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White Spot On Center Of Lower Lip, Used To Bite And Lick Lips. No Family History Of Vitiligo. Taking Vitamin Supplements
Question: I had a tiny white spot on the center of my lower lip since 2 years. the spot was visible only when someone see it from a particular angle. I did not take it seriously as it was not growing and paining. but since last month it had grown a bit and formed a very light white line which is visible from the front as well as from sides. I had old habit of biting and licking the lip as my lower lip on center tickles.Since one month i had quit the habit of biting and stopped using any type of lipstick or cream but the line is still there.when I hard press the spot it comes back in pink colour after release. I want to know about the problem. I am 29 years old Indian, married and a mother of a kid.My skin colour is fair as normal north Indian people have. I do not smoke, or take any hormones. I do not have any genetic history of vitiligo.since one week I am taking supplements of vitamin B complex, calcium, antioxidants and iron. In December 2011 i did thyroid profile test which was normal. But I am not aware of other tests like for adrenal gland. I had stopped using any kinds of cosmetics but the spot is still there and in the center lip always tickles.
doctor please help me as I am very depressed and afraid of social stigmas.
thank you doctor.
doctor please help me as I am very depressed and afraid of social stigmas.
thank you doctor.
Hi,
Thanks for writing in.
I understand your problem. Do not get depressed or afraid of social stigmas.
From the description of lesion, I have come to few provisional diagnoses for your condition.
Exact diagnosis will need direct examination of lesion.
As you had habit of biting lower lip, i.e. there was continuous trauma to the affected area. This increases chances of MUCOCELE formation.
Mucocele is fluid collection from salivary glands and appears as white/transparent lesion.
Treatment for it is-
1] Topical steroids
2] Aspiration and follow up every 6 months
3] Surgical removal
4] Laser therapy
Other possible diagnosis in your case are-
A] Fordyce spots: These are sebaceous glands growth. Treatment again includes topical creams, chemical peeling, crytherapy, laser treatment.
B] Carcinoma: As risk at your age is less, we need to rule out this also. If growth does not look like fordyce spot/mucocele, get biopsy done to rule out this.
I would recommend you to consult any dermatologist. Do not be afraid of remote possibilities like vitiligo and get depressed.
I hope I have answered your query. In case of doubt, I shall be happy to help you.
Best regards,
Dr. Neelam.
Thanks for writing in.
I understand your problem. Do not get depressed or afraid of social stigmas.
From the description of lesion, I have come to few provisional diagnoses for your condition.
Exact diagnosis will need direct examination of lesion.
As you had habit of biting lower lip, i.e. there was continuous trauma to the affected area. This increases chances of MUCOCELE formation.
Mucocele is fluid collection from salivary glands and appears as white/transparent lesion.
Treatment for it is-
1] Topical steroids
2] Aspiration and follow up every 6 months
3] Surgical removal
4] Laser therapy
Other possible diagnosis in your case are-
A] Fordyce spots: These are sebaceous glands growth. Treatment again includes topical creams, chemical peeling, crytherapy, laser treatment.
B] Carcinoma: As risk at your age is less, we need to rule out this also. If growth does not look like fordyce spot/mucocele, get biopsy done to rule out this.
I would recommend you to consult any dermatologist. Do not be afraid of remote possibilities like vitiligo and get depressed.
I hope I have answered your query. In case of doubt, I shall be happy to help you.
Best regards,
Dr. Neelam.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
Thank you doctor for writing.
I want to know the exact symptoms of vitiligo. i do not have any other white spots on my face, neck, muscle foldings or extremities. Whenever I look at mirror I see the border of my lips growing whiter (fading gradually). And the white vertical line crossing the border of lip and gradually merging with the facial skin (probably psychologically). My doctor had also ruled out the possibility of vitiligo but I want to know from your side. By reading and researching about fordyce spots i observed such spots on my upper lip but i am not sure about my lower lip. the white line in my lower lip is vertical and my doctor didn't observe it in first look. and it is only present near the biting area at the center of lower lip. I was afraid just because it was growing vertically and i was observing the white area below the line on facial skin and also like the colour of affected area is merging with inter lip colour. I also want to know that will it gradually fade and merge with the facial skin and turn into vitiligo? what about the lighter colour of lip lining in facial skin just below the center of lower lip?
Dear doctor I shall be highly oblige if you clear my doubts.
thank you.
I want to know the exact symptoms of vitiligo. i do not have any other white spots on my face, neck, muscle foldings or extremities. Whenever I look at mirror I see the border of my lips growing whiter (fading gradually). And the white vertical line crossing the border of lip and gradually merging with the facial skin (probably psychologically). My doctor had also ruled out the possibility of vitiligo but I want to know from your side. By reading and researching about fordyce spots i observed such spots on my upper lip but i am not sure about my lower lip. the white line in my lower lip is vertical and my doctor didn't observe it in first look. and it is only present near the biting area at the center of lower lip. I was afraid just because it was growing vertically and i was observing the white area below the line on facial skin and also like the colour of affected area is merging with inter lip colour. I also want to know that will it gradually fade and merge with the facial skin and turn into vitiligo? what about the lighter colour of lip lining in facial skin just below the center of lower lip?
Dear doctor I shall be highly oblige if you clear my doubts.
thank you.
Hi,
Thanks for writing in.
Vitiligo is loss of pigments producing milky-white patches (depigmentation) on skin. Pigment changes are also noticeable in mouth, eyes/scalp.
But only thing is that no one can predict is the course of illness. Sometimes the patches stop forming without treatment. In most cases, pigment loss spreads and can eventually involve most of the surface of your skin.
So even after looking at lesion, it is difficult to predict whether white line will gradually fade and merge with the facial skin and turn into vitiligo or the lighter colour of lip lining will merge in facial skin just below the centre of lower lip or not.
If after examination doctor has ruled out vitiligo, then no need to worry. I hope you have been examined by a dermatologist. Still available treatment options for vitiligo are topical steroid cream, PUVA therapy, Oral psoralen photochemotherapy.
I hope I have cleared your doubts. Let me know if you need any more help.
Best regards,
Dr. Neelam.
Thanks for writing in.
Vitiligo is loss of pigments producing milky-white patches (depigmentation) on skin. Pigment changes are also noticeable in mouth, eyes/scalp.
But only thing is that no one can predict is the course of illness. Sometimes the patches stop forming without treatment. In most cases, pigment loss spreads and can eventually involve most of the surface of your skin.
So even after looking at lesion, it is difficult to predict whether white line will gradually fade and merge with the facial skin and turn into vitiligo or the lighter colour of lip lining will merge in facial skin just below the centre of lower lip or not.
If after examination doctor has ruled out vitiligo, then no need to worry. I hope you have been examined by a dermatologist. Still available treatment options for vitiligo are topical steroid cream, PUVA therapy, Oral psoralen photochemotherapy.
I hope I have cleared your doubts. Let me know if you need any more help.
Best regards,
Dr. Neelam.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Aparna Kohli
Hello Doctor
thank you very much for your advice. Please tell me how can I confirm that this XXXXXXX will not turn into vitiligo? What are the tests for the diagnosis of vitiligo? and what precautions I must take to prevent it? If it is mucocele can it be caured permanently and what are the side effects of the treatments? and most important what are the chances of vitiligo in my case,should I worry abot vitiligo?
Thank you doctor.
You advice will help me live normal life.
thank you very much for your advice. Please tell me how can I confirm that this XXXXXXX will not turn into vitiligo? What are the tests for the diagnosis of vitiligo? and what precautions I must take to prevent it? If it is mucocele can it be caured permanently and what are the side effects of the treatments? and most important what are the chances of vitiligo in my case,should I worry abot vitiligo?
Thank you doctor.
You advice will help me live normal life.
Hi,
Thanks for writing in.
If you have family history of vitiligo, then you have an increased risk to develop vitiligo. Avoid sun exposure. You can apply sun-protection cream with SPF 30 to the affected area for additional protection.
The treatment options discussed in our prior consultation would take care of mucocele. I expect you to be cured of mucocele with those treatment measures. As far as the side effects of those creams are concerned, they are not much except longer use and large quantity use of steroid can cause some skin effects. Besides this, mucocele is prone for recurrence if aspiration is done as a part of treatment.
Diagnosis of vitiligo is achieved based on skin biopsy of the affected areas. The skin sample will show a complete absence of pigment-producing melanocytes if what you have is indeed a vitiligo.
I would suggest you not to worry unnecessary. Consult dermatologist to find out whether it is mucocele or vitiligo; and get it treated accordingly.
I hope this information is useful to you. If all your queries are answered, please close this discussion.
Best regards,
Dr. Neelam
Thanks for writing in.
If you have family history of vitiligo, then you have an increased risk to develop vitiligo. Avoid sun exposure. You can apply sun-protection cream with SPF 30 to the affected area for additional protection.
The treatment options discussed in our prior consultation would take care of mucocele. I expect you to be cured of mucocele with those treatment measures. As far as the side effects of those creams are concerned, they are not much except longer use and large quantity use of steroid can cause some skin effects. Besides this, mucocele is prone for recurrence if aspiration is done as a part of treatment.
Diagnosis of vitiligo is achieved based on skin biopsy of the affected areas. The skin sample will show a complete absence of pigment-producing melanocytes if what you have is indeed a vitiligo.
I would suggest you not to worry unnecessary. Consult dermatologist to find out whether it is mucocele or vitiligo; and get it treated accordingly.
I hope this information is useful to you. If all your queries are answered, please close this discussion.
Best regards,
Dr. Neelam
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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