The strain of lip hyperpigmentation

Wondering how to deal with lip hyperpigmentation? Here’s Dr Janet Alexander Castelino's take on the treatment options

A fun fact about lips is that everyone’s lip mark is unique, just like our fingertips. However, the problems that all of us face with our lips might not be as unique, as one of the common conditions that most of us find ourselves battling with is lip hyperpigmentation. To begin with, what is hyperpigmentation in general? To put it more simply — our skin produces a pigment called melanin and depending on the amount of melanin, our skins have different shades and complexions. Excess of the pigment melanin is what constitutes hyperpigmentation. On the skin, hyperpigmentation may appear as freckles, age spots, or larger areas of darkened skin. Excess of melanin can also affect the lips, and this causes darkening of the lips known as lip hyperpigmentation.

The main reason behind pigmented lips can be excessive exposure to the sun, dehydration, constant lip-licking or indulging in habits such as smoking. It can also be caused due to genetic issues or underlying medical conditions. Lips are extremely sensitive to several such stressors and need constant attention and care.

Pigmented lips can be quite stubborn to combat but with the recent advances in medical skincare, the doors to new solutions have opened. Exfoliation of the lips has been quite a fad of late but using physical exfoliants such as scrubs can leave the lips dehydrated, injure them, and paradoxically increase the hyperpigmentation. The latest method of exfoliation is chemical exfoliation known as lip peels, which are gentle alpha hydroxy fruit acids, specially formulated for the lips. Lip peels are a painless procedure that involve a short contact application of the lip peel by dermatologists. This enables a controlled exfoliation and removes the top dead layers of pigmented lips. They also increase the turnover of fresh cells, making the lips bright and soft with every subsequent session.

Lip lightening laser treatments, on the other hand, use advanced lasers such as the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser which is one of the latest treatment options showing significant results wherein focused laser light breaks down and clears away the excess melanin pigment. A numbing cream is applied prior to the procedure which happens in fortnightly sessions, and it is a painless and safe form of getting rid of excess pigmentation. It goes without saying that one would have to consult a dermatologist before indulging in treatments as they would provide you with the best advice. A dermatologist would help you determine the cause of your lip hyperpigmentation and start you on a regime that would consist of medicated lip lightening creams containing ingredients like kojic acid and arbutin along with a combination of lip peels or laser treatments. Lips are often forgotten in one’s skincare routine and lip care is still quite underrated. It is important to maintain the health of our lips and provide them with the care they deserve.

(The author is a dermatologist.)