Lip Discolouration & Pigmentation: Everything you need to know!

A blog by Dr. Umesh Nihalani

Pigmentation is part of the natural healing process. The layer of skin colour also protects the deeper structure of the skin from direct sun damage. That is the reason why one gets darker with sun exposure, which is a physiological process to protect the deeper skin layers. As the pigment cells take part in the inflammatory process, there are left-over colour changes after acute or chronic inflammation or skin damage. The amount of pigmentation that the skin makes from these various stimulants depends on the skin type and genetics.

What are the common causes of lip pigmentation? Are there lifestyle factors that can contribute to the darkening or discoloration of the lips?

Usually, there might not be a single cause that can aggravate the condition. Most of the time, it is multifactorial. Common causes of lip pigmentation include smoking, sun damage, iron and/or vitamin deficiency, hormone-induced genetics, drug reactions, contact dermatitis due to cosmetics, lip licking, lichen planus, and other skin diseases, etc.

Grooming techniques like hair colouring in mustaches or waxing of the upper lip can damage the skin.

Lifestyle factors like hormonal imbalance (which especially manifests pigmentation on the upper lip skin, in the mustache area called melasma), lip licking (usually stress-induced), smoking, too much caffeine intake, some toothpastes, etc. can also cause or aggravate the pigmentation.

Nowadays, various social media have influenced our lives a lot. We see many patients with pigmentation after over scrubbing the lips, using various cosmetics and remedies recommended by social media.

Are there effective home remedies or over-the-counter products for treating mild cases of lip pigmentation, or is professional intervention typically recommended?

Lips are very delicate parts of the body; they don’t have a hard keratin layer, which makes them more sensitive to harsh treatments. So, one has to choose the home care remedies with caution. Moreover, treatment of lip pigmentation is a long process. One has to be patient and give enough time to see the results.

The first step is to avoid the potential culprit. The second important step that is required is hydration—not only internal but also external hydration. If one has any active lip damage (which may be because of eczema, contact dermatitis, or whatever the other reason may be), the first step is to hydrate. With damage, one tends to lick the lips more often, which leads to more dryness and aggravates the condition, and the vicious cycle goes on. Good lip moisturizers will break that cycle.

Home care remedies that can help include hydrating the skin and using sunscreen. For hydration, one can use honey, coconut oil, or almond oil. For inflammation, one can use turmeric, which might help. For pigmentary changes after the acute episode is over, mild exfoliation using lemon or pomegranate may help. But these natural remedies may not suit everyone. Be cautious when using on very inflamed or irritated skin.

If the symptoms don’t improve in a few days, then professional advice should not be delayed.

What are the available medical procedures or treatments for more severe cases of lip pigmentation, and what factors should individuals consider when deciding on the most suitable option for them?

There are many pigmentation treatments and office procedures that can provide good results.

The first step in management is to find the cause and avoid it. The second step is to treat the damaged area with medications and a good moisturizer.

Once the skin is healed, depending on the extent of the pigmentation, treatment can be planned.

Treatment depends on the depth of pigmentation, the skin type and colour, lifestyle factors, etc.

The treatment options that are available include topical creams, chemical peels (a mild exfoliation of the upper layer of the skin that helps in reducing the pigmentation), and laser skin rejuvenation (popular laser skin rejuvenation machines like Q-Switched or Pico lasers penetrate deep into the skin layers and break the pigmentation, which is eventually washed away by blood circulation). In some cases where dehydration is the only problem and the moisturizers are not enough, tiny injections of hyaluronic acid help improve the hydration without any other volumetric changes. These treatments can also help enhance the lips aesthetically.