Here's How to Get Rid of a Painful Lip Pimple, According to a Dermatologist
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PIMPLES ARE pervasive to the human body. Acne can pop up everywhere—on your face, on your back (hello: bacne!), and even on your lips. These pesky pimples take up residence right on the cusp of where your lips meet the rest of your face (called the lip line). Not only are lip pimples painful and tricky to get rid of, but some lip pimples might not even be a pimple at all—it could be a cold sore. To get to the bottom of these peculiar zits, we called up New York City dermatologist Kenneth Howe, MD to school us on everything you need to know about lip pimples.
Why Do Lip Pimples Even Happen?
“For men, very often it’s due to shaving,” says Dr. Howe. “Acne is inflammatory in nature and can be caused by irritation. If you’re sloppy, impatient, too fast or using a dull razor, the reaction can be acne. It could also be that you used something different like a borrowed razor or a new product.” Another reason why some people get lip pimples is if they've been touching the area more frequently due to something like a cold or runny nose.
What About Lip Balm?
“If it’s a heavy one, yes it could be to blame,” he says, but you’d have to using it far outside the borders of you actual lips where it could clog pores.
How Can I Tell if I Have a Pimple or a Cold Sore?
“It’s easier to tell if something is a cold sore,” says Dr. Howe. Cold sores always tend to pop up in the same spot, so if you've a had similar blemishes before in the exact area, you're probably dealing with a cold sore. “If you felt tingling, numbness, or pain before you saw a spot on your lip, that’s another sign it is a cold sore,” he says.
A blister is also a marker of a cold sore, especially it's one doesn't look like a perfect circle. “A unique thing about a cold sore blister is that rather than it being circular, it will have intersectional circles,” he says. “The herpes virus makes multiple little blisters break out, so the border is not a perfect circle.”
Unless what you’re seeing is a blackhead (a dark colored clogged pore which is also common in the lip area), telling the difference can be tricky. “Sometimes people will get a deeper pimple that’s raised red and has a white head,” says Dr. Howe. “That’s where it gets tricky whether it’s a deep-seeded cold sore or a pimple, because they can look pretty darn similar.” If you can't tell what you're looking at, it may be time to call in the professionals. Make an appointment with your dermatologist and they'll be able to tell you what you're dealing with and how to treat it.
How Do I Get Rid of It?
“If you come to me to treat it, we’ll inject it with cortisone, whether it’s a pimple or a cold sore,” says Dr. Howe. “An injection can take a four to seven day healing process down to one to two days, depending on how far along it is.”
At home, Dr. Howe recommends spot treating with drying agents like Mario Badescu Drying Lotion or an acne cream that contains benzoyl peroxide. “Use a heavier application than usual which will have a drying effect and help shrink it down,” he says.
For blackheads, don't bother trying to treat it at home. Squeezing it out yourself can cause more zits to form, which is the last thing you want to happen. Dr. Howe advises getting it professionally extracted. “Our fingers are blunt instruments and the point of contact is larger than the instrument I use,” he says. “People often get a ring of other pimples, because they push the surrounding pores together with their fingers.”
How Can I Prevent Lip Pimples?
The most important thing you can do to prevent lip pimples is to practice healthy and hygienic shaving habits. “Shave carefully after a hot shower,” says Dr. Howe. “Maybe use a hot towel before you shave, use a good quality shave gel, and go slow—don’t rush!” For best results, gently exfoliate your skin before shaving and use an aftershave to prevent ingrown hairs.
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