Red Bump on Lip: 7 causes, 13 symptoms,Diagnosis, 20+ Treatments
Red Bump on Lip is the red spot on the lip which may be due to an allergic reaction. A bump on the lip can be painful or cause discomfort to the person. A small red bump on the lip can occur once or many times during the lifetime.
Lips are amongst the delicate and tender parts of the body. Lips are noticed in the first instance by any person. Lips may crack or may form a blister which may also bleed at times. There could also be a red spot on lip but no pain.
Lip infection can also occur because of a viral infection.
Some of the common causes of red bump on lip include:
Acne:
Imbalance of the hormones and improper care of skin leads to acne on the skin. Acne can get aggravated because of dirt and unhygienic conditions. Acne can also get filled with pus and cause pain and discomfort.
Cold Sores:
This is a very commonly find bump seen on the lip. This is caused by Herpes Simplex virus1 and is also referred as oral herpes. This occurs as a single bump or can occur in clusters as well. This is found over the lip line as well as inside the mouth. The cold blisters can last for two weeks.
Bacterial Infection:
This could be a twinging sensation felt on the lips and is a sign of bacterial infection. The bacterial infection can spread very easily; it can simply spread by sharing the lipstick with a person who is infected by a bacterial infection
Sunburn:
Just as skin gets affected by extreme heat, similarly lips being one of the most delicate parts of the body get affected. Bumps on the lip that are of the same colour are usually caused by sunburn.
Fordyce’s spots:
They are the clusters of white spots that are seen on the skin or inner mouth lining or occur on the genitals as well. They are formed due to the sebaceous glands of hair follicles. The spots due to this are not painful are also not contagious.
Allergy:
Allergy to the lip can be caused, if the person is allergic to the ingredient of his cosmetic which could be a lipstick, a lip balm or could be a facial cream. An allergy can also take place by sharing someone else’s glass, who has used an allergic ingredient.
Cancer:
This is one of the rare cause of a red bump on Lip and usually affect smokers, this starts on the lips and may turn from white initially to red. This can slowly increase and can also affect the inner lining of the mouth.
Some of the other causes of red bump on lip include hand, foot or mouth disease, Tiny spots on the skin, mucoceles (blockage of salivary glands), perioral dermatitis (rash on the skin due to skin allergy) etc.
Symptoms of a red bump on lip:
There are various symptoms of this. Some of which include:
- Bleeding
- Burning feeling
- Cracked lips
- Dry mouth
- Itchy feeling
- Redness or swelling of the skin
- Tenderness.
Some of the other indirect symptoms include:
- Body ache
- Dizziness
- Stuffy nose
- Feeling of thirst
- Rash on the skin
- A Headache etc.
In certain rare cases, serious symptoms might occur which include difficulty in breathing, Problem in swallowing accompanied by high fever.
Diagnosis of red bump on lip:
History of the patient – Doctor may ask for the history and the lifestyle of the person. The doctor may ask if the patient has been exposed to sunlight, a smoking habit of the person, use of any new medication or the person’s exposure to any allergens or any new cosmetic.
Physical examination- The doctor may examine the patient’s mouth, gums, lips, and teeth to find out if there are any signs of infection. The doctor will also ask certain questions about the amount of pain and when was the first appearance of red bumps on the lip.
Blood test- If the infection is serious, the doctor may undergo a blood test which will help detect bacterial or viral infection.
Biopsy- The doctor may also do testing of the cells of the mouth to check if there are any signs of cancer cells in the mouth.
XRay, CT scan and MRI- The doctor may also ask for an X-Ray, CT scan, and an MRI to look into any abnormality in the mouth, jaw and the throat of the person.
In case of minor infection, the doctor may not ask for not ask for any test but do the evaluation visually.
Treatment of red bump on lip-
Usually a red bump on a lip doesn’t require any treatment; it gets cured by itself within few days. However, it requires special treatment and requires a visit to the doctor when you see certain accompanying symptoms along with it:
- Development of rash on the lip line along with the red bump on Lip
- Breathing difficulties
- Bleeding from the lips which are not stopping
- Swelling of the lips etc.
Whenever you have a red bump on lip, you should check for following symptoms along with it. These include:
- Bleeding from the bumps
- Swelling of the jawline
- Pain sensation on the bump
- White patches on the lip that is not healing
- Numbness of the tongue etc.
A red bump on lip does not require medical attention, a majority of the times they can be treated using some home remedies, these include:
- Oral hygiene – It is important to maintain good oral hygiene, you should brush your teeth twice or thrice a day to prevent any chances of any infection.
- You should replace your toothbrush after regular intervals especially if there is an incidence of red bump on lip.
- Gargle – You should gargle your mouth for the oral hygiene. You should rinse your mouth using a saline solution.
- You should take necessary precautions if there is a red bump on your lip. You should never touch it with your hands, and in case you touch it, you should wash your hands properly.
- Lip balms: You should use a lip balm containing SPF especially when you are going outdoors or when you are working in direct sunlight.
- Lip Balms or that you are using should not have harmful chemicals, as far as possible try using natural products.
- Flavoured lip balms should be avoided to prevent licking of the lips.
- One should drink a lot of water and try to ensure that the lips are hydrated
If the red bump on lip is a cold sore, following additional home remedies can be used:
- OTC medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be taken to treat the pain and soreness
- Include Oregano oil; Oregano oil helps to boost the immunity of the person as well helps reduce the soreness
- If the red bump on Lip is because of the sun rays, use a sunscreen or a lip balm while going out.
- One should decrease the stress levels, as it stress will only worsen the situation
- Apply tea tree oil over the affected region; this will help reduce pain and inflammation
- Apply a petroleum jelly over the affected part; this will help to prevent the contact of it from dust and other microbial sources
- Apply and eat garlic as garlic is a good natural anti-infective and helps to fight bacterial and viral infection
- Certain other natural substances can help reduce inflammation and fight infection; these include milk, vanilla extract, apple cider, hydrogen peroxide etc.
If the red bump on lip is a canker sore, then following home remedies can be used. These include:
- Baking soda rinse solution/paste – This can help to fight the canker sore and can be applied to the affected area.
- Probiotics: Include probiotics in your meal, this will help you improve your immunity and will help you fight infections
- Apply various natural ingredients to the skin which include honey and ice pack, aloe vera gel, coconut water, clove oils. You can use a coconut dab and apply these to the affected part.
- One should avoid hot and spicy food during this as it will further deteriorate the sore and also will irritate.
Majority of the times bumps go in few days, but sometimes the red bump on Lip needs medical attention. You need to look for the accompanying symptoms and also look for the reason that led to the red bump on Lip, to avoid any such incidents in future.
- Medical treatment of the red bump on lip varies depending on the cause of the treatment. Most of the time doctors will prescribe an anti-allergic medicine to along with an antibiotic to treat the viral or bacterial infection
- Anti-histamines are prescribed for the treatment of red bump on Lip due to dermatitis or other skin allergies. Along with that doctor can also prescribe a lip cream or anti-inflammatory balm or a pill to reduce the inflammation
- Some other conditions caused like a canker sore or oral herpes cannot be treated permanently. Generally, they happen to come back again
- Red bump on the lip due to oral cancer has altogether a different line of treatment which involves surgery and the removal of affected part, accompanied by chemotherapy to ensure any relapse
One should use the preventive measures to stop the recurrence; it is important to find the cause of the red bump on Lip and change your lifestyle accordingly.
