Inner Lip Tattoos: Pros, Cons and Aftercare

Tattoos in the inner lip are a new trend, especially among teens. It has its pros and cons. It is hidden and cannot be seen, thus you are saved from being misjudged by employers or anyone else, but it is also a bit of a pain to take care of.

Firstly, if you are considering getting any type of tattoo you should do your research so that you can find a safe and clean tattoo parlor that uses surgically sterile needles. It would be horrible to get an infection in your mouth because an artist wasn't clean.

Speaking of artist, it is vital that you find a tattoo artist that has experience in doing tattoos in the inner lips. A lot of artist refuse to do them because it's a bit of a mess and its hard to get the ink to stay. Make sure the tattoo artist you choose knows what he or she is doing or else they'll make a mess of the inside of your mouth and make you pay for something that looks horrible. To help the artist you should also try to bring them a picture of what you want tattooed, even if it is only words. It gives them a template to work with.

Don't be nervous when you're getting your tattoo. This is really important because you will probably be responsible for holding your lip while the artists works. If you don't have a high tolerance for pain you may want to reconsider. However, the pain isn't unbearable, I know because I have one. There are not a lot of sensitive nerves in your lip that can trigger to your brain your feeling pain.

After care for your tattoo is extremely important. Forty percent of inner lip tattoos completely fade away in the first year from improper care. There are many instances in drastic fading in the first few days. Follow your tattoo artists recommendations. They are an expert they know what they're talking about at least most of the time. Its important that you keep your lip as dry as possible. Besides that there's not much you have to do. Do not use mouth wash or rinse because the alcohol in things like that will make the ink fade. Vitamin A & D ointment works well to help keep out bacteria. After about four days what you have is what you got.

If you've experienced fading in the first few days, don't be discouraged. After the swelling has gone down in a week or two you can get your tattoo retouched. Most artist don't charge to retouch their own work. The tattoo doesn't fade as much after the retouch as it did during the initial tattooing, but a third and fourth retouch are common. If properly cared for your tattoo will last an extended amount of time. You will still have to get a retouch every year or so. If not it will just disappear.