Lip Aftercare

Aftercare Specific to Lips

 

In addition to the general aftercare instructions, please follow these specific lip instructions.

  • Remember, place nothing on the treated area (except your aftercare product) until healed. This this means no makeup, creams, water (except for cleansing as detailed below), etc.
  • After your procedure, your skin will start forming a protective scab. You may see fluid or ooze on the skin from lymph secretion. The fluid should be dabbed and blotted off with a sterile gauze pad. It can crust the skin over and prevent it from breathing and healing. 
  • After 24 hours, clean the treated area daily with mild warm water and non-alcohol soap. Apply soapy solution on a sterile gauze and blot 4 to 5 times to clean. Then blot completely dry. Use patting motions only. No Scrubbing. No rubbing. No wiping. No scratching. Make sure the area is completely dry because germs love moisture!   
  • Lips will ooze for a couple days and peel for a week or so. After sleeping, crust will have dried on the lips. Blot with water. Clean and apply aftercare product as directed. Try not to disturb the crust when cleaning and let it fall off by itself. Picking and pulling off skin that is not ready to come off will cause pigment loss and can pull out deeper tissue. The edges or lip liner will be the last to fall off. Pulling this off will result in an uneven splotchy line or an indented scar.
  • Apply aftercare product on the clean and dry treated area. Place the ointment on the scabs that are beginning to form. If you place ointment on the area and it is not dry, this may cause irritation or an infection and could lead to color loss.
  • Keep your lips moist all the times with the aftercare product. After approximately 3 weeks after the procedure when no more scabs are present, discontinue the aftercare product. Begin to apply sunblock appropriate for lips to protect the pigment and a good lip balm.
  • Lips will be tender at first after the procedure. Drink only through a straw. Choose to only eat foods you can place in your mouth with a fork without touching the lips.
  • Do not eat spicy foods or hot liquids for 48 hours after your procedure. It’s a good idea not to eat oily foods, salty foods, acidic foods or alcohol while healing.
  • Do not get toothpaste on your lips. It’s a good idea to brush your teeth with just water for 72 hrs post-treatment.
  • Do not bleach your teeth until your lips are healed.
  • Do not excessively stretch lips while they are healing with big smiles or pucker lips with smoking. Those motions push and pull against the lip edges, applying tension and friction between the strong normal skin surrounding the mouth and the broken inflamed lip edges. Lip skin is a continuation of the delicate mucous membrane of the mouth. It is not strong like normal skin.

 

Day

What to Expect

1

These lips have swelling, are tender, and have a heavy, thick lipstick look with a reddish-brick color. For the first few days, the color is darker than it will appear when healed.

2

These lips have slight swelling, are reddish in color, are tender, and have a slight metallic taste.

3

These lips have less swelling, a thicker texture, are orange, are sore, and have a hot feeling. They are pre-exfoliation.

4

Exfoliation begins with very chapped lips. The color will become lighter as the epidermis sloughs off. It will appear that lips have lost all of their color during this phase of healing; however, when lips have healed completely, the dermal layer will gradually become darker.

5

These lips are very chapped, but are nearly finished with the chapping phase of healing.

6

During this phase, a soft, rich color begins to appear in the lips.

7-13

During this phase, lip color disappears and the frosty second chapping phase begins as a whitish, gray haze on the lips.

14

Color blooms from within more and more each day until day 21 ( which is 3 weeks post-procedure).

21

Healing is complete. The lip color you see is the color that you have. Your lips will remain a bit dry for a month or two. Use a good lip balm, and they will return to normal with full color.

 

The information contained in this document is not intended to offer or imply medical advice. Please consult your physician regarding any medical questions.