The lip area is very sensitive and having a needle pierce your lips over and over might sound a bit scary. However, a numbing cream is applied before the needling starts in order to eliminate the pain. Most clients report that it’s uncomfortable, but not painful.

Yes, PMU lips can be combined with lip fillers, but it’s better to get the lip tattoo first, as it’ll last longer than fillers. But if you already got fillers, wait a while before booking your PMU lips appointment – it takes at least 2-6 weeks for the fillers to settle.

You should be aware, though, that there’s a small chance of your fillers migrating due to the trauma of tattooing.

First of all, it’s very important to find a reliable artist. So, do thorough research in order to find a good tech who works in a sterile environment, and has a lot of experience and positive reviews.

In order to prepare for the treatment, avoid taking the following medications, substances, and vitamins that cause your blood to thin:

• Aspirin
• Ibuprofen
• Alcoholic beverages
• Caffeine (coffee and tea)
• Fish oil
• Niacin

Also, avoid exfoliating skincare products and any medications that thin out the skin.

It is vital to take anti-viral medication before your procedure if you’re prone to cold sores. They can appear due to the trauma of tattooing and affect the healing process.

You mustn’t wear lip makeup until the scabbing or peeling stage is over – you risk getting an infection.

Once all the scabs have fallen off, you can wear lip makeup as usual, although you won’t need to enhance the color anymore.

It’s a good idea to get fresh products, as the ones you used before may be contaminated with bacteria your freshly treated lips may not be able to handle.

In general, permanent lip color is applied in 2 sessions to achieve a satisfactory pigment build-up. That’s why the 1st touch up is considered mandatory, but if you’re going for a light, transparent touch of color, it may not be necessary.

But when it comes to its longevity, the lip color tattoo requires touch ups in order to stay fresh and last longer.

The frequency of touch ups depends on your skin type and your lifestyle. Annual touch-ups are recommended if you want to maintain the color as long as possible. Also, you can change the shade of your permanent lip color at the touch up appointment.

People with oily skin should have a touch up a bit more often, about every 6 months. Also, people whose skin is very often exposed to the sun and saltwater might need to retouch their lip color tattoo more often. The color on these types of skin is prone to faster fading.

• Skin type. The primary factor that affects how long do lip tattoos last is your skin type. People with oily skin will need more frequent touch-ups in order to maintain the color since the excess sebum extracted from the pores around the lips pushes out the pigment.
• Lifestyle. Your lifestyle plays an important part, too. If you do a sport where you sweat or swim a lot, it is more likely that your tattooed lips will start losing their color faster. The same goes for smoking.
• Sunlight exposure. The sun can accelerate the fading of PMU pigments.
• Skincare products. Certain skincare ingredients cause PMU to fade faster, primarily Retinol and acids. The same goes for any mechanical exfoliation that removes pigmented cells.
• Touch ups. If you have frequent touch-ups, your permanent lip color will naturally last longer.