Tech Talk #43: Lip Cosmetic Tattooing and Colour Correction

The Challenges of Cosmetic Lip Tattooing and Colour Correction

Full lip cosmetic tattooing can be a bit more complex than other areas, mainly because the lips are covered with a membrane rather than regular skin. This membrane is thinner, which gives lips their natural pink or red tone. It’s also more sensitive, as the nerve endings sit closer to the surface. And because there are no oil glands, the lips tend to be drier—something to keep in mind during both the procedure and aftercare.

• Technique considerations
• Hyperpigmentation risk
• Lip undertones and colour correction
• Risks of laser removal on titanium dioxide

Considerations for cosmetic tattoo lip treatments

The anatomy of your lips, specifically the relative thinness of the skin, means that a technician’s technique must be excellent.  Too cautious and there will not be enough pigment. Too deep and there is a high risk of hyperpigmentation if melanocytes are traumatised. The more highly coloured (red/pink) skin can impact the healed colour, and hyperpigmentation will create a blue or purple surface colour. 

Hyperpigmentation occurs when the melanocytes (the cells responsible for producing and containing melanin) are damaged or overstimulated from the deeper pigment placement. If a pigment is used with strong opacity, usually due to a high titanium dioxide content, the consequences of hyperpigmentation can be minimised.

Colour correction — correcting natural lip pigmentation with PMU

Colour correction is a crucial part of cosmetic lip tattooing; PMU artists will all face a client who wants a specific colour or result that is unrealistic due to their existing strong undertone.

Lips have cool, warm, and neutral undertones, so these can also require colour compensation, depending on the opacity of the pigment.

Depending on the opacity of the pigment used, certain undertones may require colour correction to achieve a balanced and desired final shade. One of the most common correction needs are for blue or purple lip tones that have results from pigment placed too deeply or naturally strong cool undertones.

To counteract, an orange corrector or adjuster pigment is used to neutralise these tones and bring warmth back to the lips. Understanding colour correction will allow for safer and more aesthetic results for cosmetic tattooed lips.

Example of blue undertone lip correction using 870 Orange Juice from Nouveau Contour, performed by THink Aesthetics.

Note — if a client has attempted to have laser removal, this is usually disastrous and will typically have turned any white titanium dioxide to blue-black titanium dioxide. Colour correction and a high opacity pigment is required to camouflage the pigment. Full lip tattoo removal can be attempted with THink Pigment Remover, noting that this is a delicate procedure that should only be performed by highly skilled technicians.

Want to learn more about titanium dioxide removal? Check out Tech Talk #7 where we talk all about it: https://mbccosmetictattoo.com.au/blogs/tech-talk/7-titanium-dioxide-in-lip-pigments