In Australia the surface of a lip tattoo will generally take 5 to 10 days to put itself right, with the full healed outcome and any touch-ups requiring closer to 6 or 8 weeks. Put simply: there is swelling to be had in the beginning, flaking between days 3 and 7, a period of lighter “ghosting” before the colour starts to bloom in the weeks that follow.
For those making an appointment for lip blush in Australia, I have put together a guide to the whole process as it should be. You will find some sensible aftercare advice for your lip tattoo in Australia, what to put on the plate afterwards, and how to tell when a symptom has become more than a nuisance. This is from Jasper Whitlock and you can take it as my word; I don’t do the sort of thing you would read in a brochure.
What Lip Blush Is
A form of cosmetic tattoo, lip blush puts pigment in the lips for better definition and shape. Don’t confuse it with the heavy handedness of an old school lip liner tattoo. The effect is softer, more natural and in the end is only as good as your skin’s healing.
The mistake is to think the day one colour is the last word. It isn’t. The fresh work will have a depth and brightness to it that is a little loud compared to what you are left with once it has healed, hence the importance of the stages.
The Treatment
The technician will make use of a machine to put the pigment into the lip tissue. Lips are delicate and vascular so some swelling is to be expected immediately post appointment, along with a tightness or warmth to the area. It’s important to know about foods to avoid after lip tattoo to ensure proper healing.
You will find a lot of studios in Australia will want to know your cold sore history prior to treatment. Should you be susceptible, they may put you in touch with a GP or pharmacist to put an antiviral plan in place, as the tattooing can bring an outbreak on.
A Quick Overview
How long does it take? For the visible part two weeks is about it. But allow 6 to 8 weeks for the internal lip tattoo healing and for the pigment to properly set. Colour has a way of fading and softening before it is done. That is where the stress comes in, the expectation versus reality. Some will see the week two or three fade and write off the tattoo, but in most instances it is nothing to be concerned about.
| Stage | Typical Timing | Observations | Course of action |
| Fresh Phase | Day 1-2 | Swelling, tenderness, brightness | Clean the lips and apply balm as told, no friction |
| Peeling Phase | Day 3-7 | Flaking and dryness | Stick to your aftercare, don’t pick at it |
| Ghosting Phase | Week 2-4 | Very light or patchy | Wait and see, don’t jump to conclusions |
| Settling Phase | Week 4-8 | An even tone as the colour blooms | Time to consider a touch-up |
Days 1 To 14
All the drama is in the first fortnight. The kind of thing you will be poring over in the mirror and messaging your artist about, or overreacting to in poor bathroom lighting.
My advice if you have a wedding or an important family photo coming up: don’t put this off until a day or two before and get lucky. That is not how to plan.
Days 1 To 2
Expect them to be bolder and brighter. There can be a stinging or sunburn feeling for the first 48 hours and some mild swelling. In the early going you might see a weepy surface or clear fluid which is normal for a new tattoo. Do as your artist says to blot or clean it. Trouble is made by hard wiping or trying out some hack you have come across online.
Days 3 To 5
Dryness and peeling will start to show. It won’t be pretty as some parts of the lip hold their colour and others turn pale. People are tempted to make the flakes go faster. Resist the urge. There is no benefit to picking at the lips; it will only cause undue trauma and irritation, not to mention an uneven pigment. One might be as tempted to do so as to peel sunburnt skin, but it is hardly a wise course of action.
Days 6 To 10
For the most part surface healing has put in by now. The lips are not as tender, yet they can appear patchy or of a lighter hue than one would like. It is not uncommon for people to take to Google to see if their colour has “gone”.
In fact some of that is ghosting. As the upper layers mend the pigment will seem faint until colour blooming sets in and it comes back. Don’t pass judgment on the work while the scaffolding is still up.
Days 11 To 14
You will find the lips have a more natural, calmer look with the flaking mostly done. They can still be dry and of an uneven tone as the deeper stages of healing run their course, and there may be some sensitivity.
Should your provider have put you through his or her review instructions, this is the time to make note of any shape issues or where the pigment has healed too light. Put it on record with some daylight photos, clear ones, instead of leaving it to memory.
Weeks 3 To 8
A quieter time, when things begin to resolve themselves. The colour will soften and be more in balance than in the first fortnight. Patience is key; you won’t get instant results from a lip blush timeline and a proper review is best left until 6 or 8 weeks are in the past.
Ghosting And Blooming
With ghosting the lips may look as though the pigment has made off, or be very patchy and light. Then you have colour blooming and the tone evens out as the pigment shows itself again. It can be quite dramatic, one week the colour is gone and the next it is coming back. A normal enough swing for a lip tattoo.
When To Book A Touch-Up
Six to eight weeks after the initial session is the accepted time for a touch up to let the skin get stable. There is no point in booking early and having to work on tissue that is yet to heal. Of course it also hinges on the skin, how the pigment was retained, your aftercare and whether a cold sore or friction got in the way. Some artists will put their own spin on the timing but 6-8 weeks is the rule of thumb.
Aftercare That Is Worthwhile
It is consistency, not fancy products, that makes for good aftercare. A little discipline, clean hands and the right balm go further than most would imagine.
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care would tell you hand hygiene is fundamental to infection prevention and stopping germs in their tracks (one can read the advice from the Australian Government). Clinics will have their own way of doing things but touching healing lips with unclean hands is something that is not open to debate.
Do This, Not That
Pigment systems and protocols differ so heed the artist’s instructions. But you will see these tips put forward by the likes of Cosmetic Tattooing Brisbane, Elka Clinic, Preahlove, Alison Jade, A Hint of Ink, The Brow Design Co, Olha Po and Tina Davies method trainers.
Apply what your provider has recommended in small amounts, don’t put on a thick layer of balm.
Be careful with your drink and don’t rub at it with a napkin.
In the early going stay away from pools, saunas, heavy perspiration and kissing.
Leave the peeling edges alone.
And once the surface is sound, shield the lips from the sun to preserve the colour.
Can You Wipe Your Lips?
Not in the way you might think. An aggressive wipe in the first few days, particularly after a coffee or hot drink, will upset the skin and the pigment. If you must, do as your artist says: be clean-handed and brief about it, not like you are trying to get barbecue sauce off a plate at the campsite.
Eating Without Making It Worse
What you put in your mouth is of more consequence in the opening days than you would expect. Messy food, spice, acidity and heat can all be an irritation to healing lips and complicate matters when it comes to cleaning up.
Soft, mild and lukewarm fare that will not sting or put a strain on the mouth is what one should have after a lip tattoo. It is an easy enough question to answer even if it means forgoing more interesting meals for a day or two; better that than to find out the hard way.
Early On: The Best of What to Eat
Yoghurt, oats, mashed vegetables, scrambled eggs, smoothies (have them with some care) and the like. You will be more at ease with something cool or lukewarm than a steaming dish. As for a straw, some artists would rather you do without to keep down the friction and movement in the mouth, so heed their word and not what you read online; clinic protocols are not all the same.
What to Steer Clear Of
People are apt to look up which foods to shun post procedure and for good reason. Spicy dishes, citrus, anything too salty or hot, be it food or drink, can inflame and sting lips that are already tender. Then there are the messy ones. A burger or saucy pasta may not in themselves harm the work but they are a nuisance when it comes to aftercare and make a mess of your mouth. In the first few days the path of least resistance is the wiser course.
So choose your drinks and food to be on the mild side while the lips are healing.
If your provider has said so, hold off on alcohol in the immediate aftermath of treatment.
And stay away from anything that tempts you to rub or lick at your lips or be constantly wiping them.
Normal or Cause for Concern?
You will encounter some symptoms in the ordinary course of things, others warrant a call to your artist, a GP or urgent care as the case may be. There is no need to get flustered but do not be too nonchalant either. Some swelling is expected, infection is a different matter altogether.
What is Normal
In the healing of a lip tattoo you can count on a degree of tenderness, dryness, flaking and peeling, as well as swelling and some patchiness. The colour will run through a cycle of appearing stronger, then weaker before it settles. Those with a history of cold sores will be put on notice to be on the lookout for a trigger; pre-treatment planning is important for that reason.
Seeking Help
Should you have pus, fever, a foul odour, redness that is spreading, or lips that seem to be getting worse, or pain and swelling that is severe and not letting up after a couple of days, these point to infection and you should put in a call to your provider or a doctor. The same goes for a suspected cold sore; see your GP or a pharmacist without delay. An antiviral may be in order but let a health professional with qualifications make the call, not someone in a comment section.
Head Off Trouble
A properly planned appointment makes for the simplest recovery. Be forthright about your medical history and pick an artist with the right credentials. Practically speaking, if you can avoid it, do not have your lip blush done on the eve of a long flight, a night out with the boys, a trip to the beach or a spicy dinner. One would think it is self-evident, and yet a good many people do just that.
Who should get this done
Lip blush is for those in search of a more defined lip or some tonal correction who are prepared for the healing to be done in stages. You will not find it as fitting if you want an off-the-shelf lipstick effect without any downtime, or if aftercare is something you cannot be bothered to adhere to.
Then there is the matter of timing. Should you have a big event in a day’s time, a lip treatment is hardly the wisest cosmetic bet. Make a point of it and you will be spared a world of stress.
Questions for your artist
Put to them their infection control and cold sore procedures, what brand of pigment they put in, the touch-up policy, balm of choice and if they put aftercare down in writing on a daily basis. Inquire as to how they deal with complications and the kind of retention one can realistically put in. That is important. A seasoned artist has no problem being forthright about variation instead of touting a flawless outcome each and every time. There is nothing like honesty over flash.
A word from Jasper
The healing timeline for an Australian client is not exactly lightning but it is predictable enough when you understand the stages: the initial swelling, flaking in the middle of healing, a ghosting patch before the colour blooms and the pigment has its way over 6 to 8 weeks. Most of the anxiety is because “worse before better” is not fully appreciated.
With realistic expectations and a respect for the healing window, you are in a position for a smooth result. Provided you do as your provider says and steer clear of irritants. It is a case of planning and patience, nothing more.
FAQ
You will hear these most often in the course of some day three jitters or by week four when second thoughts set in. We can’t say we blame them.
How long is a lip tattoo to heal?
Give it 5 to 10 days for the surface to mend. The full effect, with the pigment settled and colour come through, is more like 6 to 8 weeks, which also gives you time to review before a touch-up.
What is the do and don’t list?
Keep things clean and use the balm as advised; your artist’s aftercare should be followed to the letter. For your part, don’t be picking at peeling skin or putting your lips to the test with friction. And don’t go back to hot or spicy food and the like in a hurry if it is going to aggravate the area.
Is there a way to hasten healing?
Not really, biology has its own pace. But you can ensure it is not hindered. Be hygienic, apply your balm, eat gently and protect from the sun once healed. All of that makes for a trouble free process.
Can I wipe my lips?
Only if your provider has told you to. A bit of careful cleaning or blotting is acceptable, put too much vigour into it and you risk irritating the skin and compromising the pigment.
When does swelling or peeling become a concern?
Some of it is to be expected in the first week. But if you are seeing pus or spreading redness, have a fever, the pain is strong or the swelling is anything but mild and is on the increase, put in a call for professional opinion.