White spots on the lips can be small in the form of small specks, or the formations merge together to form a large spot, in any case they cause discomfort. The causes of spots are usually associated with the presence of viruses in the body, fungal or sexually transmitted diseases.
White spots on the lips appear as a result of a virus or fungus entering the human body
Stomatitis
Stomatitis is an inflammation of the oral mucosa, which can occur in mild and severe forms. The development of pathology is possible at any age. Risk factors for the appearance of white pimples on the inside of the lip include insufficient hygiene, smoking, and lack of iron in the diet. In this case, genetics and gender do not matter.
Causes of Fordyce granules
This is a light rash that can form on the lips, cheeks, genitals and groin area, on the chest, oral mucosa, and other places. At the moment they are not considered a pathology, but sometimes cause discomfort. Another name for granules is seborrheic cysts. They are not transmitted by contact and are more of an aesthetic defect.
Most often, their occurrence occurs during puberty, when hormonal changes occur in the body. It is believed that the formation of these white pimples on the lips may be due to the close location of the sebaceous glands to the surface of the skin.
There are the following reasons for the appearance of white pimples on the lip:
- smoking;
- abnormal location of the sebaceous glands;
- improper care;
- hormonal disorders;
- narrowing of the excretory canals of the sebaceous glands.
This rash may resolve on its own.
What to do if pimples appear on your lips?
If you have pimples on your lips, you shouldn’t immediately run to the pharmacy for saving ointment. Despite popular misconception, the term “acne” does not refer to any specific disease. The rash can be a manifestation of many dermatoses. Only a specialist, having studied her character and collected anamnesis, will be able to prescribe adequate treatment.
With acne, inflammation around the lips is usually rare, but if the rash around the lips turns out to be acne, the doctor may prescribe topical antibiotics18. These include Clindovit® gel. Its main active ingredient is clindamycin phosphate, which upon contact with the skin is hydrolyzed to form clindamycin6. The drug is active against propionibacteria and helps reduce the level of free fatty acids6. To reduce the risk of developing antibiotic resistance, it is recommended to combine the use of Clindovit® with azelaic acid preparations (Azelik® gel) or benzoyl peroxide28.
Features of therapy
When Fordyce granules are identified, no specific treatment is usually prescribed, but if their accumulation is large enough, the most effective method for getting rid of white spots in each individual case can be prescribed:
- a course of physiotherapeutic procedures (for example, Darsonval currents);
- hardware procedures (electrocoagulation, cryotherapy, laser correction);
- cosmetic procedures (application of jojoba oil, retinol, etc.)
- radical method of surgical excision.
Often, women, having noticed white dots under the skin on their upper lip, mask the unpleasant defect with permanent makeup, but this method of getting rid of the problem can only aggravate the situation, provoking the risk of infection. For the same reason, and also in order to prevent scarring of the affected tissues, it is not recommended to try to squeeze out, cut off, or cauterize dots or spots yourself.
If the cause of the appearance of subcutaneous neoplasms is internal pathologies, treatment should be prescribed and strictly monitored by a doctor, since the elements of the rash in this case act not only as an unpleasant cosmetic defect, but also as a symptom of a dangerous disease.
Types of lip diseases
Cheilitis can be divided into several categories. Here are their names:
- exfoliative;
- glandular;
- meteorological;
- actinic;
- atopic;
- eczematous;
- candida.
In addition, there are other diseases that are not related to cheilitis. Therefore, dryness, peeling, crust formation, and a red border near the lips are causes for serious concern and a reason for examining the entire body.
Atopic cheilitis
Atopic cheilitis is sometimes called allergic because it is caused by various irritants. The cause of the disease can be food or cosmetics. It turns out that the allergen affects the skin of the lips both from the inside and outside.
The disease manifests itself as inflammation of the red border of the lips. The skin becomes dry and peels. Cracks, itching and burning may occur.
Most often, children and adolescents suffer from lip allergies. Often it is the only symptom of neurodermatitis or atopic dermatitis.
Glandular cheilitis
Glandular cheilitis is an inflammation of the salivary glands, which are located on the surface of the mucous membrane of the lips.
The disease is more common in men over 50 years of age and is characterized by the following symptoms:
- noticeable red dots appear on the lower lip;
- copious secretion of saliva from the inflamed glands, the appearance of “dew drops”;
- dryness, cracks and erosion;
- Bacteria can enter the irritated canals, leading to the formation of pus.
There are primary and secondary forms of glandular cheilitis. The primary disease develops due to genetic predisposition. Secondary lip disease can be caused by lupus, oral leukoplakia, or lichen planus.
Meteorological cheilitis
People have to deal with this disease all the time. Standard chapping, which more often appears in winter, is meteorological cheilitis.
The first sign of the disease is a feeling of skin tightness. In advanced cases, it turns red, dries out, and becomes covered with cracks. This lip inflammation can be treated at home. It is enough to isolate yourself from harmful factors, moisturize and nourish the skin until it is completely restored.
Eczematous cheilitis
Eczematous cheilitis is one of the manifestations of eczema - an inflammatory process of a neuroallergic nature, which most often manifests itself on the face or dry areas of the body. Usually the disease is accompanied by constant dryness and redness. In advanced cases, the skin begins to peel off and become covered with blisters.
The disease often affects the tissue around the lips, so the patient may develop a red border, as in the photo on the right. This area of skin is constantly itchy and itchy.
If the disease is chronic, the symptoms are less pronounced. But in this case, seals appear on the skin.
Actinic cheilitis
Many people believe that lips need to be protected only in winter. Therefore, it is at this time of year that people stock up on moisturizing and nourishing balms to relieve dry and itchy lips. However, delicate skin must be protected not only from frost, but also from the burning sun.
With increased sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation and prolonged exposure to open areas, actinic cheilitis forms. His symptoms are standard:
- dryness, flaking;
- redness and swelling;
- compaction of individual areas.
If you do nothing, your lips become crusty. This is how the body tries to somehow protect the vulnerable part of the face. This symptom appears less frequently than others.
In advanced cases, ulcers, erosions and small compactions occur around the oral cavity. This condition is precancerous.
Exfoliative cheilitis
The exfoliative form of the disease occurs due to stress and disturbances in the functioning of the immune system. Genetic predisposition plays a major role. If your parents had this disease, there is a high risk that you will develop it too.
Exfoliative cheilitis on the lips occurs in two forms: exudative and dry. In the first case, you can observe the so-called yellow lips (pictured). A dense crust of this shade forms on the skin.
The yellow crust is easy to tear off; this process does not cause much discomfort. There are no erosions or other damage under the crust.
In the dry form of the disease, a crust also forms on the lips, but not yellow, but a lighter shade. The patient is concerned about dry skin, which explains the name of the disease. There is a desire to lick your teeth, but it is better not to do this: you can cause an infection and provoke more irritation.
Candidal cheilitis
If the lips are red, inflamed and crusted with a cheesy coating of white or yellowish color, it means that the cause of these symptoms is candidiasis. If you clean off the plaque, inflamed areas of skin will be exposed. How such a lip disease manifests itself is shown in the photo.
The disease occurs due to the excessive development of the Candida fungus. The pathogen lives on the human mucous membranes constantly, but the active development of the fungus begins only under favorable conditions, which include:
- decreased immunity due to past illnesses or lack of nutrients;
- long-term use of antibiotics;
- a sharp change in climate to a hotter and more humid one.
Fungal inflammation of the lips begins externally, but can spread to the internal tissues of the oral cavity, thus leading to candidal stomatitis.
Lip cancer
Many of these diseases, if not given proper attention to their treatment, lead to cancer. Perhaps this is the most terrible disease that can affect the lips and oral cavity.
At first, the symptoms of cancer are unremarkable. The lips will turn red and there will be slight inflammation. The skin may become dry and cracked. If the patient moisturizes and nourishes the affected tissues, but the lips remain sore for several weeks, he should sound the alarm and consult a specialist. Later, ulcers and lumps may appear.
Usually, if treatment is started correctly and on time, the cancer recedes completely. Only in rare cases are relapses possible.
There is another disease that is compared to cancer - Manganotti syndrome. The disease manifests itself in the form of a noticeable ulcer on the lip, which is precancerous. However, due to the fact that in most cases the syndrome still develops into a tumor, it is more often classified as oncological diseases.
How to treat lips with cheilitis
The most important thing in treating cheilitis is to identify its cause, which is difficult to do without professional help. You'll have to contact a specialist. First, it is better to go to a therapist, and he will then refer you to a specialist doctor.
Typically, treatment for diseases of the lips and skin around the mouth is based on eliminating not the symptoms, but the root cause. It includes lifestyle changes, proper nutrition, and medication.
If the cause of inflammation is an infectious or fungal infection, local drugs are included in the therapy. Typically, patients are prescribed various medicinal ointments for external use, which must be applied to damaged skin several times a day:
- anti-inflammatory – Tetracycline, Erythromycin;
- antifungal – Clotrimazole;
- hormonal – Prednisolone.
To cure lips, you need to influence them not only from the outside, but also from the inside. The skin around the mouth often suffers from a lack of B vitamins, so they are often prescribed in the treatment of lips.
Features of cheilitis in children
Lips suffer due to minimal protection. In children it is even weaker, so cheilitis worries them somewhat more often. In addition to children, the risk group includes the elderly and pregnant women.
The main causes of cheilitis in childhood:
- allergic reaction to food;
- use of products for the care of the skin of the lips and around them, not intended for children;
- genetic predisposition;
- infectious and fungal infections;
- weather.
Typically, infantile cheilitis does not develop until critical stages. When children's lips turn red, parents immediately begin to treat them. After all, people pay more attention to the health of the younger generation than to their own. If cheilitis in children still requires treatment, therapy should not be delayed longer than a few weeks. The main thing is to remove all allergens from the children's diet and balance the diet.
Reasons why lip diseases develop
Human lips are very vulnerable, which often leads to redness, irritation, dryness, and even the formation of wounds and crusts. Most often, cheilitis develops under the influence of external factors.
: low temperature, wind, sun rays. Under their influence, the skin around the mouth dries out, which in itself is unpleasant. If you don't do anything about it, the problem will only get worse.
The second factor that causes lip diseases is various allergens. The culprit of the pathological reaction can be both food and cosmetics. Problems in the functioning of the internal systems of the body can also affect the face.
Most often, the delicate skin around the mouth suffers due to hormonal imbalances, fungal and viral infections. Vitamin deficiency, indigestion and general deterioration of immunity can aggravate the situation.
There are also less common causes of lip disease. They usually lead to certain types of cheilitis.
Prevention of milia
To prevent the occurrence of whiteheads on the face, you need to learn how to monitor the health of your skin, clean it properly, avoiding contamination, and buy suitable cosmetics. For example, if you have oily skin, it is better to refrain from using greasy, poorly absorbed creams. In this case, it is worth using gels.
To prevent the appearance of milia, it is also necessary to exfoliate the skin of the face and eye area. Apply cleansing masks, such as paraffin masks, which are good for eyelid skin.
And you definitely need to adjust your diet, minimizing fatty, sweet, flour, and fried foods.
In the medical department, everyone can undergo examination using the most modern diagnostic equipment, and based on the results, receive advice from a highly qualified specialist. We are open seven days a week and work daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Our specialists will help identify the cause of vision loss and provide competent treatment for identified pathologies.
You can find out the cost of a particular procedure or make an appointment at the Moscow Eye Clinic by calling 8 and 8 (499) 322-36-36 (daily from 9:00 to 21:00) or using the online registration form .
How to get rid of unpleasant symptoms at home
It is not worth treating at home without seeing a doctor. However, there are ways that you can resort to to reduce discomfort:
- If your lips become inflamed due to the sun or cold, it is advisable that they are always covered with a protective layer of balm.
- For severe itching and burning, which occur in almost all forms of cheilitis, cold compresses will help. Before applying them, the skin is covered with a layer of balm so that the lips are treated simultaneously with the reduction of pain.
- If your lips are red and covered with cracks, sores or any other open wounds, you need to make sure that bacteria do not get into them. The surrounding skin and teeth should be treated with a cotton pad soaked in hydrogen peroxide or Miramistin. Special antiseptic ointments will have the best effect.
- If pain and itching are unbearable, painkillers can be used. Ointments with a cooling effect will have the same effect.
All methods of folk treatment for cheilitis will be useless if you resort to them thoughtlessly - without consulting a doctor. In most cases, inflammation, redness and itching of the lips are harmless. Such symptoms can go away even without therapy, but sometimes they indicate dangerous diseases, so medical help should not be neglected.
How is it customary to deal with white spots under the skin of the lips in beauty salons?
In beauty salons, white spots on the lips are removed using laser therapy.
The procedure aimed at restoring the aesthetic appearance of the surface of the lips is performed as follows:
- The patient sits in a special chair to provide cosmetic services.
- The cosmetologist performs local anesthesia of the epithelial tissues that will be affected by the laser.
- After the anesthesia begins to take effect, the surface of the lips, covered with Fordyce granules, is exposed to a laser.
- Upon completion of the cosmetic procedure, the cosmetologist applies an antiseptic bandage.
In most cases, removal of Fordyce granules takes place in 1-2 stages, depending on the area of skin damage. Complete restoration of epithelial tissue occurs in 5-7 days. The new layer of epidermis has no signs of white spots and has a natural pink or flesh-colored tint.
Which doctor should I contact?
If white spots appear on the lips or around the mouth, you should visit a physician or dermatologist. After examination and diagnosis, consultation with a venereologist, infectious disease specialist, dentist, or cosmetologist may be required.
Consult a dermatologist for treatment of pathologies on the lips
Read also: How to restore intestinal microflora after antibiotics?
If ulcers and inflammation on the lips do not go away for more than two weeks, are accompanied by pain when swallowing, or a tumor in the neck area, consult a doctor.
Unpleasant complications after contouring - swelling and hematomas
From a medical point of view, slight swelling on the lips where the needle was pricked is quite natural. Microtrauma is caused to the vessels, hence the swelling. But it is still worth minimizing possible complications. Use the services of only professional cosmetologists, and follow all doctor’s recommendations. If a lip contouring session has already been performed and the result is not entirely successful, do not delay and immediately seek help from specialists. Attempts at self-medication will only worsen the situation.
Severe swelling is one of the side effects of filler, which is based on hyaluronic acid . Such preparations quite actively sublimate water. This situation is not considered a complication; the swelling subsides within 8–10 days. There are exceptions, but in cases of introducing a large volume of gel. Contrary to popular belief, it is not always possible to get rid of swelling with lymphatic drainage massage. We recommend reading how to remove lip filler without harm to your health.
