I review the medical history of every one of my Permanent Makeup clients to make sure that they are a good candidate for my procedures. I’m mostly looking for allergies and possible contraindications, but for lip clients, I especially want to see if they’ve had cold sores (also called fever blisters or herpes simplex virus-1 and HSV-1).

For those who have experienced a “break out” on the lips, it’s highly recommended that they consult with a doctor prior to undergoing a Permanent Makeup procedure on the lips to obtain a prescription to prevent a cold sore breakout: the procedure stimulates the eruption of cold sores for those who carry the HSV-1 virus in their system. Many physicians will prescribe 10-14 capsules of 500mg Valtrex or Zovirax, typically taken two times a day, two days before the procedure, the day of the procedure and for up to four days afterwards. You may even want to ask for additional capsules to keep on hand in the event of a breakout outside of this procedure.

And one last thought, for those of you who must contend with cold sores, a client recently told me that she uses Lactinex to get rid of cold sores once they appear. I had never heard of this probiotic supplement before, but it’s getting some good reviews on WebMD for cold sore relief.