Are Lip Tattoos Riskier Than Other Tattoos?
As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration points out, all tattoos have risks. The risks most commonly associated with tattoos include infection, an allergic reaction to the ink, swelling, rashes or scarring.
Inner lip tattoos might be particularly prone to infection because of the high numbers of bacteria that make a home in your mouth, Global News notes. There's also a risk of irritation at the tattoo site, especially if you eat acidic foods, such as citrus fruits, vinegar or tomatoes, or if you smoke or chew tobacco.
It's also worth noting that lip tattoos, both inside and outside of the mouth, tend to fade more quickly than other types of tattoo. Inner lip tattoos are most likely to fade away because of the way the inner lip area heals. For many people, an inner lip tattoo will only last for a few years. In some cases, the tattoo might fade away entirely after just a few months.
Lipstick or lip liner tattoos won't completely fade away like inner lip tattoos, but the color on them does fade with time, as your lips produce new skin cells and older cells slough off. Allure notes that permanent makeup tattoos often use pigment rather than tattoo ink, which creates a more natural look but also increases the rate at which the color fades.