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White spot on the lip: causes and treatment

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

The lips are part of the face, and the appearance of a lesion generates image problems that can affect the self-esteem of the person who suffers from it. A white spot on the lip can be evidenced by various causes such as smoking, infectious processes, trauma, or radiation.

The white spot on the lip is also known as leukoplakia. This lesion can arise in white people, more often in men, between 40 and 70 years of age. A specialist skin doctor must diagnose and treat these white spots on the lips, such as a dermatologist, as they can also be associated with precancerous lesions.

In this FastlyHealarticle, you will learn why a white spot may appear on the lip: its causes and treatment.

Common causes of a white spot on the lip

It is typical for the appearance of white spots on the lips, known as leukoplakia, to arise from the following causes related to poor consumption and hygiene habits:

Tobacco use

The amount smoked every day is directly related to the appearance of this lesion on the lips, even inside the oral cavity. Therefore, leukoplakia is associated with smoking and the adverse health effects of tobacco.

Excessive alcohol consumption

Frequent intake of beverages with high alcohol content is related to the risk of a white spot appearing on the lip. This risk of leukoplakia is more significant when combined with frequent tobacco consumption since both predispose to the appearance of this lesion.

Poor hygiene

The lack of oral hygiene measures precipitates the appearance of a white spot on the lip due to contamination caused mainly by bacteria or fungi.

Inappropriate lip-biting habits

Bad habits such as rubbing the lips with frequent objects (such as pencils) or constant biting of the lips can predispose to the appearance of leucoplast lesions due to abuse and irritation of the mucosa.

White spot on the lip from infectious diseases

Some infectious diseases can cause a white spot on the lip, and it is essential to identify them so that a specialist can offer you the correct diagnosis and treatment. These causes can be:

Candida Albicans

Candida albicans or oral thrush is an infection caused by a fungus that can cause a white spot on the lip and inflammation of the oral mucosa, reaching the esophagus. This infection is the primary causative agent of these candidiasis leucoplasts lesions.

Syphilis

It is a prevalent sexually transmitted disease that can lead to the presence of a white spot on the lip after contamination through the oral sex of a person infected with this disease.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

This virus has a high percentage of contagion through sexual transmission, which is a frequent cause of the appearance of the white spot on the lips, both in women and men. Depending on the strain that causes the arrival of the lesion, it can give rise to the appearance of warts or cancer.

See more information about HPV, its symptoms, and treatment in women and men.

Vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency

The anemia or other nutritional deficiencies are also a predisposing factor in the onset of local atrophic lesions, especially in the oral mucosa and, therefore, the presence of a white spot on the lips.

Symptoms of a white spot on the lip

The appearance of a white spot on the lip is generally asymptomatic, but in some cases, it may be accompanied by the following symptoms:

  • Pain and discomfort in the lip.
  • Whitish or translucent lesions in the form of thick plates may also be raised with a cracked or rough surface.
  • Burning sensation
  • This injury is often evident on the lower lip.

Treatment of the white spot on the lip

The treatment of the white spot on the lip is carried out from a histopathological diagnosis of the lesion, with which the causative agent of this alteration is obtained to indicate the correct treatment and thus effectively solve the white spot on the lip.

Once the diagnosis is made, the factors capable of triggering the white spot on the lip will be eliminated.

  • If it is due to bad habits, the consumption of alcohol or tobacco will be eliminated.
  • If it is an infectious process, it must be determined if it is of viral, bacterial, or fungal origin to indicate the antibiotic or antifungal according to the microorganism present in the lesion.

According to your symptoms, this treatment will be indicated orally and locally.

External treatment of the stain on the lip

To eliminate the white spot on the lip, products such as retinoic acid or vitamin A can be applied, which eliminate dead cells and regenerate the tissue.

Another option is photodynamic therapy, a practice recently used to treat leukoplakia with excellent results. The light shines on the injury, producing oxygen and other free radicals that destroy DNA, proteins, and phospholipids present in the damage.

Lastly, surgery is an option to remove the white spot on the lip. Cryosurgery or laser is used, although in some cases, it will be required to remove the lesion with a scalpel to extract it fully.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to White spot on the lip: causes and treatment , we recommend that you enter our Skin, hair and nails category .

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