eTopical Precious Finds
White dots on lips may appear as little papules that are easily visible around the mouth, corners of lips or even under skin on lips. Some people confuse tiny white spots on lips as STD symptoms. Here are the causes and pictures of small white dots on lips and how to treat them.
Do you have small white or yellow colored small bumps on your lips? Are they painless? Most people complain of having white dots on lips that do not show symptoms and signs of pain and discomfort. The only type of discomfort that you may feel is the cosmetic trauma they may cause.
The white papules can be as a result of various reasons. Below, you will read of the causes of small white dots on lips and how to get rid of those yellowish or whitish spots that form around the mouth. Remember it is strongly advised that you do not take any of the symptoms lightly since you could actually be suffering from an STD or any other infection that is showing its symptoms this way. See pictures of white dots on lips below.
What Are the White Spots on My Lips?
So, what are the white dots on the lips? Well, white dots around lips and mouth are as a result of mild inflammation on the lips. They may be caused by any mild trauma that the lips may suffer, maybe due to an infection such as an STD, cold sore or soreness and many other reasons that may not be specified.
Some physicians refer to white patches and dots on the lips as Fordyce spots on lips. Fordyce spots are painless but small raised yellowish white granules that form on the lips. They are said not to be harmful, but it is important to see a doctor to avoid any health problems with your lips.
What Causes White Spots On Lips?
Causes of white dots on the lips may vary depending on the actual type of papules or bumps on the lips. For instance, Fordyce granules may be normal only that they appear on the lips (where they are actually not supposed to appear).
In the same way, yellowish white spots on the lips may be caused by herpes on the lips and may appear as tiny blisters around the mouth or corners of the mouth. Sometimes, the blisters may be formed on the lip line, upper lip or lower lip, and may become itchy and eventually rapture. In essence, the causes of white spots, patches and dots on lips may differ depending on the underlying cause and actual type of the condition. Below, I have discussed the different causes of small white dots and bumps on the lips according to the appearance.
Fordyce Spots on Lips or Fordyce Granules on Lips
Fordyce spots can be about 1 millimeter to 3 millimeter. They appear as small white granules or tiny white dots. Typically, Fordyce dots are small bumps that appear on the border of your lips or on the lip line. Fordyce dots and granules form within the part of the mouth tissue that is colored.
Do not worry about Fordyce granules and spots because they are normal oily glands which may just be visible because of reasons of skin complexion and variation in the pigmentation. Some people notice Fordyce spots as white dots on lips when stretched. Note that:
- Fordyce lip patches and granules are painless
- They are harmless glands
- These dots are not an STD, but you should see a doctor for a proper diagnosis.
See pictures of white Fordyce spots on lips to be able to distinguish them from other conditions that manifest themselves in the same way. See the end for Fordyce spots on lips treatment.
Small or Little White Dots on Lips
Little white dots on lips are the most commonly reported symptom when people suffer from different conditions that manifest themselves as with small granules or bumps. Some of the small white dots around lips or along the lip line may be a result of white fungus. Some people may experience white patches in the mouth as well.
But what causes tiny white marks on the lip line and around the mouth? It is highly likely that when you have this sign, you could be having Fordyce spots. However, it could turn out to be something else as well as tiny white dots can also be hard, painless or even soft, tender and easy to rapture. In this case, an underlying bacterial infection, fungal infection or just the normal Fordyce could cause them.
- If the little white dots are flat on the lips, then they are not likely to be Fordyce
- Raised tiny bumps are likely to be Fordyce white dots on lips.
- White patches around your lips could be thrush and can spread to other parts of the mouth
- Vitiligo is the loss of your skin pigmentation or color and can show by small white dots around the mouth
Treatment for Little White Spots on Lips: There is no known working way to prevent white vitiligo spots or even cure them. However, if caused by herpes or a fungal infection, the doctor may prescribe a treatment that is an anti-fungal, antibacterial or antiviral medications. See more treatments and cures below.
White Dots on Lips Pictures
Using pictures of white spots on the lips, you can easily identify which exact problem is your case. As we have discussed and are still discussing in this entire article the different manifestations of the problem, it can be difficult to clearly identify the problem and what might have caused it.
See the pictures of white dots on lips and their captions to help you in finding out exactly which one is your problem.
White Dots on Lips Corner
If you have white dots or papules on lips corners, then it is likely that you may be suffering from herpes. However, this is not a conclusive finding since the symptoms may differ from one person to another. To be specific, white dots on corners of lips may be herpes lesions, which are generally known to begin on the corners of the mouth.
Important characteristics of these white spots on lips corner that may identify them as herpes are as follows:
- The papules may also appear on other parts of the body such as the tongue
- The white lip dots may appear as small blisters especially at their onset
- The small tender white bumps on the lips may rapture
- Some papules may become ulcerated before rapturing
- Most importantly, white dots on the lips and mouth corners may be painful if they are a sign of herpes
- Lastly, they can crust time before they heal.
White Dots on Lips Mouth – Is it Oral Cancer?
Do you have white spots and dots on the lips and mouth? This symptom may extend into white patches in the throat and on tonsils. This could be an indication of oral cancer, which is a dangerous problem altogether that you will need to seek medical attention soonest possible.
Oral cancer may manifest itself in an array of symptoms, among them small white bumps on the lips, mouth, throat and areas around the lips. Sometimes, you may find that the patches, dots and bumps become open sores and lumps that do not heal, and may remain hard.
If you have a problem of white lumps around the mouth and lips, ensure you see a doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
White Dots Around Lips and Under Skin
Oral thrush a yeast infection can also cause one to have white dots around lips. There is likely to be various pathologies related to the symptom of white patches and dots around the mouth, but that does not always translate to one thing unless you get a diagnosis and treatment.
If you find that you can only notice the white spots under the skin when the lips are stretched, then this is caused by Fordyce and you could not be having anything to worry about.
White Dots on Lips Treatment
The treatment of white pots around and on your lips may depend on the causes or the underlying cause. Small white papules on lips are treated or cured by eliminating the underlying cause. Below are the common treatments that are applied to eliminate the problem after a diagnosis by the physician.
- Cold sores are treated using antivirals that get rid of herpes simplex.
- White spots caused by sunburn can be treated using vitamin E ointments and creams for the lips.
- If the cause is contact allergy, you may get rid of white spots on lips by taking antiallergens and avoiding those substances that cause the allergic reaction.
- Fordyce spots on lips treatment involves laser treatment of the lips, which uses pulse dye laser beams.
- Oral thrush and lip cancer may be treated the same way other cancers are cured. This may involve removal of the cancerous tissue on the lips or even using chemotherapy treatments.
There you have it! The treatments and symptoms, causes of white dots on the lips that you should probably be aware of. Of importance to note is that you must see a doctor before making any assumptions about what could be the problem of white dots on lips.
