READ YOUR LIPS!

health

Like skin tone, lip colour can vary from person to person. No shade of skin on the lips is healthier than any other. In some cases, while a change in the colour or condition of the lips could indicate that the lips need more care, it can also point to various conditions of the body.

Pale or white lips

White or pale lips are often accompanied by general paleness affecting the face, lining of the eyes, inside of the mouth, and the nails. This is usually caused by anaemia, which is a low red blood cell count. Anaemia that causes pale or white lips is severe and requires immediate medical attention. Some of the causes of anaemia are: a diet low in iron; a diet low in vitamin B-12 or folate; blood loss from heavy menstrual periods; bleeding in the intestinal tract.

Another common cause of white lips is oral thrush (oral candidiasis). Candida is an organism that usually exists in low numbers in your mouth. If an overgrowth of Candida occurs, you end up with oral thrush, which can cause white lesions. Though the lesions usually grow on the tongue or inner cheeks, they can also appear on your inner lips, as well as the roof of your mouth, tonsils, and gums. Other conditions that may cause pale or white lips include: low blood sugar; circulatory problems; chronic diseases; frostbite; vitamin deficiencies and certain medications.

Dry lips

This symptom is usually caused by basic dehydration or extreme and drying weather. If chugging water or keeping them moisturised with plain emollients doesn't make the problem go away, the discomfort may be caused by an allergy or contact dermatitis, aka irritation from an external source. Lip licking dermatitis can occur as a result of frequent licking of the skin and the irritation to the skin from the saliva. Some people have sensitivity to lip balm ingredients and this can lead to dry, red and irritated lips. You should be particularly careful if the lip balm that you use stings when applied. If you have consistently dry lips, try not to lick them no matter how sexy it looks, as saliva may cause them to peel more.

Red lips

Red lips signify that there is too much heat in your body. Red lips can also be accompanied by bad breath and food cravings. These are signs that your liver and spleen are struggling. For this, you should eat cleansing bitter foods to cleanse your liver, such as dandelion tea, chrysanthemum tea, and bitter melon. Celery and honey are also beneficial. Early nights and stress-free activities will give your body the rest it needs to recuperate.

Blue Lips

Blue lips can be an indication of a medical emergency and point to serious conditions within the body. Poor oxygen circulation in the blood can cause blueish discoloration in the skin, called cyanosis. This can be easily noticed in the tips of the fingers and toes, along with the lips. Blood changes colour depending on the presence of oxygen. Blood rich in oxygen is bright red, while blood with low levels of oxygen is dark red or purple, which shows through your skin and mucus membranes. Possible causes of blue lips include choking, a lung disease, such as asthma, emphysema, and pneumonia, heart failure, shock, a blood clot in the lungs, blood poisoning (sepsis), poisoning from toxins such as insecticides, nitrates, and nitrites, extremely cold temperatures (acrocyanosis). When this happens, call for medical treatment immediately.

Black lips

There are various causes of black lips, or hyper pigmentation of the lips. These include smoking, trauma or injury. A bruise can form on one or both lips following an injury. This can cause your lips to be partly or entirely purple or black. Dry, cracked, and severely damaged lips, including burns, can also turn lips dark. Moreover, very dark lips indicate that your digestive system is stressed and overloaded. Cleanse your stomach by eating congee, yogurt, and sweet potato. Drink warm water with a squeeze of lemon juice. Avoid processed and junk food until your digestion finds its balance again. Introduce fibre rich vegetables, pickled vegetables, and fruit to aid digestion.

Some diseases can cause hyper-pigmentation and one of the most well-known is Addison’s disease. Usually, it is a problem with the immune system that stops the adrenal gland from making enough essential hormones. The condition can cause dark patches of skin, dark lips, or dark gums. Other symptoms include lack of energy, weakness, and low mood.

Burning lips

If you are experiencing burning lips, and you haven't eaten a spicy curry in the last ten minutes, it could be a signal of a greater issue. Burning in the lips, throat, and tongue has been linked to B-12 deficiency, as well as depression and menopause. You can also quite literally burn your lips through sun exposure, which can potentially lead to skin cancer. You should protect the lips from the sun: use sunscreens even on the lips (sunscreen sticks tend to be easy to apply in this location), reapply after a few hours if needed; wear protective hats to avoid this uncomfortable kind of sunburn.