Acne used to be the bane of my existence. I suffered from cystic acne throughout high school and into college. It wasn’t until I completed a course of Accutane that it finally started to calm down. I still break out around my time of the month but it is fortunately much more controllable with topical medications. Anyone that regularly deals with acne can attest to how it can affect your mood and sometimes get in the way of your day-to-day activities. If you’re a female you may even spend money and time covering it up with makeup just to cause it to worsen the next day.
Our lips are a prominent feature of our face. When someone has painful lip pimples, not only is it uncomfortable, but it’s difficult to cover up. The first thing we need to consider before treating is the underlying cause. There are several reasons we can experience inflammation in the lip. It could be a wasp sting or an allergic reaction that causes the lip to swell. Pimples on the lip are different from an allergic reaction. The 3 common causes of painful lip pimples are acne, cold sores, and inflamed hair follicles aka folliculitis. In this article, we are going to discuss how to distinguish between these three types of painful lip pimples and how to treat each.
Related: 5 Skin Conditions That Cause Acne-Like Bumps That Most People Don’t Know About
Acne
Everyone knows what acne is but what you may not know is that acne is caused by bacteria and clogged pores. If you know this then you know how to treat it. My normal recommendation for when someone is experiencing a random pimple here or there is to go ahead and spot treat with a topical antibiotic or a medication that turns skin cells over quickly.
Fortunately, you do not need a prescription for this. You can purchase over-the-counter spot treatments that have ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. A good affordable over-the-counter option is Neutrogena On-The-Spot Acne Spot Treatment with 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. I would also avoid trying to pop the lip pimple because it can lead to worsening inflammation and or scarring.
An essential factor to consider with acne is your food intake. High intakes of dairy or carbohydrates have been found to potentially worsen acne. If you are using makeup that is not for acne-prone skin it could also be clogging the pores and worsening the situation. Do your best not to touch your skin with the exception of applying any necessary medications. Your hands also have bacteria on them. If the pimple is not responding it may require prescription-strength medicines such as oral antibiotics or in some instances, when severe enough, a steroid injection.
Cold sores
Cold sores are typically easy to differentiate from normal acne pimples. They can form blisters and will typically crust over after a few days. Cold sores are formed from a virus instead of bacteria. The virus that creates cold sores is herpes simplex. It is contagious so you should definitely avoid sharing drinks or kissing anyone when your cold sore is active.
Cold sores do come and go and may flare in times of stress. Some people will only get them a few times a year and others will develop them more regularly. There is an oral medication called Valtrex which is an antiviral and requires a prescription from a medical provider. Depending on the frequency of your outbreaks you may take a certain dose only when you feel a flare about to start. If you are someone who experiences flares more frequently, then your healthcare provider may recommend a suppressive dose where you take the medication daily.
The key to treating cold sores is to prevent them from becoming full-blown. This is possible by taking your medication as soon as you feel the burning or tingling sensation that typically comes before the bump appears. Some of my patients can even predict when they are able to flare because they know their triggers. If you are someone who is prone to cold sores, and you experience some degree of inflammation that involves your mouth, you may want to consider pretreating with the medication. The inflammation could trigger a breakout. An over-the-counter medication that may be helpful is Abreva, which is a topical antiviral.
Inflamed hair follicles
Inflammation of hair follicles around the lips can look similar to acne pimples. It is typically caused by an attempt to remove hair removal by either: shaving, waxing, or plucking. This is true for both men and women. The medical term for this condition is folliculitis. Some people may experience a condition called pseudofolliculitis, but for the purpose of this article we will focus on folliculitis.
Folliculitis is treated similarly to acne in the fact that topical and sometimes oral antibiotics are necessary for resolution. I also recommend avoiding the type of hair removal that caused it in the first place. Once it does it to you once it may very well happen again. If you really can’t stand the hair then I would recommend trying Nair. Just be careful as some people can develop an allergic reaction to this hair removal product. If you can’t shave, wax, or use a chemical to remove the hair then you should consider either laser hair removal or electrolysis depending on the color of the hair you are trying to remove.
Related: Unwanted Hair: Electrolysis or Laser Hair Removal
Final thoughts on painful lip pimples
Suppose you are experiencing a lip pimple. First, try to determine the cause of it. If it is either due to acne or folliculitis you should be able to self-treat at home. If it is a cold sore then you may need a prescription for oral antivirals. Otherwise, you could attempt to treat with Abreva or let it run its course, but that could mean discomfort and embarrassment from the outbreak for several days to up to two weeks before it finally goes away. Not to mention you are considered contagious during that period of time. When in doubt I always recommend talking to a dermatology medical provider so they can treat you appropriately.
Have you experienced lip pimples and have used a medication that works well for you? Let us know in the comments below!
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer. Information on this website is for education and entertainment purposes only. Content is my opinion. It is not substituted for your own doctor’s medical care or advice. One should not make any health or medical-related decisions based in whole or in part on any content on this site. Content is not intended to replace the services of a licensed, trained health professional. Content may not apply to you as an individual. Although I will update my website with current information, this website is not a definitive guide to dermatology.
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