Why Is There a Dark Spot on My Lip

Last medically reviewed on October 16, 2017

What Causes Black Spots to Form on Your Lips?

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Whether you’re dealing with slight discoloration, flaky patches, or dark, raised moles, you shouldn’t ignore spots on your lips. After all, the health of your skin reflects the health of your body.

Although dark spots usually aren’t cause for concern, it’s important to get a diagnosis from your doctor. They can check for any underlying conditions and ensure that nothing is amiss.

Keep reading to learn more about what may be causing these spots and what you can expect from treatment.

Dark or black spots on lips are often caused by angiokeratoma of Fordyce. Although they can vary in color, size, and shape, they’re usually dark red to black and wart-like.

These spots are typically harmless. They can be found on any mucous-producing skin, not just lips. Angiokeratomas usually occur in older people.

Treatment options

Angiokeratomas can usually be left alone. However, they may look similar to cancerous growths, so you should visit your doctor or dermatologist to get a diagnosis. They can confirm whether these spots are angiokeratomas and advise you on any next steps.

If you’ve used a new product lately, an allergic reaction may be to blame for your spots. This type of reaction is known as pigmented contact cheilitis.

The most common causes of cheilitis are:

• lipstick or lip balm
• hair dye, if applied to facial hair
• green tea, which may contain nickel, an irritant

Treatment options

If you think an allergic reaction has caused your dark spots, throw the product away. Make sure your beauty products are fresh and have been kept in a cool, dark place. Old products can break down or grow bacteria or mold — and be more likely to cause a reaction.

Melasma is a common condition that can cause brownish patches to appear on your face.

These spots usually form on the following areas:

• cheeks
• nose bridge
• forehead
• chin
• area above your upper lip

You can also get them on other places exposed to the sun, like your forearms and shoulders.

Melasma is more common in women than men, and hormones play a role in its development. In fact, these patches are so common during pregnancy that the condition is called “mask of pregnancy.”

Treatment options

You can prevent melasma from getting worse by protecting yourself from the sun. Wear sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat.

Melasma may fade with time. Your dermatologist can also prescribe medicines that you smooth on your skin to help lighten the spots.

• hydroquinone (Obagi Elastiderm)
• tretinoin (Refissa)
• azelaic acid
• kojic acid

If topical medicines don’t work, your dermatologist may try a chemical peel, microdermabrasion, dermabrasion, or laser treatment.

If the spots on your lips feel scaly or crusty, you may have what’s called actinic keratosis, or sunspots.

These spots can have the following characteristics:

• tiny or more than an inch across
• the same color as your skin or tan, pink, red, or brown
• dry, rough, and crusty
• flat or raised

You may feel the spots more than you can see them.

In addition to your lips, you’re most likely to get keratoses on sun-exposed areas like your:

Treatment options

Because actinic keratoses are considered a precancer, it’s important to have your doctor look at the spots. Not all keratoses are active, so they don’t all need to be removed. Your doctor will decide how best to treat them based on their exam of the lesions.

Treatment may include:

• freezing spots off (cryosurgery)
• scraping or cutting spots off (curettage)
• chemical peels
• topical creams

Not drinking enough liquids or being out in the sun and wind can leave your lips dry and chapped. Chapped lips can start to peel, and you may bite off little pieces of skin. These injuries can lead to scabs, scars, and dark spots on your lips.

Treatment options

Make sure to drink at least eight glasses of water every day. If you’re out in the sun or wind, protect your lips with lip balm that contains sunscreen, and avoid licking your lips. Once you’ve rehydrated yourself, your lips should heal and the dark spots fade with time.

If you have a condition called hereditary hemochromatosis, your body absorbs too much iron from the food you eat and stores it in your organs. This can result in symptoms like discolored skin.

Your body can also be overloaded with iron if you:

• have received numerous blood transfusions
• get iron shots
• take a lot of iron supplements

This type of iron overload can also cause your skin to take on a bronze or gray-green tone.

Treatment options

To reduce the iron in your blood and organs, your doctor may drain some of your blood (a procedure known as a phlebotomy) or have you donate blood on a regular basis. They may also prescribe medication to help remove the iron.

If you don’t get enough vitamin B-12 in your diet or through supplements, your skin may become dark. This could potentially show up as dark spots on your lips.

Treatment options

A mild B-12 deficiency can be corrected with a daily multivitamin or by eating foods that contain a lot of this vitamin. A severe B-12 deficiency may be treated with weekly injections or daily high-dose pills.

Some medicines you take can cause changes to the color of your skin, including the skin on your lips.

These medicine types include:

• antipsychotics, including chlorpromazine and related phenothiazines
• anticonvulsants, such as phenytoin (Phenytek)
• antimalarials
• cytotoxic drugs
• amiodarone (Nexterone)

You can check with your pharmacist if you have questions about a specific drug you take.

Treatment options

Most medicine-related changes to skin color are harmless. If you and your doctor decide you can stop taking the drug, the spots will probably fade — but not in all cases.

Many drugs that cause skin pigment problems also cause sun sensitivity, so make sure you apply sunscreen daily.

If your braces, mouth guard, or dentures don’t fit well, you may get pressure sores on your gums or lips. These sores can cause what’s called post-inflammatory pigmentation — dark spots left behind after the sore has healed.

These usually occur in people with darker skin types. The patches can get darker if exposed to sunlight.

Treatment options

If your braces or dentures don’t fit well, go to your dentist or orthodontist. Your dental fixtures shouldn’t cause sores.

Wear lip balm with sunscreen so the spots won’t get darker. Your dermatologist can also prescribe creams or lotions to lighten the lesions.

Low levels of circulating thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) can cause melasma, which is a blotchy brown pigmentation on the face. High levels of thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) can also cause your skin to darken.

Treatment options

To treat the skin discoloration caused by imbalanced hormones, you’ll need to fix the root problem. Your doctor will be able to talk through your symptoms and advise you on next steps.

The heat from cigarettes can directly burn the skin on your lips. And because smoking delays wound healing, these burns could form scars. The burns may also lead to post-inflammatory pigmentation, which are dark spots left behind after the sore has healed.

Treatment options

Quitting smoking is the only way to allow your lips to heal properly. Talk to your doctor about your options for cessation, as well as any lightening creams that you may be able to use.

The lips are an often overlooked site for skin cancers. The two most common skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. These are usually seen in fair-skinned men over the age of 50. Men are 3 to 13 times more likely to develop lip cancers than women, and the lower lip is about 12 times more likely to be affected.

Here’s what to look for if you think the spots on your lips may be cancer:

With basal cell carcinoma:

• an open sore
• a reddish patch or irritated area
• a shiny bump
• a pink growth
• a scar-like area

With squamous cell carcinoma:

• a scaly red patch
• an elevated growth
• an open sore
• a wart-like growth, which may or may not bleed

Most lip cancers are easily noticed and treated. The most common treatments include surgery, radiation, and cryotherapy. When found early, nearly 100 percent of lip cancers are cured.

If you’re not sure how you got a black, discolored, or scaly spot on your lip, do see your doctor. It may be nothing, but it doesn’t hurt to check.

You should definitely see your doctor if the spot:

• is spreading rapidly
• is itchy, red, tender, or bleeds
• has an irregular border
• has an unusual combination of colors

Last medically reviewed on October 16, 2017

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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Why Is There a Dark Spot on My Lip?

Elizabeth Pratt is a medical journalist based in Australia. She has a Master’s degree in Health Communication and a Bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Published on July 20, 2022

Kashif J. Piracha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 14 years of experience treating patients in acute care hospitals and rehabilitation facilities.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents

A dark spot on the lip may appear for a variety of reasons. It may be due to sun exposure, vitamin deficiency, hormone-related issues, and even an excess of iron in the body. Sometimes, a dark spot can also be a skin cancer symptom, requiring immediate attention.

This article will discuss the causes of dark spots on the lips, diagnosis, treatment options, and when to see a healthcare provider.

Boy_Anupong / Getty Images

Causes of a Dark Spot on the Lips

A dark spot on the lips can be due to various causes. Some of these are harmless, and the spot can be faded with appropriate treatment. Other causes (like skin cancer) are more dangerous and require immediate attention.

Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation can cause dark spots or patches on the skin anywhere on the body. Among people with darker skin tones, hyperpigmentation is one of the most common reasons to see a dermatologist (a specialist in skin conditions).

Several factors can cause hyperpigmentation and dark spots. These include:

• Hormonal changes in the body, like during pregnancy
• A healed wound that was caused by a burn, cut, or insect bite
• Irritation from a skin care product
• A healed pimple
• Certain medications
• Irritation from hair care products
• Psoriasis (an autoimmune inflammatory skin condition) that has healed

Hemochromatosis

Hemochromatosis is a condition in which the body absorbs and stores an excessive amount of iron. This condition can cause problems like pain, fatigue, and problems with liver function. It can also cause issues with the skin.

In hemochromatosis, the skin can take on a bronze pigmentation from iron building up in the sweat glands. This can then cause a dark stain on the skin. Any existing scars may also be very pigmented.

Dehydration

Not drinking enough water can cause dry and chapped lips, leading to irritation. When lips are dry due to dehydration, it can be a common impulse to lick, pick or bite them. But this can make the lips more dry and irritated.

Constant irritation and inflammation caused by lip licking may cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, causing dark spots on the lips.

Sunspots

Also known as age spots, these dark marks may occur in parts of the body that are exposed to the sun. Common areas for sunspots include the face or hands.

It is important to see a dermatologist to determine if a dark spot on the lip is a sunspot, as they can have a similar appearance to skin cancer. Mistakenly attempting to fade a spot that is actually skin cancer and not an age spot can cause more harm, as it gives the cancer time to grow and spread.

Angiokeratoma

Angiokeratomas are dark lesions that appear on the skin, caused by the widening of the skin’s capillaries (the smallest blood vessels). They are dark in color and may be reddish, blue, or purple. In people with darker skin tones, angiokeratomas may be less obvious.

Over time, the spots may look more like warts. They may also be associated with complications. These include:

• Inflammation
• Pain
• Thrombosis (clots)
• Bleeding

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

In rare cases, a deficiency in vitamin B12 can cause hyperpigmentation. This may also be accompanied by many other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

In some cases, a deficiency in vitamin B12 can result in anemia. This can cause a variety of symptoms, including:

• Irritability
• Visual disturbances
• Depression
• Ulcers in the mouth
• Red tongue
• Sore tongue
• Changes to behavior
• Changes to walking and movement
• Pins-and-needles sensations
• Changes to thoughts or feelings
• Difficulties with memory
• Difficulties with cognition, including judgment or understanding of concepts
• Yellow tinge to the skin

Smoking

Among other complications, smoking can cause dark spots on the skin and lips. This is referred to as smoker’s melanosis .

Smoking commonly causes pigmentation on the gums, palate, and lips, as well as other areas on the front of the body, like the face.

Thyroid Disorders

The thyroid is a gland found in the neck. It is responsible for producing hormones that regulate metabolism (the way your body produces and uses energy). Thyroid disorders can cause a variety of symptoms, including melasma .

Melasma can cause brown or blotchy patches of skin on the face. It is more common in females than in males.

Thyroid Disease Signs on the Skin

Thyroid diseases can cause some signs on the skin. These include:

• Deep cracks and scales on dry skin
• Yellow or orange color to the palms or soles of the feet
• Reddening of the palms
• Flushing in the face
• Darker skin in the mouth, gums, or creases of the palms
• Reddish spots on the skin
• Swollen face
• Wounds that are slow to heal

Certain Medications

Marks on the skin that are caused by medications are referred to as drug-induced pigmentation.

Some of the types of drugs that can cause this include:

• Antimalarial drugs
• Analgesic pain-relievers, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen)
• Antiretrovirals
• Antimicrobials, including tetracyclines

Allergic Reaction

An allergic reaction can cause marks around the lips. The medical term for this is allergic contact cheilitis .

Common triggers for this include:

• Flavorings
• Fragrances
• Cosmetic ingredients
• Toothpaste
• Mouthwash

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer can take the form of a dark spot. Nonmelanoma skin cancer—cancer that does not begin in cells that produce pigmentation—can cause spots on the skin that may grow for months to years. They may also look like a sore that won’t heal in three months.

Melanoma skin cancer can cause spots, lumps, or markings that may change color, shape, or size. Melanoma is a dangerous form of skin cancer that appears as a black or brown spot. While just 4% of skin cancers are melanoma, 79% of deaths related to skin cancer are due to melanoma.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Whenever you find a suspicious-looking spot on your skin, you should make an appointment with a dermatologist. A skin specialist can help determine if the spot is skin cancer or something else and treat it appropriately.

Diagnosis

A dark spot on the skin could be due to various factors. For this reason, it is a good idea to consult with a dermatologist to receive an accurate diagnosis.

A dermatologist will examine the spot and consider whether it might be something serious like skin cancer. The only way to definitively diagnose skin cancer is through a skin biopsy. In this procedure, a sample of tissue is removed from the spot to be analyzed in the laboratory.

If not skin cancer, a dermatologist will be able to help identify other causes of a dark spot on the lip.

Treatment

There are many possible causes of a dark spot on the lip, and treatment will vary based on the underlying cause.

Possible treatment options include, but are not limited to:

• Increased water intake for dehydrated, dry lips
• Adjustment of medications
• Sunscreen
• Change of personal hygiene products
• Products containing vitamin C or glycolic acid
• Medications
• Medical procedures

Summary

There are numerous potential causes for a dark spot on the lips. Some possible causes include skin cancer, a vitamin B12 deficiency, excessive iron in the body, thyroid disorders, smoking, age spots, and dehydration. The only way to get an accurate diagnosis is to see a specialist such as a dermatologist.

Treatment options will vary based on the underlying cause but may include lifestyle factors like improving hydration and changing personal hygiene products, medications, or medical procedures.

A Word From Verywell

A dark spot on the lip may look annoying but can also be a sign of an underlying condition that requires attention.

Any time you are worried about a spot on your skin, you should consider making an appointment with a dermatologist. They will be able to help diagnose the cause of the mark and advise the best treatment option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a dark spot on the lips go away on its own?

Dark spots on the lips can be due to a variety of causes. In some cases, hyperpigmentation will resolve within six to 12 months. But treatment will make this process faster. Dark spots caused by other conditions may require other treatments to resolve.

When should I be concerned about a dark spot on the lips?

Any time you have a spot on your skin that is unusual or that concerns you, you should make an appointment with a dermatologist. A skin specialist will be able to help identify the cause of the mark as well as determine if it is skin cancer.

How long does it take a dark spot on the lips to go away with treatment?

Hyperpigmentation is one example of a dark spot that will fade with proper treatment. If the dark mark is only a few shades darker than the rest of the skin, it may take six to 12 months to fade. If it is much darker, fading can take years. Appropriate treatment may speed up this process. A dermatologist will be able to advise the best way to treat a dark spot on the lips and estimate how long it may take to fade.

15 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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2. British Skin Foundation. Skin and genetic haemochromatosis.
3. American Academy of Dermatology Association. 7 dermatologists’ tips for healing dry, chapped lips.
4. DermNet NZ. Lip licker’s dermatitis.
5. American Academy of Dermatology Association. What can get rid of age spots?
6. DermNet NZ. Angiokeratoma.
7. Rao VR. Vitamin B12 deficiency presenting with hyperpigmentation and pancytopenia.J Family Med Prim Care. 2018;7(3):642-644. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_347_16
8. NHS. Symptoms – Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia
9. Taghizadeh S, Dinçer Z, Marakoğlu İ. Smoker’s melanosis: a case report.Tobacco Induced Diseases. 2018;16(3):121. doi:10.18332/tid/95192
10. American Academy of Dermatology Association. Thyroid disease: a checklist of skin, hair and nail changes.
11. DermNet NZ. Melasma.
12. Nahhas AF, Braunberger TL, Hamzavi IH. An update on drug-induced pigmentation. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2019;20(1):75-96. doi:10.1007/s40257-018-0393-2
13. Belluco PES, Belluco RZF, Reis CMS. Allergic contact cheilitis caused by propolis: case report. Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2022;20:eRC6151. doi:10.31744/einstein_journal/2022RC6151
14. Cedars Sinai. Melanoma skin cancer.
15. American Academy of Dermatology Association. How can I tell if I have skin cancer?

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