How To Get Rid Of Pimple On Lip Line

The human body is an unlimited source of weirdness. If you've ever looked in the mirror and thought, "WTF is going on with my face?", you know what we mean. Take for instance, the lip pimple. They're those pesky zits that can pop up right on the border of your lips (called the lip line). Beyond the unsightly look, this type of pimple is extremely uncomfortable, hard to get rid of, and to add to the confusion, it might not even be a pimple at all—it could be a cold sore. To get to the bottom of this strange phenomenon, 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 culprit could be if you've been touching the area more frequently, like if you have 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 be putting it far past your lip line 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. Repetition is key. If you've had similar blemishes before in the exact same spot, it's likely it's 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. Finally, if there is blister, especially a broken one or one that is not a perfect circle, you're likely dealing with a cold sore. "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." When it doubt, it's best to ask your dermatologist.

Face, Lip, Nose, Skin, Cheek, Chin, Head, Eyebrow, Finger, Hand,

Getty

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.

If it's a blackhead, squeezing it out yourself can cause more zits to form. 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 is to cultivate good 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!". Gently exfoliate your skin before shaving and use an aftershave to prevent ingrown hairs, too.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment

Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Gel

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Spot Treatment Cream

amazon.com

Garrett Munce Garrett Munce writes about men's style and grooming.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io