Inner lip tattoos are a growing trend among people who embrace the opportunity to get inked, but inner lip placement is still rare. However, they make a perfect choice for those who want a unique placement to keep their body art private.
Reasons for an Inner Lip Tattoo
Getting a tattoo is an artful but unique way to express yourself. A tattoo on the inner lip is different than other body art because it isn't readily visible. This contributes to the growing popularity of inner lip placement for a number of reasons. They are ideal for people who want a tattoo, but work in a setting that doesn't allow tattoos to show. A tattoo on the inner lip can be treated like a secret shared only with those who you want to know about it, because it doesn't show unless the wearer purposefully decides to show it off.
Other people choose an inner lip tattoo because of its unique placement choice for a different reason. Even though it doesn't show, it's the place to get inked to be different from everyone else. So for people ready to stand out, a tattoed lip is one way to do it.
Another reason some individuals decide on inner lip placement for their tattoo is that it works well for word tattoos that are considered highly offensive by the general public. If you're ready to sport a nasty offensive word in ink, the inner lip lets it stay hidden until you're ready to show it off.
Care for Lip Tattoos
No matter the reason for choosing a lip tattoo, special steps in aftercare are especially important because it is inside the mouth. When you first get inked, avoid food or liquids for several hours. Once you can start to eat, swish and rinse your mouth with an antibacterial, alcohol-free mouth wash before and after you eat anything. Do the same after smoking as well. On average you should rinse four to five times a day, but until that time it is important to keep the tattoo dry. The tattoo artist will give you a copy of aftercare instructions to be followed carefully to avoid risk of infection and to help prevent fading of the tat.
Pros and Cons of Inner Lip Placement
If you're thinking of getting a tattoo on your inner lip, consider the fact that they tend to fade rather quickly and often need to be touched up regularly. This fading is due to chemicals present in the mouth. In some cases, the tattoo fading can result in the tattoo disappearing in as little as a few weeks. However, if you take proper care of your tattoo it should last for at least a year and for some people may last for as many as five years.
The positive side to getting a tattoo on the inner lip is that some people claim it is said to be less painful than any other part of the body, however not everyone's pain threshold is the same and the chance exists that it may be a painful healing time.
Design Ideas for the Inner Lip
Designs choices for the inner lip are limited by the small size of the patch of skin available. The best selections are simple such as a word tattoos. Popular non-offensive words used to ink the inner lip include:
- Bite me
- Pain
- Ouch
- Peace
- Cool
- Lovely
- Boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse's name
Other Designs that Work for the Inner Lip
For those who want something other than a word tattoo for their inner lip other small designs work well. This can include symbols or:
- Heart tattoos
- Flower tattoos
- Skull tattoos
- Star tattoos
Before You Get Inked
No matter what design you choose, if you decide to go with a tattoo on your inner lip, go to a professional tattoo artist and have them test to be certain you aren't allergic to the ink. The day of your appointment, be sure to eat before you get the tat since no food or drink can be consumed for hours afterwards, and once you get home take care of your tat and follow the aftercare directions to reduce the risk of infection and keep it looking sharp for longer.
