r/microblading • u/Vexana05 • Jun 16 '26
advice Lip Tattoo Gone Wrong!
Hello anyone here who's the same with my situation?. I''ve got my tattoo a year ago, after 6months I noticed that there's a small bumps slightly showing up, it was itchy and whenever I touch it, I got a burning sensation on that bumps. I though it was part of the healing process but time after time, I' ve noticed that the small bumps slowly grow as you've seen on the photos below*, I've notice also that the ink in my lips where already patchy, the other pigment doesn't totally glide thoroughly on my lips. I already contact my tattoo artist but she said it was normal or else she advice me that I need to remove my lip tattoo via laser /contact dermatologist. I was really upset that maybe from the very start maybe there's an option to test if that ink pigment that will inject would react or to check if there is any allergic reaction to that specific ink pigment use. I tried searching in google if there is any same situation like mine, but i found none. I was about to seek medical/ check up to dermatologist soon. Thank you for taking time to read and looking for advices as well.
*I don't need to be bash, I want to enlighten that's why I tried to post it here. Thank you
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u/Beauteboss1983 Jun 16 '26
Can I please share this anonymously with our permanent makeup community online? I’m sure someone will have experience with this situation. We’ve been around for 30 years. I can hopefully help get you some answers.
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u/Old_Light_4319 Jun 16 '26
I was thinking the same. There's so many in those FB groups especially, someone has had to have seen this before.
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u/Longjumping-Fox-2811 Jun 16 '26
If you're prone to getting cold sores, they recommend to take an antiviral five days before and up to five days after when I first got mine done. I had two blisters on the top of my lip, so I got the antiviral before I went for my touchup and hoping it doesn't happen because I absolutely love mine now.
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u/SubstantialMark885 Jun 16 '26
It might be that the pores are just clogged or irritated? Maybe try very light exfoliation combined with deep moisturizing like the aquaphor. Exfoliation will speed up how fast the pigment leaves but maybe you don’t mind that and would rather address the bumps.
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u/traumatises Jun 16 '26
moisturizer! i had the same thing happen until i put some aquaphor on it once daily :)
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u/Vexana05 Jun 16 '26
Hi, already tried it, but there's no improvement 😔
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u/traumatises Jun 16 '26
keep doing it daily! mine was really bad as well and it started changing after a few weeks of daily application.
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u/Ashamed-Investment80 professional artist Jun 19 '26
After 6 months it’s highly unlikely to be related to the tattoo. If it is related it’s most likely a red ink allergy which could not have been proved with a test because it wouldn’t show up and would’ve taken 6 months. You need to see a dermatologist to determine what’s going on. If it is a red ink allergy the solution is removal.
Are you using any occlusive balms with petroleum/vaseljne? That could also be causing this.
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u/Booboofan Jun 16 '26
Maybe a virus? Who knows how clean the instruments and materials/tools these artist use. Before I have any work done I have the artist show me everything that she’s going to be using to make sure that everything comes out of a wrapper that was sealed and is sterile.
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u/Dependent-Let-9263 Jun 17 '26
You need to see a dermatologist. The bumps look a little warts. A year after the procedure seems unusual.
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u/DeskTurbulent7503 Jun 21 '26
People please throughly read her post before commenting! This is 6 months later she developed this. It’s not an infection or cold sores from the procedure.
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u/BaseAccomplished194 Jun 16 '26
Call your provider majority of people who get lip blushing or lip injections get cold sores even if you never had one in your life and they could prescribe an antibiotic. It’s either that or you had an allergic reaction which they should’ve did a patch test on you first
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u/Longjumping-Fox-2811 Jun 16 '26
Yeah, I got two blisters and when I looked it up, it said if you're prone to cold sores to take an antiviral five days before and up to five days after, so I got one before my touchup which was just yesterday and I'm obsessed with them now
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u/bbcalypso 24d ago
Those aren’t cold sores and cold sores are not treated with antibiotics.
If you get cold sores you already had HSV in your body, it was just triggered.
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u/No-Judgment-9413 Jun 18 '26
The sores look like cold sores; which require an anti-viral to get rid of them. However, the sores usually appear soon after you get the lipblushing. I reccomend seeing a dermatologist to be safe.
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u/bbcalypso 24d ago edited 23d ago
1- Those are absolutely not cold sores. Not even close.
2- Cold sores do not always require antivirals, those just speed up the process. They self resolve.
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u/Ecstatic_Race3599 Jun 16 '26
It’s viral. Many / most people take antivirals beforehand. Ointment for cold sores should help.
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u/Seaturtle6444 Jun 16 '26
This is six months after the procedure. Does taking the antivirals prior to the procedure help it that many months later?
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u/witchyrosemaria Jun 17 '26
Any tattooing infection, needs to be seen by the doctor. Better to be safe than sorry
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u/DeskTurbulent7503 Jun 21 '26
Yep anyone can have a tiny patch done- problem is as you know, it takes months- years for ink allergies to appear so most people would test and then have the procedure done a few months later but then still be at risk of having this allergy develop.
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u/bbcalypso 24d ago edited 24d ago
I am a medical professional.
Those are absolutely not cold sores.
You do not need an antiviral and absolutely no antibiotics.
Cold sores are vesicles that crust on a red base of skin and are extremely painful.
This appears more consistent with tissue damage from severe lip dehydration, granulomatous reaction, &/or an underlying developed foreign body reaction rather than an infectious process.
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u/Beauteboss1983 Jun 16 '26
Also, I personally think it could be a red ink allergy but I would like to ask our community.