What causes bumps around mouth? Get insights on the reasons for itchy, painful or white bumps on corners of mouth, lip line, how to get rid and treat.
Bumps around Mouth
A person may develop bumps or a rush around the mouth just like any other area of the body. This kind of rushes are commonly known as perioral dermatitis. The rash may spread up to the nose or even can go to the area near eyes.
It usually appears as a scaly or red bumpy rash around the mouth. These bumps around mouth are more common in women between the ages of 16 to 45 years, but can be seen in all ages, races, and ethnicities, and even men can get them.
The rash may affect the skin around the mouth, and the condition is mainly triggered by use of steroid cream on the face. If you realize this, you may be required to stop the use of all creams and ointments to the face.
Perioral Dermatitis around Mouth
These kind of pimples are usually small red or with white heads, lumpy spots on the skin anywhere around the outside of the mouth. Often, they appear on the chin, cheeks and the skin next to and below the nose.
They may look a little like acne spots but perioral dermatitis is not acne. The skin that is around the scattered bumps is usually reddish or pink. If there are a lot of spots next to each other, then the affected area skin can just look red with bumps.
The skin just next to the lips of the affected person usually will not be affected, or is affected much less than the skin just a little further away from the lips. So, in some cases, it looks like the rash forms almost a ring around the mouth but sparing a small border of skin next to the lips.
The seriousness of the condition can vary from a few minor spots that are barely noticeable, to a definite kind of bumps around mouth. The rash is not usually painful or itchy. However, some people it may be a mild burning or itchy feeling. Others may report that the affected skin feels tense. The bumps usually are not serious and are not associated with any underlying disease.
Causes of Bumps around Mouth
The exact cause is not well known. However, in numerous cases these bumps are usually triggered by one or more of the following conditions:
- Steroid creams and ointments which are usually the main trigger.
- Beauty products, cleansers and cosmetics applied to the area affected on the face. The product may contain certain ingredients that may trigger allergic reactions to the skin around mouth.
- Harsh environmental conditions such as strong winds and ultraviolet (UV) light.
- Fluorinated toothpaste can as well cause bumps around mouth as research reveals.
- Yeasts and bacteria that live on the skin and in hair follicles have been suggested as a possible trigger of bumps on the mouth area.
- Hormonal imbalances is also a well- known victim, as some women find that the pimples becomes worse just before a period
- Those people who use oral contraceptives may find it causing a mouth rash in some cases.
Lately, as per research findings, some sun creams used on the face may cause perioral dermatitis in some children and adults. A liquid, gel or light milk sunscreen may be the best to use.
Symptoms of Bumps around Mouth
These kind of lumps may appear as a rash of red bumps around the mouth and in the folds around the nose. The bumps may be scaly in appearance. The bumps can also appear in the area under the eyes, on the forehead, and on the chin. These small bumps can contain pus or fluids which make them to form whiteheads.
In some cases, you may experience conditions such as burning or itching sensation, especially as the rash worsens.
Bumps around Corners of Mouth
Bumps that appear on the corners of your mouth usually are a sign of one of two conditions which are canker sores or cold sores. The sores may look similar in appearance but what causes them to appear is much different. One has no serious complications while the other has the ability to cause fatal complications.
Causes bumps around Corners of Mouth
For bumps around the mouth from cold sores on the corner of your lips, they are caused by the herpes simplex 1 or the herpes simplex 2 virus.
On the other hand, canker sores have a variety of causes;
- Immune system suppression,
- Injury,
- vitamin B12 deficiency,
- stress, bacteria,
- hormonal changes,
- Exposure sodium lauryl sulphate in oral hygiene.
Cold Sore Symptoms
They may range from fever, fatigue, muscle pains and headaches are well known first signs of cold sores on the way. As per the research findings, these symptoms last for about a week to 10 days before they subside and give way to the bumps on the corners of the lips.
The bumps may be painful and filled with clear fluid. The blisters break and often are covered with a yellow crust before healing. The sores usually heal by themselves in two weeks. Cold sores are preceded by tingling in the area of the lips where they appear.
Cold Sore Treatment
The bumps on the corners of your mouth from cold sores are treated with topical anti-viral medications. For other symptoms, treatment may be carried with orally administered antiviral medication and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Treatment is helpful as it shortens the healing time of the sores and lowers virus concentration in them. Lowering the virus concentration reduces the chance of other infections. If left untreated, herpes infections have the ability to cause life-threatening complications such as encephalitis.
Canker Sore Symptoms
These usually are shallow ulcerations of the soft tissue of the mouth. These bumps around mouth can occur in the inside corners of your lips and cause a slight swelling of the area. They are painful and usually occur in groups. According to the research carried out by some doctors, fever and swollen lymph nodes also occur with canker sores. These bumps usually heal on their own in a period of two weeks.
Canker Sore Treatment
Canker sores are resolved by treating the underlying causes such as HIV infection, bacteria overgrowth, hormonal imbalance and stress. B12 vitamin deficiency is treated by nutritional supplementation.
Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotic medication. Many topical solutions and creams are available over the counter to treat canker sores. Oral prescription medications are also available to treat canker sores. If left untreated, canker sores take a longer time to heal and can possibly multiply.
White Bumps around Mouth
When you develop bumps around your mouth, it is normal you will be affected emotionally. This is because the mouth speaks to the whole world – can be seen easily.
White bumps may form after an infection of perioral dermatitis or sores have fully grown causing pus to develop inside the bumps. The pus filled bumps will usually appear white with red skin surrounding the bumpy area. These condition is common and may appear to any one
White bumps around Mouth Causes
Herpes simplex virus.
The infection cause formation of bumps in the inside lips and also areas around the mouth. The bumps appear like small spots which may develop to be big after a given period of time. The virus may stay in one’s body for many years without even being noticed. It is therefore very important to visit your doctor for checkups frequently.
Immune system deficiency
If your immune system is weak you may end up developing white bumps around your mouth. The white bumps may be caused by canker sores which usually takes advantage of a weak body strength to withstand infection, and emerge around the lips. It is always advisable to eat a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables in plenty.
Hormonal imbalances
White bumps around mouth can be as a result of hormone trigger. For example teens may have this problem when they enter pubic stage where hormones are very active in their bodies. Women as well have numerous stages where hormones may change in their bodies. This may include menstrual period, birth, pregnancy and lactation periods.
Clogged skin pores
Together with dead skin cells, the oil forms a plug in the opening of the hair follicle. However, the hair follicle beneath begins to swell, culminating in acne bumps. This is usually identified with whiteheads acne around the mouth and chin.
Bacterial infection
An overgrowth of the normally harmless skin bacteria in the skin pores plugged with oil may cause further inflammation resulting in pustules and cysts which are filled with pus which is whitish. These bacteria produce irritating chemicals.
Comedones
These are those whiteheads which just emerge from nowhere appearing as white bumps around mouth. The bumps may then crust to let the fluid out which is usually thick and sometimes with white solid substances
Itchy Bumps around Mouth
A common condition that is well known to cause itchy bumps around the mouth is just periorifical dermatitis. It is characterized with small red papules which are very painful and burning. As the name suggests, the papules occur around the eyes, the nostrils, the mouth and occasionally, the genitals. There are other condition that may cause itchy bumps but they are not as serious as the perioral dermatitis.
Causes of itchy bumps around Mouth
- Contact dermatitis: This is a condition that occurs when something comes in direct contact with the skin and then spurs an irritation response. Allergic ingredients such as the fragrance, fragrant oils, and menthol, citrus and drying alcohol can all lead to irritation and dryness, and are usually used in around-the-mouth products like toothpaste, mouthwash, lipsticks and lip balms.
- Seborrheic dermatitis: this is common in the people with oily skin, and is brought about by the overproduction of oil combined with irritation from a type of yeast that happens naturally on skin. For some people, this yeast may result in dry, flaky skin which is accompanied with itchiness. Since there are oil glands on the sides of the nose, this may result in the condition becoming much apparent in areas that are close to the nose, which of course includes the mouth.
- Climate changes, lip licking, and certain medications: Changes in weather, such as very cold temperatures and dry or windy conditions can cause skin to become chapped and dry. There are also certain medications that can lead to dry skin, such as some prescription acne medications like tretinoin and antibiotics like tetracycline which cause allergic reactions which are itchy.
Treatment and prevention
- When you experience any bumps around mouth, the best thing to do is treat it using gentle skincare products that are free of fragrance and known irritants, since these usually make dry skin worse.
- If you used to a lip balm, lipstick or mouthwash that has a high amount of alcohol, essential oils, or even mint, consider the alternatives that may not include these particular ingredients such as the fragrance-free lip balms and alcohol-free fluoride rinses.
- For the case of toothpaste, it can be hard to get a safe one contain some amount of mint. You can prevent irritation by using a gentle cleanser so as to wash the area around the lips after brushing to remove any toothpaste that might be on the outside of the mouth. Using a moisturizer for the skin type after cleansing may help seal in moisture to keep skin from getting dry.
- If the dry skin around the mouth is persistent and don’t seem to be get better with the moisturizers, visit your doctor tell him/her about any potential causes, since it may be the cause of a medication that you’re taking, or even the medical condition that requires treatment using prescription topical products.
Bumps around Mouth and Nose
It is very normal that bumps will cause you trouble, but breakouts around the mouth are particularly challenging as that is the area of skin which very sensitive. You may want to use over-the-counter treatments that can help to clear those troublesome skin eruptions. In whatever you do, always avoid popping the pimples, which can lead to infections, scarring and additional bumps on your skin.
What result to the these bumps?
There may be more than a single cause of bumps around mouth and nose. One of the most usual factors is the prolonged use of the topical steroid creams and the inhaled prescription steroid sprays that is used in the nose as well as the mouth. Also overuse of the heavy face creams and then moisturizers are another common cause for these bumps.
It has also been proven that certain ingredients in cosmetics can lead to rash around mouth and nose. Those heavy skin creams that have petrolatum or a paraffin base can lead to or even worsen the condition.
Bumps around Mouth Child or Toddler
In normal occasions bumps typically begins from teenage onwards, babies can as well be affected by pimples breakouts even in their first few days of their life. According to the research findings, it is not clear what causes bumps around mouth of babies, but it is thought to result from exchange of hormones between the baby and the mother.
Other causes
- Oily moisturizers and baby skin care products – they could also be a cause of baby acne. Baby acne usually form on areas around the mouth, nose, and forehead but it can appear anywhere else on the skin including the chest and back.
- Drooling— the rash around mouth of babies may be caused by drooling. This is more especially true if the saliva is left on the skin for longer periods of time before being wiped.
- Pacifiers—this can also lead to rash around mouth of a child because of the drool that they collect. These will likely occur in the corner of the infant’s mouth.
- Messy eating—if the child smears any food around his or her mouth and it is left there for some time, bumps around mouth can develop.
- Bacteria from clothing—Infants and small children may get rashes around their mouths if they rub their faces along the clothes that have bacteria that their parents are wearing.
- Impetigo—this is a bacterial infection that leads to a contagious rash around mouth. The spots may consist of raised red bumps and a light brown crust around the child’s mouth and nose.
- Hand, foot, and mouth disease—this is caused by a virus known as coxsackie. With this disease, the rash is normally accompanied by a fever
Treatment and prevention
When it comes on how to get rid of baby acne around mouth, you have to just give them time. Baby acne typically clears up on their own without any treatment. It is often said that if your baby keeps getting pimples around mouth or any other part of the skin, it is indicative of higher risk of teenage acne although this is not scientifically proven.
What you just need to do is just to keep your child clean, and keep his/her cloths as clean as possible at all times. Then you will have to avoid exposing your child to irritative conditions that may lead to formation of bumps around mouth.
How to Get Rid of Bumps around Mouth
Bumps on the skin around mouth is generally brought about by a rash known as dermatitis. There are several different types of conditions that result to pimples around the mouth, such as an allergic reaction to use of new skincare products or skin conditions such as the perioral dermatitis, or sebhorric dermatitis.
Treatment
It takes consistent treatment with home remedies and over the counter acne treatment products to see results. Below are some of the ways in which you can treat and get rid of acne around mouth faster:
- Cold compress – Clean the affected area with a clean washcloth, soaked in cool water. Gently pat the area dry with a towel.
- Stop the use of the new products – you might be using on the area. If the redness happened suddenly, this is a good sign that the redness is caused by allergies to a new product.
- Avoid harsh facial products – using any harsh cleansers, alcohol based lotions or skin creams that contain steroids on your face, especially near the mouth area. This will help reduce the appearance of most redness caused by bumps around mouth, such as perioral dermatitis.
- Apply hydro-cortisone cream – This cream is available without a prescription and will soothe the skin and help eliminate redness.
- Wash with a gentle oatmeal cleanser – if you experience any irritation or redness as the oatmeal can help reduce these symptoms.
- Practice relaxation techniques – to help you reduce stress some redness and skin irritations as reducing the stress in your life can help reduce the redness of a skin rash around your mouth.
- Stop using lip balm for a while.You may find that this simple step helps to get rid of the zits around your mouth.
- Wipe your cell phonefrequently with phone soap or alcohol wipes.
- Try using an SLS-free toothpaste – to avoid reactions caused by harsh toothpaste
- Avoid sleeping with the makeup on – Use a high quality facial cleanser to cleanse your face every night.
- Topical retinoid– Treatment with these vitamin A derivatives may also help to unclog the skin pores and thus get rid of acne around mouth and chin.
- Lemon juice – it is rich in Alpha Hydroxyl acids effective home remedies for perioral acne. Simply dab fresh lemon juice on area then apply a water based moisturizer twice daily.
- Steam treatment –Lean over a basin of how water and then cover a heavy towel over your head for 20 minutes 2-3 times per week. This may help to open the clogged skin pores and thus flush out the clogging bacteria, dead skin cells and dirt.
When to see a doctor
If you keep getting pimples around mouth, or have a severe breakout that does not respond to these home remedies, you have to see a dermatologist. There are chances that you are dealing with severe dermal conditions.
Further references
- Perioral dermatitis: http://www.healthline.com/health/perioral-dermatitis#Overview1
- Causes of bumps around the mouth: http://patient.info/health/perioral-dermatitis-leaflet
- Bumps in the corners of mouth: http://www.livestrong.com/article/305980-bumps-in-the-corners-of-the-lips/