Dark Lip Correction Treatment

Our lips are one of our most prominent features. Beauty standards have always appreciated soft, pink lips and labeled them as attractive and irresistible. So, it is easy to understand why people may be conscious of pigmented lips.

Not all of us have naturally red or subtly pink lips. Melanin-rich skin and hyperpigmentation can be the reason behind darker or paler sets of lips. Sometimes, injuries or skin disorders can also be the cause of discoloration.

Dark Lip Correction Treatment is a method by which people can achieve brighter, lighter, and even-toned lips. This procedure also defines the outlines of the mouth for a fuller appearance. The treatment works on light-colored lip clients that want to accentuate the contours of their lips.

Dark lips color correction with lip permanent makeup tattoo

Every person is unique- they have their own skin type, color, preferences, and past experiences. Consequently, the approach to permanent makeup for dark lips is a customized procedure that requires attention to each detail and great caution.

The treatment involves injecting pigment implants into the dermal layers of the lips to alter their color artificially. This process also emphasizes the shape and size of the lips for a fuller appearance. It provides a subtle symmetry to the natural lip shape of the client.

How does it work?

The skin color is determined by cells known as melanocytes. These melanocytes are in the epidermis of the body and secrete a substance known as melanin. Melanin primarily acts as a defense mechanism against the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. But it is also responsible for imparting skin and lip color. 

In the dark lip correction treatment, artificial pigments of different shades are injected or tattooed onto the lips. The pigments enter the body and interact directly with the melanin. Depending on the pigments injected and their reaction with melanin, you can obtain a new lip color. Since there is no way to predetermine the final color accurately, a particular shade cannot be guaranteed by this procedure.

However, the process does ensure that darker lips are left with a much lighter, brighter, and even-toned. This process can also enhance light-colored lips into plump peachy sets of lips.

This technique has attracted a lot of attention throughout the years and has become quite popular among both men and women alike. However, some artists are hesitant to practice the treatment. Permanent makeup for dark lips is an expert technique that requires skill and knowledge.

Dark Lip Correction Treatment- The Process

Step 1. Consultation: Who can get dark lip color correction?

You can do the Dark lip correction treatment only in cases of hyperpigmentation and melanin-rich lips. Not everyone is eligible for this procedure. The first step of this treatment is a sit-down with interested clients.

During the consultation session, the client is questioned about existing skin conditions, trauma, hormonal disorders, etc., to better understand the cause of pigmented lips. Only after thorough vetting can clients schedule their first appointment for lip blushing.

The consultation is also essential to decide what pigments can be used and determine the skin healing reactions to the wounds. Each body and its dermal layers recover differently- some may heal lighter or darker than their skin tone after scratch or injury.

Considering the lips are much more fragile and thinner than the rest of the body, this immune reaction significantly affects the pigment and the overall procedure. So, it is discussed with the client before moving ahead.

This initial discussion with the client also warns them about certain after-effects of the permanent makeup for dark lips.

The procedure may induce hyper- or hypopigmentation. If a person shows evidence of hyperpigmentation (dark uneven spots), the added trauma from this treatment may result in further pigmentation of the lips.

Although less common in melanin-rich-skinned individuals, Hypopigmentation causes white (lighter than the skin tone) spots. Undergoing color correction treatment further injures the skin and can create new spots.

Step 2. First Session of Dark Lip Correction Treatment

Ethnic lip-coloring is a complex procedure that requires knowledge and experience of color theory and color-mixing.

In the first sitting of dark lip correction, the main goal is to neutralize the cool tones, especially for ethnic skin tones. This session will help to reduce the darkness of lips by using warm-based pigments.

The darker the original color of the skin, the warmer and brighter the pigments you must choose.

Generally, shades of red, orange, and yellow are preferred to lift the base color and neutralize the lips. Subtle tones of gold to yellow are recommended for lips with deep blue and darker purple undertones in their pigmentations. Pigments of warmer colors, ranging from orange to brighter pinks, are used as correctors for subtle blue undertones.

After the first session of the neutralization process, the healing period can extend anywhere between six to eight weeks, sometimes even more (depending on the individual). During these weeks, the injected pigment color will start to fade. Just after the procedure, the lips may appear bright pink to red. This intensity will remain the same for about five days to up to a week.

After around two weeks, the brightness obtained from the first neutralization session will begin to decline once the pigment starts to interact with the melanin of the body. The intensity will go down to roughly 60% of what it was initially.

Depending upon the final color achieved after the first procedure and its healing process, the second session could either be the second cycle of naturalization or the use of targeted pigment color.

If you achieve an even-toned, light canvass after one round of neutralization, you can use targeted pigments. However, in general, canceling the darkness or neutralizing the skin color takes about two to three sessions.

Step 3. Second Session Dark Lip Correction Treatment

Once the artist decides if the results are good enough and that the skin has reached a lighter and even color, the colored tattooing using targeted pigments can begin.

Targeted pigment colors will include warmer and brighter shades. In the coloring phase of the treatment, the use of pinks and reds is common. When dealing with darker skin tones, the artist avoids pigments of blue, violet, or carbon black.

It is important to note that this procedure cannot guarantee you a definite lip color. The only promise is that the client will get lighter and brighter lips, but one cannot determine the actual shade beforehand. The results ultimately depend upon the healing procedure and how the body reacts to the pigments introduced by microinjections.

The Dark Lip Color Correction Treatment also enhances the natural shape and provides slight upliftment to the lips and a more symmetrical look. 

Pale lips color correction with lip blushing.

Pale or light-colored lips can also get transformed into natural-looking pairs of pink lips. Fading of color is a common issue faced by several people. Aging, smoking, dietary insufficiency, allergens in lipsticks, a lot of dryness, or constant cold sores can cause this fading. Stretching of the skin due to lip fillers also experiences a dull appearance of their once blush pink lips.

Color correction technique by injecting nude or bright-colored pigments can solve this problem and restore the former glory of luscious lips.

FAQs on Dark Lip Correction Treatment

1.  How long does the effect of the treatment last?

The permanent tattoo makeup for the treatment of dark lips (or pale lips) lasts anywhere between a year and a half to two years or more. Once the color starts to fade, the client can book a color refresh session. You may achieve this revamp process in a single session instead of multiple sittings (unlike the first time). A touch-up every 9 to 12 months is often recommended.

2.  Why does the treatment require multiple sessions?

This procedure may take up to four to five or more sessions, depending upon the healing results and the number of sessions it takes to neutralize the color of the skin.

The process cannot be done in a single go as it causes trauma to the skin and the lips. An artist would want to limit the number of passes or pigment layers not to overwork and permanently damage the skin.

Overdoing the procedure without giving the skin time to heal may end up causing even more pigmentation and injury to the lips.

3.  How long is the healing period?

The healing process varies from person to person and relies on many different factors, including lifestyle, immune response, the extent of treatment, etc.

In general, an average body takes four to six days to repair the lips’ outer structure. But the reconstruction of the inner dermal layers may take up to two to three weeks. It may take up to five to six weeks for the end results after every session.

4.  What to expect after the procedure?

Just after the treatment is complete, the lips are swollen and puffed. The pigment will make the lips look much brighter (or darker) than the actual result. The swelling goes down in under two to four hours after the process is complete.

The lip pigment starts to fade continuously from day-5 up to a few weeks post-treatment. In the end, around 60% of the lip pigment will fade out, leaving behind a soft and lighter pair of lips.

Right after the treatment, the lips may feel dry and tender to the touch. In the healing period, the lip color will appear spotty, and the skin will peel off. This is due to the oxidation of the pigment and the regeneration of new skin.

To learn more schedule a call with Kim today!