There have, as with many things, been many variations applied to the world of tattooing. From ‘accidental’ tattoos to scarification, UV tattoos, and many others, there have been myriad trends in the world of body art. One such movement is the practice of lip tattoos.
Lip tattoos are, as the name implies, ink work applied to the inner portion of the lip (most commonly the bottom lip, although the inner upper lip is also worked on.) It is a rather curious location for body art to be placed, considering that it is even under the most unusual circumstances a place where no one will ever see it unless it is deliberately shown to them. As one would expect, this is a common practice among the “hardcore” tattooing crowd as well as often times being used as a location for criminal tattoos. Many times the words tattooed on the inner lip are either very personal or highly offensive.
This particular tattoo placement can be applied often to exploit the lack of visibility, the bearer placing work on the inner lip that they simply do not want to advertise. Of course, this is not the only reason for it. It can be a point of pride for the bearer to have work in such an unusual location, particularly one so obviously awkward. Imagine spending a few days of your life with the inside of your lip healing. Those of us with ink work know that particular feeling and having it inside your mouth certainly cannot be a pleasant experience. Along with the sensation of healing, the flavor of blood and ink would be undoubtedly unpleasant. As with any piece, these inner lip tattoos have a list of pros and cons.
Surprisingly, most say that the application of the tattoo itself is not at all painful and the process is somewhat simpler than with other locations. In general, simply rinsing your mouth with mouth wash prior to the piece is the only prep work before the artist can begin. Aftercare is almost the same as with a tongue piercing, in other words rinsing your mouth after meals and after smoking, and not eating or drinking for several hours after application.
One major drawback to these inner lip tattoos is that they have a tendency to fade. Though sometimes the tattoo will work fine with the first application, more often than not one if not several touchups are required over a period of time. Many times the tattooed individual simply gives up after the first few attempts at touching up the piece.
Taking these factors into account, this particular trend in tattooing is no different from any other. Whether or not it is the right route for you to go is simply dependant upon your own personal preferences and your own reasons for wanting the piece. As with any tattoo, one should always choose a reputable, safe parlor and a quality artist to do the work, and follow the aftercare guidelines provided.