Lips often are the center point of most men and women. Sometimes dark pigmentation of lips could be associated with smoking or tobacco use. So people with dark or pigmented lips encounter a lot of questions on those lines which is highly disheartening.

The other major causes of dark pigmentation on the lips are:

• Recurrent biting of lips
• Excessive use of caffeinated drinks that stain your lips
• Use of tinted lip balms or dark lipsticks
• Certain medications like antibiotics and iron that cause allergy
• Certain medications can also lead to pigmentation on the lips and gums like antibiotics and iron supplements
• Certain medical conditions

How to prevent?

• Use a colour less lip balm with a sunscreen regularly, avoid coloured balms and lipsticks
• Drink a lot of water
• Avoid peeling of the skin on your lips by biting or with your hands
• Reduce or stop the use of tobacco and caffeinated drinks

If these routines do not reduce the darkness on your lips, you can seek the help of a dermatologist who can suggest you with treatments like a chemical peel or a Q switch Nd-YAG laser. However, if you have a medical condition underlying it you might need to continue the treatment on and off to keep the lips healthy and pink.

We look forward to hearing your queries and suggestions on the same. Please find our detailed video by Dr Rasya Dixit by following this link, https://youtu.be/CfR2w7j0_WY

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The information provided in Dr. Dixit's answer is for educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice. The information provided should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultations with a qualified health professional who may be familiar with your individual medical needs.