Lip Tattoo Aftercare

Ancient African and Mediterranean cultures were the ones who began the style of lip tattoos, which gradually became a common fashion statement for most people. These tattoos are carved generally on the inside of the bottom lip. Lip tattoo designs usually consist of one word, small phrases, numbers or small carvings. It is believed that such tattoos cause more pain than normal ones. But according to most people, there isn't much of a difference.

Just getting your lips tattooed should not be all. Lip tattoo, unlike tattoos on other parts of the body, is more vulnerable to getting faded away in a few days. As most people go for inner carving of lip tattoos, it makes it difficult to care for them. This is because the lips are a high-moisture area, and so most lip tattoos fade away easily - about 40% of them. So, what is needed is a proper lip tattoo aftercare for the first few days. Here's how you can go about in prolonging the life of your lip tattoo, by following these simple steps.

How To Care for an Inner Lip Tattoo

Step #1

The main step is to keep the tattoo dry, at least for the next 4 - 5 days while the healing is in progress. As the lip is in constant contact with the teeth, it also causes the tattoo to fade away gradually. To avoid this you can keep a paper towel in between the lip where the tattoo has been carved, and the teeth.

Step #2

You can use ointments which are Vitamin A and D based, or alcohol-free mouthwash to tend to the tattooed area. Some people recommend against using antibacterial soaps as such tattoos are different from those elsewhere on the body. However, some people advise otherwise. So going with an expert tattoo artist's opinion would be a wiser choice.

Step #3

It is equally important to rinse your mouth before and after getting the tattoo, especially after meals and after smoking. Experts recommend to avoid eating for a few hours after the initial tattoo.

Step #4

Tattoo experts also advise to place paper towels under your tongue and in your cheeks. Although, this might feel uncomfortable, it helps in keeping the tattoo drier. Eventually, the lip tattoo swelling and the scabbing will reduce completely, and you can stop using the paper towels.

Step #5

Avoid eating foods with acidic content until the tattoo has healed completely. Also, abstain from scratching and rubbing the tattoo in any case. Before you go for any retouch by a tattoo maker, let the swelling and bruising go away.

A lot of people wonder about how long do lip tattoos last. Well, these tattoos cannot be expected to stay forever, as they are highly susceptible to fading. Some tattoos have known to last for about 1 - 5 years and some lasted only for a few weeks or months. Following the above tips might keep the tattoos from rapid fading. Speaking of cost, lip tattoos might get a bit heavy on your pockets, and there might be cases, wherein, some artists might refuse to work on such tattoos altogether.

To conclude, lip tattoo aftercare is different from caring for tattoos elsewhere on the body, due to their vulnerability to getting pale and worn-out. Constant retouching keeps the tattoo for a longer period of time. Not to mention, it is also important to go for a well-known tattoo artist and a reliable parlor. Take care!