The Healing Process of Lip Blush: What You Need to Know.
🔒GETTING THE RESULTS THAT YOU WANT
Lip blush is one of the most rewarding PMU treatments, but it also has one of the most misunderstood healing processes. Your lips go through several temporary phases before the final colour emerges, and knowing what to expect makes the journey much easier.
If you’re planning your appointment (or you’ve just had it done), this guide walks you through the full healing cycle so you can feel confident every step of the way.
THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE HEALING PROCESS - Timings vary for each individual
👄 Stage 1: (Day 1-2)
Immediately after your lip procedure I’ll apply some soothing balm and go through your aftercare the aftercare step by step so you have the chance to ask me any of your questions. Some swelling is to be expected, and the pigment will look more intense for the first few days.
👄 Stage 2: (Day 2-3)
Swelling reduces, colour softens, this is the stage where lips can look uneven or “too dark” around the edges. DO NOT PANIC if your lips look uneven as they heal this is due to the swelling, and vascular staining (a temporary tint from the tiny vessels in the lip) which can make areas appear darker.
👄 Stage 3: (Day 4-6)
As the skin feels dry and begins to peel/flake off, your lip colour may vanish. Many clients worry they’ve “lost” the pigment, this is completely normal. The colour loss is temporary.
👄 Stage 4: (Day 7-14)
Flaking is usually gone, the lips look very soft, sometimes almost bare. The swelling is gone and the true lip shape returns. The Colour continues to rebuild invisibly under the surface
👄 Stage 5: (Week 6-7)
The colour will push back through around week 6-7, it will look a little patchy and uneven. This is normal and is the purpose of your complimentary retouch appointment.
👄 Stage 6: (Week 7) The Retouch Appointment
You will come back for a your retouch where I will make any necessary tweaks to the shape/colour. The pigment will be reintroduced to the skin The healing process will then begin again, and the aftercare MUST be followed.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
❓Why does my upper lip look darker or swollen after the treatment?
The upper lip has more tiny blood vessels and reacts more strongly to tattooing. Temporary swelling, bruising, or a darker halo is extremely common and always softens as the tissue settles.
❓Why has the colour almost disappeared?
This is the ghosting phase. The skin forms a new layer, which temporarily hides the pigment. It reappears over several weeks.
❓Is what I’m seeing within the first 6 weeks the final result?
No the true healed colour isn’t visible until between 6–7 weeks.
❓Why does lip blush heal so differently from brows?
Lip skin is thinner, more vascular, and more reactive. Brows don’t swell or bruise the same way, so the healing feels completely different.
❓Can hormones affect my healing?
Yes. Hormonal changes can influence how your lips react in the first few days. This is normal and temporary.
❓What if I want a darker colour?
The first session is always soft and natural to see how the skin heals and reacts to the colour. At the top-up, we can deepen the shade or make any necessary adjustments.
ABOUT CORRECTION WORK FOR UNEVEN / RECEDED LIPS AND ADDING NATURAL VOLUME
If you’re having correction work, redefinition, or a fuller shape, expect a beautiful transformation, but also expect it to happen across multiple sessions. This is normal, and it’s the safest way to create smooth, long-lasting, natural lip colour. Because of this, the first session usually heals very soft in those areas. It can take 2–3 sessions to rebuild the definition gradually and naturally.
Here’s why:
When the natural lip border has faded or receded
Some people lose pigment around the edges of their lips over time. When that happens, the skin outside the visible pink of the lip contains little to no natural lip colour.
This is normal, and it’s the safest way to create smooth, long-lasting, natural lip colour.
When balancing uneven symmetry
If one side of the lip sits slightly higher or lower, or has a softer edge, the first session often focuses on creating a subtle base shape. Session two (and sometimes three) refines the structure as the skin accepts more pigment.
When going slightly fuller
Going fuller requires staying within the vermilion border, but we can work right up to your natural edge to give the illusion of more volume. These areas also tend to heal lighter because the skin is more vascular and delicate. A second or third session ensures the colour holds evenly and blends seamlessly into the rest of the lip.
Why it takes time
Lips are highly vascular and react differently from brows.. Building colour and symmetry in these areas is a gentle, gradual process and this is exactly how we keep the healed result looking natural.
✅ TRUST THE PROCESS, I’VE GOT YOU COVERED!
Each stage of the lip blush healing process is part of a predictable cycle.
By following your aftercare and giving your skin the full 6–7 weeks it needs to reveal the true shade, you’ll achieve soft, natural, beautifully enhanced lips.
And if you want any refinements at your top-up, we’ll make them together.