Do you have a pimple on lip? What might be the cause and how can you get rid of it? Find more as we explore on the causes of painful or swollen pimple on either the upper or lower lip. You will also get enlightened on how to get rid of such pimples using various home remedies and treatment.
Pimple on Lip Causes
A pimple can develop on any part of your face including the lip line. Most of the people will develop a pimple on their lips for at least once or more in their lifetime. Most of the pimples normally disappears after treatment while others won’t go away easily. Determining the cause of your pimple makes it easier to treat. Therefore, we have explored on some of the causes of pimple on your lip as shown below:
- Poor personal hygiene
Most of the skin conditions including pimples can result from improper personal hygiene. Not cleaning your lips especially after eating greasy foods can cause pimples to appear on the lip line. Greasy foods can block the pores on your lip line. Sebum, dead skin cells and other debris can get trapped in the blocked pores to cause pimples.
It is important to clean your mouth and lips thoroughly after eating any meal. Exfoliating the lips 1-2 times a week can also help to treat the pimples as well as preventing new ones from developing by unblocking the clogged pores.
- Allergic reactions
Are you having annoying pimple on lip that won’t go away easily no matter treatment you use? If yes, then you are supposed to check on the lip care or oral care products you are using. Some of the lip and oral care products may contain an allergen that triggers the appearance of pimples on your lip.
When buying these products like lip balm or mouth wash, take your time to read their active ingredients and possible side effects they can cause to your lips. Even some of the finest quality products you think are safe can trigger an allergic reaction.
- Oral herpes
Some of the sexually transmitted infections like oral herpes can cause a cold sore that resembles a pimple to develop on your lip. This is a viral infection that is caused by herpes simplex 1 virus. It is a highly contagious infection that is spread through body to body contact with blisters when kissing or sharing infected items.
This infection is characterized with painful small fluid filled bumps, fever, swollen lymph nodes and generally feeling unwell. This infection has no treatment, you just have to allow it run its course that is between 7-10 days. However, you can alleviate the symptoms and speed up the healing process by using antiviral medicines like acyclovir.
- Hormonal imbalances
Body hormonal imbalances during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause can trigger the appearance of a pimple on lip or any other part of your face. You may also experience this condition when taking birth control pills. During the above stages, the glands becomes hyperactive and can result to hormonal imbalances.
- The type of your skin
The question is, how do you get pimples on your lips basing on the type of your skin? Having an oily skin increases the risk of developing pimples as compared to other types of skin. An oily skin produces excessive oil that can cause blocking of the pores. The bacteria can enter the clogged pores and manifest itself as pimple.
- Poor quality lip makeup
Buying inexpensive and poor quality makeup like moisturizers, lipsticks, lip balm and lip gloss may contain harmful ingredients or chemicals that damages your lips after using them for a long time. Bacteria can penetrate into the lip through the cracks or damaged areas to cause a pimple on lip.
When buying such products, don’t consider the price alone. It is better to spend more on a quality lip makeup that has no harmful effects rather that the cheap ones that will cause lip problems. It is also important to consult your dermatologist before using some of these products.
- Poor diet
Eating a poor diet that is greasy or fatty can cause pimples to develop on different parts of your face including the lips. Such foods increases the amount of oil that is produced by the skin. Excessive production of oil by the skin can lead to clogged pores and hence resulting to pimples.
Avoid taking a diet that contains excessive oil. You diet should contain carbohydrates, proteins, plenty of vegetables and fruits for a glowing skin. It is also important to take plenty of water to avoid excessive dehydration that can lead to skin problems.
- Fordyce spots
These are small pimple on lip that develops on the vermillion boarder. They are harmless bumps that develops on the lips and genitals. They are believed to result from sebaceous glands that has no opening. They are non-contagious and normally resolve on their own without treat.
However if they are bothersome, you can use various treatment like tretinoine cream, chemical peel or cryosurgery to get rid of them faster.
- Toothpaste containing fluoride
Do you have chronic pimples on your lips that don’t go away easily? Using a toothpaste that contains fluoride can cause irritation that can lead to development of pimples on your lips. Consider changing the type of toothpaste you are using when experiencing this problem.
- Smoking tobacco
Smoking tobacco or using smokeless tobacco can cause pimple to appear on the lips. Tobacco smoke contains toxins or harmful chemicals that causes irritation of the lips. Smoking also increases the chances of developing mouth cancer that can also result to bumps on the lips.
- Certain medications
Taking medications that contains corticosteroids or lithium can trigger development of pimples on different parts of the body including the lips, cheeks, forehead, chest or back. Consult your doctor when the acne outbreak is severe.
- Stress
Severe mental or emotional stress can cause pimple on upper lip or lower lip. Try to minimize your stress by having enough time to rest, accepting some situations the way they come and listening to quality inspirational music among other stress management tips.
Pimple on Lip or Cold Sore
Having a pimple or a cold sore on the lip may look alike. Both of them can cause irritations and other discomforts and hence they result from different causes. Treatment for pimples is also different from that one of a cold sore.
You may be wondering the difference between a cold sore and a pimple. A cold sore is also known as fever blister, it is a fluid-filled blister that occurs in a cluster at the edge of your lower lip. It normally causes tingling or a burning sensation on the affected area prior to appearance of the blister.
It is a viral infection that is caused by herpes simplex 1 virus. In rare cases, it can result from herpes simplex virus 2, the same virus that causes genital herpes. Cold sore is a highly contagious infection that is spread through direct body contact with blisters when kissing, having oral sex and sharing contaminated towels, razors or utensils.
This infection has no treatment, you just have to allow it run its course that normally last between 7- 12 days. However, you can alleviate the symptoms and speed up the healing process by using anti-viral medicines like acyclovir, Val acyclovir and famciclovir.
On the other hand, a pimple is a tender bump that can appear on any part of your skin that has a pore. A pimple may have black tip, white tip or without a tip. Those without tips are referred to as blind pimples. You can develop a pimple on lip, nose, cheeks, and chin, fore head, ear, chest, back or any other part of your body.
Pimples are formed when a hair follicle is clogged with sebum or excessive oil, dead skin cells, dirty and other debris. The accumulated materials may harbor a bacteria that causes the pimple to become painful. There are various factors that increases the chances of developing a pimple. They include:
- Consuming dairy products.
- Hormonal changes during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.
- Taking certain medication containing corticosteroids.
- Mental or emotional stress
- Poor personal hygiene
- Having an oily skin
- Having a family background of pimples
- Using oily face care products and makeup.
Some of the factors above triggers the oil glands to produce excessive oil that may block the pores while others blocks the pores when applied on the skin. As you continue to read, you will explore more on how to get rid of pimples.
Pimple on Lip Line won’t go away
It is important to visit your doctor when having a painless pimple on your lip that won’t go away. Serious conditions like mouth cancer normally manifest themselves as a painless bump that is resistance to home remedy treatments.
The chances of a successful treatment are higher when mouth cancer is discovered in its initial stages. Unfortunately, many people normally discovers that they are suffering from mouth cancer during the secondary stage when most of the tissues are already damaged.
When diagnosed with mouth cancer, there are various treatment you can use. They include surgery to remove the affected cells, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
It is important to avoid factors that increases the chances of developing mouth cancer that ends up to a pimple on lip. Tobacco smoke contains carcinogenic agents that increases the chances of getting cancer. Over-exposure to the sun can also damage your skin and lead to skin cancer.
Pimple on Inside of Lip
Do you have pimple-like inside your lip? Mucous cyst is the common causes of pimple-like bumps inside your lip. They are small fluid-filled swellings that occurs inside the lip and other parts of the mouth. They develop when the salivary glands becomes damaged or plugged with mucus.
Although they can develop on any part of the mouth, they are common inside the lower lip. Mucous cysts can appear temporary in your mouth or they can also become permanent if not treated. Trauma that results from lip or oral cavity biting, lip piercing, injuries from adjacent teeth and ruptured salivary gland.
Mucous cysts can affect anybody although they are common during the age of 10-25 years. Although they are painless, they can cause some discomforts especially when chewing food. It is important to visit your dentist when having such pimple on lip.
After diagnosis, mucous cysts can be treated using various treatments that includes laser therapy, cryotherapy or intralesional corticosteroid injection. Severe cyst can be treated through surgery to remove the affected areas to prevent reoccurrence.
According to livestrong.com, other conditions like canker sores and oral lichen planus can also result to pimple-like lesions inside your lips. Canker sores normally heals on their own without treatment within 7-10 days. However, you can use some of the home remedy treatment to relieve pain and other discomforts.
Pimple on upper Lip
Are you having a pimple on your upper lip? Just like the lower lip, normal pimple or a canker sore can appear on your upper lip. They can appear as tiny pimples or cystic pimple that can make your lip to become swollen. Squeezing or popping such pimples before they develop a tip can cause the affected area to become swollen.
Removing unwanted hair on the upper lip through waxing can also result to appearance of small pimples due to irritation of the hair follicles. Removing the hair on the upper lip frequently through shaving or waxing can lead to an ingrown hair that causes a bump to develop on the surface of the affected area.
Using various treatments and home remedies can help to get rid of such pimples. As you continue to read, we have discussed some of the treatments you can use. Some of them includes the use of lemon juice, warm and cold compress, benzoyl peroxide and baking soda among others.
Pimple Swollen Lip
Pimple on lip may be characterized with other symptoms such as swollen lip, redness and pain among other discomforts. A cystic pimple is hard to control it commonly causes a swollen lip and can also result to scarring after healing.
Cystic pimple is commonly triggered by hormonal imbalances. It causes the oil gland to become hyperactive and therefore, it reacts by producing excessive sebum. It may accumulate in the pores to cause a swelling on the surface of the skin. A bacteria infection may also cause them to be very painful.
Popping or squeezing the pimple before it points can damage the surrounding tissues and hence causing the swelling. It is important to leave the pimple alone until when it is ready to drain. It is also advisable to use the recommended procedure when helping to drain.
However, you can help to relieve the swelling by applying a cold or warm compress over the swollen pimple. A cold compress helps to constrict the pores to allow the accumulated material to come out. Warm compress increases blood supply on the affected area to relieve redness and pain.
To relieve the pain, you can take over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Visit your doctor for treatment if the swelling becomes persistence.
How to Get Rid of Pimple on Lip
Having pimples on the lips can lower your self-esteem especially if you are a teenager. Such pimples can also cause irritations that make it difficult to talk well or eat certain foods. However, there are various treatment and remedies you can use to clear them faster. They includes the following:
- Apply a cold compress
Applying a cold compress over the pimple helps to reduce the swelling as well as constricting the oil glands. This helps to flush out the accumulated oil and bacteria out of the pores. This is how it is done:
- Obtain some ice cubes and a clean towel.
- Wrap the ice cubes in the towel and place it over the pimple.
- Allow it to rest over the pimple for 5-10 seconds.
- Repeat this treatment 2-3 times a day.
Don’t allow the ice cubes to over-stay on the affected area. It may damage or burn the tissues. It is also important to wrap the ice is a piece of cloth or towel before placing it on the skin.
- Use steam treatment
Steaming your face helps to open up the blocked pores to allow the accumulated material to come out. It also helps to remove other impurities out of your skin that may cause pimples and other skin problems. Using a bowl of hot water and a blanket or a big towel:
- Heat water on a bowl to boil and switch off the heater.
- Face the bowl and cover yourself with the towel to prevent the steam from escaping.
- Expose your pimple on lip to the steam for 15-20 minutes
- Repeat this treatment 2-3 times a week until the pimple heals.
Be careful when handling the hot water to avoid burning yourself. Keep a distance between your face and the bowl containing hot water also to avoid scalding.
- Use benzoyl peroxide
Pimples can also be treated using benzoyl peroxide. This treatment works by unclogging blocked pores to allow the accumulated material to come out. It also kill the harmful bacteria that causes pimples. This treatment can be used without prescription and is found over-the-counter in a drug store. The procedure below shows how to use.
- Wash the affected lip with warm water and a non-medicated soap and pat it dry.
- Take a small amount of the gel on your finger and apply directly to the pimple.
- Apply the gel twice daily until the pimple disappears.
Read the manufactures instruction to understand before using this gel. However, it is not recommended to be used by children under the age of 12 years.
- Exfoliate your lips regularly.
Exfoliation is effective on how to get rid of pimple on lip line fast. It helps to unclog the blocked pores by shading of dead skin cells, excessive oil and other debris that blocks the pores. A part from treating the present pimples, it also helps to prevent future outbreak.
- Obtain yourself a soft bristle tooth brush. You can also use your normal toothbrush but rinse it thoroughly before using on lips to prevent the spread of bacteria.
- Brush your lips twice a week until your condition improves.
Exfoliating your lips can also be done using a paste of lemon juice and fine particles of sugar. You simply apply the paste on your lips. Allow the paste to dry for 15 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water.
- Apply lemon juice
Lemon juice contains citric acid that gives it the anti-bacterial properties. This helps to kill the bacteria that causes acne or pimples to appear on your lips. It also contain astringent properties that constrict the pores to expel the clogged materials.
- Obtain a fresh lemon fruit and extract a juice from it.
- Before applying the juice, wash your hand and the affected area using warm water.
- Dab a cotton ball in the juice and apply directly on the pimple.
- Repeat the remedy twice daily until your condition improves.
Do not used bottled lemon juice as it contains preservatives that may cause more damage to your skin. It is also important to avoid using lemon juice on open wounds or pimples as it may cause irritations.
- Improve your lip hygiene
After taking every meal especially greasy foods, take your time to wash and wipe your mouth thoroughly. Use a good quality mouthwash to clean your mouth too. Leaving crumps of in and around your mouth aids in spreading the bacteria that causes a pimple on lip.
Wipe your lips after washing, water droplets on your mouth can attract dust that can end up clogging the pores. Keep your beddings clean, dirty bed sheets can harbor bacteria that causes pimples.
- Make a correct choice of lip makeup
As you read earlier, inexpensive and poor quality makeup can clog the pores around your lips and cause pimples. Choose a high quality water based makeup than going for oily makeup. Avoid makeup containing coconut oil as it is prone to clogging pores. You would rather choose those containing olive oil or panthenol.
- Change your face care products
Annoying pimples that won’t go away easily can result from some of daily face care products. Try to change such products when annoying pimple on lip. Such products includes lotions, creams, face wash and moisturizers among others.
- Eat balance diet and take plenty of water
A balanced diet containing plenty of vegetables, fruits and minerals like zinc and magnesium helps to prevent pimple breakout on your skin. Avoid taking too oily foods and caffeine as they may trigger acne on different parts of your body.
It is also important to keep your body hydrated by taking at least 8 glasses of water daily. Water helps to flush out bacteria in your mouth as well as toxins out of the body. Don’t wait to feel thirsty before taking water. This means that your body is already dehydrated.
- Avoid lip balm or lip gloss
Avoid using lip balm or gloss especially if you are having an oily skin. Lip balm or gloss contains wax that can clog the pores around your lips. It can also attract bacteria, dirty and dust particles that can also block the pores.