Kayla Young
There is no denying that permanent makeup is a great time saver. Just imagine not having to do your makeup in the morning! Even if it is just your eyebrows or lips, it could be of great help capture many minutes every day.
However, when it comes to permanent or semi-permanent makeup, there is a healing process that you go through after the procedure, whether it’s ombre brows, microblading, or lip blushing.
That’s because needles are typically used to place the pigment underneath the skin’s surface.
In this article, we’ll go over the four major lip blush healing stages so you’ll know what to expect. It’s not that bad, but you need to know what life will be like in the days after the lip blushing process!
Contents
How Long Will The Lips Take To Heal After Lip Blushing?
Lip blushing is considered a semi-permanent procedure that produces colored lips. It’s not the same as lip fillers, but they are often associated.
The results last a lot longer than using regular lipstick, lip tint, lip stain, or other lip products.
The reason why the color remains a lot longer is that the pigment used doesn’t just affect the surface of the skin. Through the use of microneedles, the surface of the lips is punctured to give access to the pigment so that it reaches the deeper layers of the skin.
The micro cuts that are created by the microneedles are necessary for the procedure. However, you don’t have to panic and be afraid of them, because they aren’t big cuts that you can see with your naked eye.
Although you can’t see the actual cuts, there will be signs that there are cuts. Eventually, the lips will heal (or at least they should, assuming everything went properly).
Usually, the healing process is quick for the lip blushing procedure. Most people will have healed lips in about a week to 10 days. That’s about the time when the surface of the skin usually heals.
Most people will have healed lips in about a week to 10 days. That’s about the time when the surface of the skin usually heals.
However, you should note that it may take up to about a month for the deeper layers to completely heal and for the pigments to settle. This is the time when you’ll see the final result of the procedure.
The main sign to watch out for is when the peeling stops.
When it does, you can consider your lips healed. If you are planning to get a touch-up, make sure to wait for at least 6 weeks because the lips should be fully healed first to prevent scarring.
Lip Blush Healing Stages
Eventually, your lips will heal from the lip blushing procedure. However, before it fully heals, it will go through various stages of healing. It’s always a good idea to take daily photos and send them to your lip technician to keep them aware of your healing process.
It’s always a good idea to take daily photos and send them to your lip technician to keep them aware of your healing process.
Here is a timeline to help you know what happens at each stage of the healing process.
1. The First 24 Hours
During the first 24 hours after getting the procedure, you will start to feel a slight discomfort because the anesthesia used is already starting to wear off. At this stage, you could expect some tenderness, swelling, and intensified lip color.
Just a few hours after the procedure, you should expect the anesthesia wears off. This is the reason why you might already be feeling pain and tenderness on the lips.
Apart from that, it could feel like the lips are tight. For this reason, the lip-blushing artist may recommend taking over-the-counter painkillers. Some people use this to help with the pain while some are able to go through it without using painkillers.
You may see some swelling too. This could happen immediately right after the procedure. This is the natural reaction of the lips or the skin as there are tiny cuts that were just made on them.
It is possible for you not to notice the swelling but eventually, you’ll feel that your lips are a bit heavy and bigger as the anesthesia wears off.
Sometimes, there could be a fluid discharge on the lips. In case your lips produce discharge or fluid, simply blot them and keep your calm. This is a natural reaction of the body due to the procedure.
The fluid you see is lymphatic fluid and is usually produced as an inflammatory response. You should just wipe it off then use a recommended moisturizing balm to keep the area clean.
Another thing you’ll notice is the color of your lips. It may seem that the color is too much for your preference. However, the color you see isn’t the final color. It may still fade after a few days.
2. The Second Day
During the second day, the swelling on your lips will have largely subsided. Your lips will essentially be back to normal.
If you see that there is still significant swelling on your lips, you should contact your artist to make sure that it isn’t an allergic reaction.
Although the swelling has subsided, the tenderness you feel may increase at this stage. It may feel like your lips have been sunburned.
Apart from that, the lips could feel tight and a bit dry. This is the time when the scabs start to form. To help with the pain, moisturizers recommended by your lip brushing artist should be used.
Activities that would extend or stretch the lips like laughing should be avoided at this time.
Cleaning and moisturizing the lips is important at this stage. The best cleaner would be clean water on a cotton pad. Then apply some balm or ointment suggested by the technician to help combat the dryness.
3. The 3rd And 4th Day
During this time, you will start to see the lips flake and peel off. The scabs formed due to the lip blushing procedure will now start to fall off on their own.
At this stage, the lips will feel very dry. Although your lips won’t look great at this stage because of all the flaking and peeling, you should never try to peel off the scabs. Just let them fall off on their own.
Although your lips won’t look great at this stage because of all the flaking and peeling, you should never try to peel off the scabs. Just let them fall off on their own.
Peeling will typically start at the center of your lips and spread until it reaches the lip edges. Lip peeling is a sign that the skin is regenerating.
Remember that due to the procedure, the top surface of your lips has cuts and is damaged. Those topmost layers are shed off for a new healed layer to be revealed.
It is best to let your lips do this naturally on their own and not pick on the scabs.
If you pick on the scabs, you risk having patchy, unflattering results. The pigments could be removed with the scabs if you pick on them. Furthermore, you could cause a wound on your lips if you try to peel the scabs off.
Aside from the peeling and flakiness, the lips could feel very itchy. Don’t try to scratch your lips as this could prematurely remove the scabs.
Hydrating your lips and making sure it is clean is very important. You should continue with your routine of cleansing the lips and applying a moisturizing balm to them.
4. The 5th Day And Onwards
Starting from the 5th day up to the 10th day is the final stretch of surface healing for your lips. At this time, there may still be peeling, but it is much lighter compared to the peeling you’ve just gone through on the 3rd and 4th day.
You shouldn’t still pick the scabs on your lips and just let them fall off on their own. The peeling eventually stops completely around the 10th day.
At this time, you may have noticed that the color of your lips has already faded. For some, it may seem that the color is too light.
Before you start thinking about getting another procedure done, you should first give it more time. As your lips heal, the color may take time to re-emerge.
Before you start thinking about getting another procedure done, you should first give it more time. As your lips heal, the color may take time to re-emerge.
The pigments may not have settled properly yet so you just have to wait for a little while until your lips fully heal. It may take up to 4-6 weeks after getting the procedure for the final color to emerge.
Even if it seems that your lips are already fully healed on the 10th day, you should still care for them properly because the deeper layers are still in the process of healing.
Lip Blushing Aftercare
Although the lips will heal on their own, it is still best to know how to properly care for them so that it heals optimally and you minimize the problems you might experience with them.
Don’t Touch Your Lips
The first thing that you should keep in mind is that you shouldn’t touch your lips unless you need to. The only exceptions would be when you need to clean it or you need to moisturize it.Â
Keep them Clean
Even while doing those, you should opt for using a clean cotton pad. Then make sure that you wash your hands before cleaning and moisturizing the lips. The tiny cuts are openings where bacteria can gain access if you don’t practice proper hygiene.
This will help prevent cold sores.
As the lips heal, you should avoid using any products that would be irritating to the lips. Use only the products recommended by your lip blush artist.
Don’t Expose the Lips to Too Much Water
Due to the open cuts created through the procedure, you should avoid swimming, intense exercises, saunas, or any other activities that will cause you to sweat easily. Avoid these for about two weeks.
Getting the lips wet with your sweat or water from other sources should be avoided because the excess moisture could make it easier for the fungi and bacteria to cause an infection on your lips.
Careful Eating and Drinking
Avoid spicy foods and hot drinks for at least two days. When drinking, make sure you use a clean straw. When eating, place the food inside the mouth directly and avoid contact with the lips.
Salty, oily and acidic foods should initially be avoided to help your lips heal properly. Alcohol should be avoided as much as possible.
Don’t Use Teeth-Whitening Products
Avoid getting products like toothpaste or teeth whitening products on your lips too. That could irritate it and slow down the healing process.
Careful Kissing!
Friction and kissing should be avoided. Exfoliators and lip gloss should only be used once the lips are completely healed.
Long-Term Care For Blushed Lips
You shouldn’t just care for your lips right after the procedure or while your lips are healing. You should continuously care for your lips, even after they have fully healed.
Ways to do that include using a lip balm with sun protection especially when you are going outside. Most of us remember to use sunscreen on our skin but we tend to forget about the lips.
The lips could be sunburned and get damaged by UV exposure. Today, there are lip balms with SPF to help protect the lips, too. By doing so, you prevent the fine lines that could develop on the lips.
The lips could be sunburned and get damaged by UV exposure. Today, there are lip balms with SPF (like Carmex) to help protect the lips, too.
Although using exfoliators on lips could be done once the lips fully heal, it could be the reason why the results of the lip blushing procedure fade fast.
Another way to care for your lips is to avoid smoking. That doesn’t just ensure your lips are healthy — we all know smoking is bad for your body.
Conclusion
As explained above, there could be discomfort during the lip blushing healing stages. Pain is expected with the procedure simply because it creates micro cuts on the lips.
The lips are sensitive areas in the body which is why a numbing cream or anesthetic is applied topically on your lips before the procedure. Although this can help deal with the possible pain during the procedure, it wears off eventually.
After the procedure, if the pain is unbearable, you can use over-the-counter medication to deal with the pain. For most people going through the procedure and the discomfort during the healing stages is all worth it for the results you get.
