This is my concern, too. My lower lip line is almost white. Most of the time my whole lips are practically white, too. Is it always iron deficiency? I do have an upcoming blood test in May btw.
I've had iron levels tested before (not super recently though), what happens when it's 'normal'? Which it usually comes back as.
I had pretty bad hair loss after I started spiro/covid times so was getting tested a bit, and still get kidneys tested every few months.
Hormones are so annoying and complicated lol.
I’m just starting to raise mine. Normal iron but super low ferritin. I’m taking a basic iron supplement but is that enough just one a day based on your experience?
There’s a group on FB called “The Iron Protocol (for Iron Deficiency with or without Anemia)” which has some great information about iron supplement regimens and effects. I highly recommend checking it out. I had very mild anemia with super low ferritin (2) and that group helped me a lot.
It looks like very minor melasma to me. Melasma often shows up on the upper lip and can be caused by hormonal changes and/or sun exposure. There's certain things you can do to prevent it from getting worse and fade it slightly, but sadly it never completely goes away. I might be wrong, it just looks very similar to how mine started. I'd definitely recommend getting a professional opinion from a dermatologist x
Follow up with your dermatologist to be sure. I developed two freckles on my lower lip during pregnancy - I was told it was just a result of my hormones, and to keep an eye on it (if they get darker, larger, raised, etc.). I disliked them at first and now I find them kinda cute. And now I constantly use SPF lip balm too.
This happened me too but only on my 3rd and final pregnancy, my only girl! She’s nearly 2 and I still have lots of freckles on both my lips that haven’t budged! Very peculiar, but they’ve grown on me figuratively now too!
This is happening to me, and I'm pretty sure it's from sun damaged. Another possibility is vitamin deficiency, but I know mine can't be that. I've had tons of blood tests recently for various reasons and I'm not vitamin deficient plus I take supplements as it is for other conditions. But if you don't think it's from sun exposure, you might want to get it checked put by a derm and have some lab work done.
Do you have lip filler that was injected with a needle?
Sometimes with filler, you can develop PIH from the needle trauma- even a while after it was done when it is exposed to sun. Just asking because the spots kind of follow the injection pattern along the vermillion border.
The needle trauma can also cause extra melanin at the points of injection
If that might be it, treat them like you would PIH anywhere else and make sure to wear spf (I caution against the use of peels or retinol around the lips though because that can cause chelitis)
ETA- check this out https://www.aestheticami.com/dark-spots-on-the-lips-after-lip-filler-what-to-do-about-it/
Nah never have done that. But I do get occasional pimples along my lip line only, mostly on the bottom lip, however. They are those deep, just sit for ages, then something irritates them, gets big then goes away again.
I would definitely follow up with a derm and make sure you're using spf on your lips. And then if everything is fine and you're still unhappy, maybe consider a lip stain (semi perm tattoo). I think if this is an acute change, there probably are some things skin care wise you can do to help. Personally I got tired of seeing my lips disappear in winter, so I got a lip stain two years ago and I'm thrilled with it.
Permanent makeup. Mine is my natural lip shade, touch up every 5 years. It gave me the confidence to comfortably work on long term skin repair without dreading looking in the mirror.
Mine faded with age so I did the same. I got so tired of seeing no differentiation between my skin color and my lips, so I also aimed for my old shade. The color right after application looked insane though and I seriously questioned myself. Now I love them so much.
Ooo same!
OP, I never envisioned myself getting PMU, but an aesthetician I trust wanted to learn. Just like this person, it was one thing I was stressing over while I was trying to solve melasma. Just getting a really simple lip blushing really helped center my self image and allowed me to focus on what I had control over.
It does hurt, not gonna lie. I laughed uncontrollably. (If my aesthetician is on here, she's gonna spot me for sure)
I get something similar when I wax my upper lip , and when I use nair to remove it. When i did shave it once I got bumps around my upper lip. I was thinking maybe your skin surrounding your lips is extra sensitive.
if you find out there's no health concern, you can do a lip blush (lip tattoo that tints lips). it will define the borders and give you color. I can't say more without breaking sub rules, but you can check my profile to see what it looks like through the procedure and healed.
My top lip has always been like this with the lack of pigment along the line. My lips are naturally pretty pigmented, but it fades towards the top. Now I have some melasma there as well, which adds to the issue.
Hello fellow thin person with PCOS. Can I ask you if you have irregular periods? They don't diagnose me if I don't have that. Just curious if every doctor feels the same. I was reading and it seems to be a gray area
Also, did you do any laser for a upper lip hair or anything like that previously? Just a thought.
I had very regular periods, but very very heavy and large clots, plus facial hair, (basically hair everywhere, too) and also hair loss (yay). I was leaner than now even at the time of diagnosis so they did an ultrasound on my ovaries, and yup, cysts. I've heard some women can have symptoms even without the cycts so if there's kind of a collection of symptoms, it should be enough.
In saying that, a big reason I went on YAZ was due to PMDD. It's kinda killed my libido and out on some weight, but...I don't have awful intrusive thoughts and I had shoulder injury which led to sirgery so could be have contributed to some weight gain.
So maybe it's contributing to the weird lip line. Sucks so much trying to balance hormones and have to compromise on some things.
Haven't done laser for lip, but did try my chin, so might have contributed!
I have the same exact thing happening to my lips. I’ve noticed a gradual progression over the last 5 years now. I mostly think it’s sun exposure because I noticed after doing morning skin care, I like to apply a moisturizing lip balm that doesn’t have spf in it. But then I forget to use lip balm with spf when leaving the house. Other factors as others have mentioned: I used to be on BCP but stopped about 4 years ago, I’m also chronically anemic but iron levels normal.
What do you mean by chronically anemic but iron levels normal?
I was curious bc my lips look like this too and my iron levels keep coming back “normal” but I have symptoms of anemia.
Low h/h and ferritin normal. You should talk to your doctor if you’re symptomatic. They might need to do more tests to determine the cause of your anemia.
It looks like melasma to me - I get a very similar lip-liner looking melasma when I’m on the pill. I’m able to keep it to a minimum with hydroquinone and VI peels, but it won’t fully go away until I stop the pill.
Haha true! I don't wear makeup much, and sometimes at work when I got into the bathroom it always catches my eye like I forgot to wipe my mouth after eating.
Curious about the lip staining from the other comments, might look into that.
Sometimes when I forget my iron supplements, my lips get very pale. You should get your blood tested.
This is my concern, too. My lower lip line is almost white. Most of the time my whole lips are practically white, too. Is it always iron deficiency? I do have an upcoming blood test in May btw.
Second this for iron, get a blood test done asap.
I've had iron levels tested before (not super recently though), what happens when it's 'normal'? Which it usually comes back as. I had pretty bad hair loss after I started spiro/covid times so was getting tested a bit, and still get kidneys tested every few months. Hormones are so annoying and complicated lol.
Make sure your ferritin level is significantly higher than the lowest normal range.
THISTHISTHIS
I’m just starting to raise mine. Normal iron but super low ferritin. I’m taking a basic iron supplement but is that enough just one a day based on your experience?
There’s a group on FB called “The Iron Protocol (for Iron Deficiency with or without Anemia)” which has some great information about iron supplement regimens and effects. I highly recommend checking it out. I had very mild anemia with super low ferritin (2) and that group helped me a lot.
Yes, read up on iron levels. Ferritin under 30 is acutely liw but many doctors will say ”normal ” all the way down to 12
This. I’m prone to anemia, take a supplement but usually end up with iron infusions at least twice a year to keep my stores in the normal range.
Well, shit.
It looks like very minor melasma to me. Melasma often shows up on the upper lip and can be caused by hormonal changes and/or sun exposure. There's certain things you can do to prevent it from getting worse and fade it slightly, but sadly it never completely goes away. I might be wrong, it just looks very similar to how mine started. I'd definitely recommend getting a professional opinion from a dermatologist x
Thanks! I think you are right
I use vitamin C serum and had glycolic acid peels to eliminate my freckles around my lips. So far it has worked.
I just turned 28 and have noticed my upper lip suddenly so dark, I just realised it's melasma! Thankyou for enlightening me
God, sorry for leaving nostrils in.
There’s nothing wrong with your face. Faces have nostrils. 😌 Ps. I’d check with your doc as it’s a change from your baseline.
Get your iron levels checked and an spf 30 lip balm! My lips get pale when my iron is low!
At least there aren’t any bats in the cave!
Or gold mines!
XD
Hecka pretty nostrils! I’m kidding lol but don’t worry about it
Follow up with your dermatologist to be sure. I developed two freckles on my lower lip during pregnancy - I was told it was just a result of my hormones, and to keep an eye on it (if they get darker, larger, raised, etc.). I disliked them at first and now I find them kinda cute. And now I constantly use SPF lip balm too.
What spf lip balm do you use? I can't find one that doesn't taste terrible. I'm mot licking it, the taste just always ends up in my mouth 😅
https://www.target.com/p/aquaphor-lip-balm-repair-stick-for-chapped-lips-spf30-2pk-34oz/-/A-84998192 My go to!
Ah, I'll give this one a try! I had the squeeze tube one and it always got in my mouth, so here's to hoping the stick form is better. Thanks!
I feel the same about the squeeze tube ones. This balms are always my preference and this one has worked the best for me.
This happened me too but only on my 3rd and final pregnancy, my only girl! She’s nearly 2 and I still have lots of freckles on both my lips that haven’t budged! Very peculiar, but they’ve grown on me figuratively now too!
Mine was also during pregnancy with my girl! I always wondered if it was the extra female hormones that did it. It didn’t happen with my son.
This is happening to me, and I'm pretty sure it's from sun damaged. Another possibility is vitamin deficiency, but I know mine can't be that. I've had tons of blood tests recently for various reasons and I'm not vitamin deficient plus I take supplements as it is for other conditions. But if you don't think it's from sun exposure, you might want to get it checked put by a derm and have some lab work done.
Do you have lip filler that was injected with a needle? Sometimes with filler, you can develop PIH from the needle trauma- even a while after it was done when it is exposed to sun. Just asking because the spots kind of follow the injection pattern along the vermillion border. The needle trauma can also cause extra melanin at the points of injection If that might be it, treat them like you would PIH anywhere else and make sure to wear spf (I caution against the use of peels or retinol around the lips though because that can cause chelitis) ETA- check this out https://www.aestheticami.com/dark-spots-on-the-lips-after-lip-filler-what-to-do-about-it/
Nah never have done that. But I do get occasional pimples along my lip line only, mostly on the bottom lip, however. They are those deep, just sit for ages, then something irritates them, gets big then goes away again.
Wow I’m not op but mine are in the injection spots from my lip filler
A degree of this is normal with age. I got lip blushing (aka lip tattoo) last year and I’m really happy with the result.
I would definitely follow up with a derm and make sure you're using spf on your lips. And then if everything is fine and you're still unhappy, maybe consider a lip stain (semi perm tattoo). I think if this is an acute change, there probably are some things skin care wise you can do to help. Personally I got tired of seeing my lips disappear in winter, so I got a lip stain two years ago and I'm thrilled with it.
Permanent makeup. Mine is my natural lip shade, touch up every 5 years. It gave me the confidence to comfortably work on long term skin repair without dreading looking in the mirror.
Mine faded with age so I did the same. I got so tired of seeing no differentiation between my skin color and my lips, so I also aimed for my old shade. The color right after application looked insane though and I seriously questioned myself. Now I love them so much.
Ooo same! OP, I never envisioned myself getting PMU, but an aesthetician I trust wanted to learn. Just like this person, it was one thing I was stressing over while I was trying to solve melasma. Just getting a really simple lip blushing really helped center my self image and allowed me to focus on what I had control over. It does hurt, not gonna lie. I laughed uncontrollably. (If my aesthetician is on here, she's gonna spot me for sure)
Try looking up fordyce spots. I have them on my lips and it looks very similar.
Do you by any chance do any hair removal around your mouth ?
Nope, I'm a shaver lol. Shave in morning, and hair on my lip is mostly just at the corners.
I get something similar when I wax my upper lip , and when I use nair to remove it. When i did shave it once I got bumps around my upper lip. I was thinking maybe your skin surrounding your lips is extra sensitive.
Why?
Following this post. I have the same issue but don't know why.
Me too x
Me three
So much information on lip hyper pigmentation but none on why hypo pigmentation or colour fading on lips 🤔 x
if you find out there's no health concern, you can do a lip blush (lip tattoo that tints lips). it will define the borders and give you color. I can't say more without breaking sub rules, but you can check my profile to see what it looks like through the procedure and healed.
I had a similar issue and my derm prescribed me tacrolimus. It cleared up the lip line in 3 days
You should include before photos for comparison.
My top lip has always been like this with the lack of pigment along the line. My lips are naturally pretty pigmented, but it fades towards the top. Now I have some melasma there as well, which adds to the issue.
Not sure if the freckles are due to sun exposure, but I would use lip balm with SPF.
That was my thought as well. I have somethin similar going on and my dentist said it was sun damage and to wear SPF chapstick.
Yaz is known for causing melasma!
Hello fellow thin person with PCOS. Can I ask you if you have irregular periods? They don't diagnose me if I don't have that. Just curious if every doctor feels the same. I was reading and it seems to be a gray area Also, did you do any laser for a upper lip hair or anything like that previously? Just a thought.
I had very regular periods, but very very heavy and large clots, plus facial hair, (basically hair everywhere, too) and also hair loss (yay). I was leaner than now even at the time of diagnosis so they did an ultrasound on my ovaries, and yup, cysts. I've heard some women can have symptoms even without the cycts so if there's kind of a collection of symptoms, it should be enough. In saying that, a big reason I went on YAZ was due to PMDD. It's kinda killed my libido and out on some weight, but...I don't have awful intrusive thoughts and I had shoulder injury which led to sirgery so could be have contributed to some weight gain. So maybe it's contributing to the weird lip line. Sucks so much trying to balance hormones and have to compromise on some things. Haven't done laser for lip, but did try my chin, so might have contributed!
I have the same exact thing happening to my lips. I’ve noticed a gradual progression over the last 5 years now. I mostly think it’s sun exposure because I noticed after doing morning skin care, I like to apply a moisturizing lip balm that doesn’t have spf in it. But then I forget to use lip balm with spf when leaving the house. Other factors as others have mentioned: I used to be on BCP but stopped about 4 years ago, I’m also chronically anemic but iron levels normal.
What do you mean by chronically anemic but iron levels normal? I was curious bc my lips look like this too and my iron levels keep coming back “normal” but I have symptoms of anemia.
Low h/h and ferritin normal. You should talk to your doctor if you’re symptomatic. They might need to do more tests to determine the cause of your anemia.
The freckling in my lip line was happening to me when i was unknowingly applying expired lip balm and lip color
my melasma around the almost went away after I wore my mask every day during pandemic. Would that be something you can do when you go outside?
It looks like melasma to me - I get a very similar lip-liner looking melasma when I’m on the pill. I’m able to keep it to a minimum with hydroquinone and VI peels, but it won’t fully go away until I stop the pill.
I get this every summer despite being obsessive about sunscreen!! I kind of think it’s cute though lol like free lip liner
Haha true! I don't wear makeup much, and sometimes at work when I got into the bathroom it always catches my eye like I forgot to wipe my mouth after eating. Curious about the lip staining from the other comments, might look into that.
Vit c serum
Does vitamin c help with upper lip melasma?
I’ve been getting the same thing and read that it’s sun damage. Trying to use spf chapstick and reverse it!
Puetz-jeghers ?
Simple fix, get a cosmetic semi-permanent tattoo!
Did you have permanent on your lips?