Lip discoloration can be caused by hormonal changes, sun exposure, diet, or be a sign of oral cancer. Hormonal changes are the most common cause, especially in women, and can be treated with hydrocortisone, kojic acid, or topical retinoids. Smoking and excessive coffee consumption can also cause lip discoloration. Dentists check for signs of oral cancer during regular checkups.
Lip discoloration is the darkening or lightening of the lips from its usual coloration and is typically a benign symptom indicating a hormonal change. Other times it may simply be the result of irritation and sun exposure or a person’s diet. Rarely, lip discoloration is a sign of oral cancer. While this condition can occur in both genders, most cases occur in women.
Hormonal changes are usually the main cause of lip discoloration, especially in women and especially, women with darker skin tone. Pregnancy is often a time when you experience discoloration of the lips and other areas of the face as the body produces more estrogen. Similarly, discoloration can occur while a woman is taking birth control pills. Anyone receiving hormone therapy is also likely to experience some degree of discoloration. In these cases, the discoloration is likely to go away on its own over time, with little to no medical help.
Occasionally, if the area around the mouth is irritated by an acne treatment or waxing, the lips may darken if the skin is exposed to the sun for an extended period of time immediately following treatment. Prolonged exposure to the sun alone can also cause your lips to darken. This is especially true in areas with warmer climates. People with darker skin tones are usually more prone to this type of discoloration. In these cases, treatment of lip discoloration can be done using products that contain hydrocortisone, kojic acid, or topical retinoids. Doctors often suggest that the only way to prevent this type of discoloration is to use lip products with SPF 15 or higher.
Other benign causes are usually the result of diet. People who drink excessive amounts of coffee or smoke can develop lip discoloration. Generally, the only way to restore the lips to their original pigmentation is not to take these substances or to reduce them. Additionally, people who experience lip discoloration from smoking may later develop oral cancer.
On rare occasions, blotchy or whitish lip discoloration is a sign of an oral cancer. This discoloration is usually subtle and largely goes unnoticed by most people. Typically, a dentist checks for this and other signs of oral cancer during regular checkups. If oral cancer is suspected, the dentist will refer the patient to a specialist for further inspection.
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