often as necessary to keep lips moist.  That doesn't mean globs of ointment, your skin needs air to breathe and heal, but we want to make sure lips don't dry out while healing.  Apply ointment gently using a NEW clean cotton swab (because it's cleaner than your finger) for each application. Make sure to dab/press onto skin, do not rub it in.

• DO NOT GET LIPS WET - Continue to prevent lips from getting wet as you carefully brush your teeth and wash the rest of your face gently avoiding the lip area. 

• USE A STRAW - Avoid moisture to the lips by drinking through a straw until lips completely heal. We also recommend avoiding hot beverages and soups as heat can cause discomfort while lips are healing.

• DO NOT STRETCH LIPS - Avoid anything that requires you to open wide such as biting into large sandwiches, greasy, oily, salty or spicy foods,etc. It is best to cut food into tiny bites and and place them into your mouth. While eating, do not wipe your lips with a napkin or lick your lips at this will impede the healing process.  If you must, gently blost lips with a clean napkin and DO NOT PICK dry healing tissue or you WILL remove the pigment color!

• NO KISSING: kissing, rubbing or friction on your newly tattooed lips will increase your risk of infection and can cause pigment loss. 

• DO NOT SCRATCH or PICK: Some itching is normal; it’s a sign that your skin is starting to heal itself. Do not pick at or scratch the treated area as this could cause scarring, infection and a poor colour result. Your lips may flake a little; this is also perfectly normal and should be left to heal naturally.

• NO TEETH WHITENING: Do not bleach/whiten your teeth while your lips are healing.

• NO MAKEUP or PRODUCTS ON BROWS - Avoid makeup and products in or on the brow area. You should not apply anything (other than approved after care ointment) as any other products such as moisturizers, makeup, oils or lotions could cause infection or a reaction in your skin, being detrimental to your end result.  Furthermore, open skin that is healing can  become contaminated with the pigment or colors in your makeup altering the final color of your healed brows.

• BE CAREFUL AROUND WATER - Keep showers quick and no swimming! You will be able to gently cleanse your brows after two days but remember water on the treated area can cause problems with a cosmetic tattoo so when bathing or showering take care not to let water run onto brows and never submerge face under water during the healing process.  If you do get your brows wet, pat dry gently with a clean tissue or cotton towel.

• NO STEAM / SAUNAS / HOT TUBS - again quick showers! Steam can open pores and soften freshly healing skin and we want new skin to form and heal over the pigment to seal it in.

• NO SWEAT: Sweat can dissolve pigment! You sweat consists primarily of water and electrolytes (including sodium and chloride). When you sweat, the salt hangs out on your skin after the water evaporates. ... That's why your sweat tastes salty. So sweating onto healing brows where the pigment has not been sealed in by new skin yet will dramatically fade results.  We love our athletes and fitness enthusiasts and we know you don't want to wait two weeks to workout, we get it, so we say IF YOU MUST then put an extra layer of after care ointment on your brows and wear a headband like they did in the 80s to catch any sweat from getting onto your healing brows.

• NO SUN: Large sunglasses or a brimmed hat can offer great protection for your eyebrow tattoos from the sun. Don’t go on sunbeds or take part in any activity that could cause excessive sweating such as sports or saunas.

• Taking care of your tattoo at this early stage can mean the difference between a beautiful, long lasting cosmetic tattoo or a disappointing result.

• SLEEP ON YOUR BACK - sleeping with your brow area pressed into a pillow can affect the healing process (and cause wrinkles!).  We know it's difficult when you're a tummy or side sleeper, but try your best! Giant U shaped body pillows are great to snuggle into or you can even use regular pillows by putting one on each side (and even one under your knees) while you sleep on your back to prevent you from rolling over onto your face.

• KEEP HAIR AWAY FROM BROWS: If you often have hair in your face then pin back that fringe at least for the first week. Hair getting into your fresh brows can cause infection which will disturb the way the colour sets.

• NO SMOKING - ciggarette smoking affects the body's ability to heal so it is strongly suggested that you avoid it at all costs while lips are healing.

​

Lips may be dry for 3 to 6 months depending on your body's reaction.  If you experience this keep lips moisturized at all times.

​

REMEMBER lips heal in stages and during the healing process your lips can get darker or lighter before they heal to their final color.  Don't freak out! Remember, your color will inevitably be darker in the beginning than the end result, so don’t assume that the color is wrong; give it time and it will soften to the perfect shade and we can make any adjustments at your complimentary touch-up appointment.

​

LONG TERM AFTER CARE

​

Helping your cosmetic tattoo stay sharp and nicely coloured means you’ll need to take care of the area long term too. 

It's super easy to do! We recommend:

​

• Always use a lip balm with sunscreen, as sunlight WILL fade semi permanent cosmetic tattoos

• After 14 days you may wear lipstick, lipgloss, chapstick but make sure the product is new to avoid bacteria.

• Avoid rapid exfoliation or anti-aging creams on the area, as these can also cause fading

• Avoid certain skin treatments in the area, such as chemical peels, lip scrubs, laser rejuvenation, microdermabrasion and others

• If you plan a skin treatment, tell your skincare professional about your cosmetic tattoo

• If you need an MRI scan or other medical procedure, inform your doctor as well as the technician performing the treatment about your cosmetic tattoo

​

Although after care instructions may seem a little overwhelming at first, most of it is simple common sense and usually our clients are eager to follow our recommendations faithfully because they have invested precious time and dollars and want to get the most out of their investment.  We're always here for support, whether it’s been a month or a year since you had your treatment. While there’s no guarantee as to how long semi permanent cosmetic tattoo procedures will last, with care you’ll ensure you achieve a great result for as long as possible.

 

For more information on aftercare or any of our treatments get in touch with us at Microblading Studio City for help and advice.

​

THINGS TO CONSIDER: poor diet, stress, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, general health, sleep/fatigue can all affect long term results. The more fatigued you are the lower your immune system is and infection is more likely to occur. Please get plenty of rest and stay nourished and hydrated while you heal!

​

​

*** Failure to follow the above instructions voids our service agreement and may result in the loss of your complimentary touch-up appointment as well as the possibility of refusal of future bookings.  There are no implied or written guarantees, and if you do not follow instructions we will not be able to start over at your touch-up appointment! We will always work with you to ensure success but we have a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY for those who fail to comply with our Pre and Post Care Instructions.  We offer complimentary touch-up appointments to perfect existing work and make slight adjustments so if you come to your complimentary touch-up appointments with no trace of our work from 4-8 weeks previous then you are not eligible for a touch-up and will need to book a new appointment for a brand new procedure at full price and try again.

​

​

​

​