Dark lips need not mean a person smokes. In fact, the tone and texture of the skin here indicates the health of a person.
So, if the colour of a person’s lips changes from a luscious red to a shade of brown, it is a sign of underlying issues or lifestyle, which is usually overlooked.
“A person can be born with dark lips which could be hereditary or the change can happen any time during the person’s life,” says dermatologist Dr Tina Ramachander who practices in north Bangalore.
There are many factors that cause darkening of lips, says the doctor.
They may occur due to:
1) Diet and processed food with artificial colouring that stain lips.
2) Smoking and betel chewing are common causes. Here nicotine increases the pigment cells and changes the vasculature of lips.
3) Nutritional deficiencies like iron or vitamin B.
4) Dehydration and exposure to prolonged periods of sunlight.
5) Medicines such as Minocycline, a commonly-used medication for acne that can cause bluish pigmentation on lips.
6) Chemicals such as sulphides can cause pigmentation in both gums and lips.
7) Skin conditions such as moles, lentigens, fixed drug eruptions and lichen planus.
8) Biting of lips. Some people have the habit of chewing off the skin or peeling the skin on lips which also cause darkening.
Dr. Tina says dark lips can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle that includes nutritious meals and drinking good amounts of water and a diet with vitamins and minerals.
“Of course, stopping smoking can also help if the person is a smoker,” the doctor adds.
Petroleum jelly and protective sunscreens on lips are a way to keep them from darkening and nowadays lip balms come with an inbuilt SPF. Sunscreen creams are never applied on the lips and these are prominent sites for skin cancer to occur. Hence, it is always advisable to apply them on lips too,” she adds.
For extreme cases, there are creams which are medicated to treat the melanin content and reduce it.
Dermatologists also advise Qswitched ndyag creams for lightening dark lips. It is an effective treatment that requires around 2-3 sessions depending on the pigmentation and its depth.
For more queries on the treatment , call Dr.Tina’s Skin Solutionz at 080-4091 3394 or 9035098652 or book appointment online.
A very detailed & insightful blog post about how dark and smoker lips can be cured in the best possible way.
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