Black patches on the lips? this 6 causes and how to fix it

Various causes of black spots on the lips, plus how to fix them

Allergic reactions

Source: Health O Sphere

Dark patches on your lips that appear suddenly can be an allergic reaction, especially if you've recently used a new product - whether it's lipstick, lip balm (lip balm). This allergic reaction is known as contact pigment cheilitis.

Other causes of cheilitis are green tea which may contain nickel or from the hair dye used in facial hair

How to fix it

Stop using the product.

Make sure the beauty products you use don't expire, and are stored in the proper way recommended on the label. Expired beauty products can trigger allergies because they are prone to growing bacteria or fungi more quickly.

Excess iron

The congenital condition of hemochromatosis causes the body to store most of the iron from the daily diet. One of the symptoms is the appearance of black and gray spots on the skin, including the skin of the lips.

Apart from hemochromatosis, excess iron can also be caused by receiving too many blood transfusions or taking too many iron supplements.

How to overcome

To solve this problem, you need to further consult with your doctor. There are several actions that will be taken later. For example, your doctor may drain some of your blood with a phlebotomy procedure or you may be asked to donate blood regularly, and administer special medications to reduce excess iron.

Vitamin B12 deficiency

If you are deficient in vitamin B-12 intake from both food and supplements, this condition also has the potential to cause dark patches on your lips.

How to overcome

Vitamin B-12 deficiency must be diagnosed by a doctor first. After that, the doctor will prescribe a vitamin B-12 supplement. He may also recommend that you eat more foods that contain this vitamin.

In cases of severe vitamin B-12 deficiency, treatment is through weekly injections of vitamin B12 or high doses of B-12 supplements.

Angiokeratoma

Angiokeratoma is damage that occurs above the skin tissue. Angiokeratomas can vary in spot size, shape, and color. Most often angiokeratomas show a dark red or black color.

The surface of these patches is uneven and looks like warts. These black spots do not only appear on the lips but can be found on the skin which produces mucus.

Angiokeratoma appears more frequently in older people.

How to overcome

Although these are usually harmless, doctors should carefully examine each angiokeratoma to ensure that it is not a precursor to cancer.

Angiokeratoma black spots can be removed with a laser or by a clotting process.

Sunspot

If the black patches on your lips feel scaly or crusty, you may have actinic keratosis or sunspots.

These spots can have the following characteristics:

Small in size
The color is brownish or red
The texture is dry, rough and crusty
It can be flat or embossed

Apart from the lips, this keratosis can appear on areas exposed to other sunlight such as the face, ears, neck, or hands.

How to overcome

Keratosis is considered a precursor to cancer. So, it is important for the doctor to examine these spots carefully. Not all keratoses are then active and have the potential to become cancerous, so not all of them need to be removed.

Your doctor will decide the best method for treatment, which includes cryosurgery, topical cream application, chemical peel, or surgical removal of the spot.

Dehydration

Lack of fluids, aka dehydration, makes lips dry and chapped, which over time can peel off and cause scars like black spots.

How to overcome

Make sure to drink at least 8 glasses per day. If you are required to do frequent activities in the sun, protect your lips with lip balms that contain sunscreen, and avoid licking your lips.

Once you re-hydrate yourself, the dark spots will fade away on their own.