AFTER CARE TREATMENT FOR THE LIPS
- Keep lips covered with a layer of bacitracin ointment continually until you finish peeling. Average peeling time is 3 to 7 days.
- Drink all fluids through a straw until lips have peeled.
- Cut your food into small bites to eat, do not bite into anything until your lips have peeled.
- Wrap your pillow in plastic wrap at night and replace with a fresh wrap in the morning. This keeps your pigment from sticking to your pillowcase at night.
- Do not use a back and forth motion on lips when applying ointment. Tap your ointment on with a Q-Tip.
- Avoid moisture to the lips such as Hot Soup, Hot Cocoa, or Hot Coffee for 5 days. Drink everything through a straw until lips completely peel. Do not STRETCH the LIPS.
- Do not stand in front of a hot shower and let the water hit your face. Avoid water on the new pigmented areas as much as possible, the First 5 days. (when showering, washing face, etc. have ointment on the pigmented area to protect the lips from water).
- Absolutely NO SCRUBBING the area. Allow the lips to peel off on their own.
- Absolutely no soaps, cleansing creams, or chemicals on the area. Wash your face carefully avoiding the area for 5 days.
- Do not expose the lips to direct sunlight (tanning or tanning bed) for 4 weeks. This is new skin and will sunburn easily. If going to the lake, ball games etc use of lip gloss/ cover with sunblock of at least 30 spf to protect the lips.
- Chapstick may be used on the lips after the 4th week.
- Avoid wearing lipstick for 4 weeks.
HEALING TIME
Expect moderate swelling, usually one to three days following the procedure and scabs will make the lips feel thick. Immediately after the procedure the lips will appear to be brighter and then darker than when they will be when fully healed. This is due to oxidation of the pigment and the redness of the skin.
The older you are the longer it takes to heal. Add a few days if you know you are a slow healer or diabetic. The following will affect how quickly or slowly you heal. Diet, stress, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, age, general health, sleep/fatigue. The more fatigued you are the lower your immune system is and infection is more likely to occur.
SWELLING
Ice can be applied around the area but not directly on the area. No ice directly on lips. Sleeping slightly elevated will also help to prevent swelling.
