Does the skin around your lips appear darker than the rest of your face? It could be due to excess pigmentation around that area, rendering it a darker appearance.
Pigmentation around the mouth is also known as mouth discolouration, and it may be caused due to a lot of factors.
You must be thinking if this type of pigmentation is reversible. You can certainly get a consistent tone and get results with pigmentation treatment at home, but treatment from a dermatologist may be more effective.
If you have been thinking of how to get rid of pigmentation on your face, give this article a read.
What Causes Mouth Discolouration?
The skin gets its natural color from a pigment called melanin. People with lighter skin tones have less melanin, while on the other hand dark-skinned people have more pigmentation.
Melanin production in skin can be triggered by various factors, such as sun exposure, hormone fluctuations, or certain medications. Since your face is one of the most exposed parts of the body, it is easy for melanin production to be expedited. This further causes dark spots around your mouth.
Here are some reasons of pigmentation around the mouth:
Melasma
This condition is characterized by noticeable dark brown and grayish brown patches on the forehead, cheeks, and upper lip. These spots can occur due to hormonal changes in women during pregnancy, consuming oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy. Melasma mostly targets the face area, such as upper lip and chin, cheeks, nose, and forehead.
Medications
Doxycycline, a type of antibiotic that increases sun sensitivity, may contribute to sun damage, and thus, cause pigmentation on the mouth area. It is also believed by medical professionals that undergoing chemotherapy treatment may also trigger pigmentation, but the dark spots may fade after discontinuing medication.
Injury
If you’ve endured a significant injury, acne flare-up, burn, or infection around your mouth, you might notice brown or black spots after the skin heals. This is also known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, but the good part is that it usually goes away on its own in a few months.
Vitamin Deficiencies
Your nutritional choices may also affect pigmentation around the mouth area, reveals a study from 2018, further indicating that vitamin D deficiencies were found in people afflicted with melasma.
How to Treat Pigmentation on face
Here’s how to remove pigmentation from face naturally at home:
1. Consistent Exfoliation
Exfoliating your skin aids in eliminating dead skin cells, which encourages cell renewal and diminishes the visibility of dark spots. Apply a mild exfoliator once or twice a week. A gentle facial scrub can help you see improvements.
3. Keep Yourself Hydrated
Dehydration is linked with pigmentation, and can also cause fine lines, dull appearance, and increased sensitivity around the mouth. Keep your water intake up to the mark and try to incorporate foods rich in antioxidants to improve overall skin health.
4. Sun Protection
Make sure that you never skin on applying sunscreen whenever you are heading out, as harmful UV rays may continue to cause skin discoloration. Opt for a sunscreen with a broad spectrum, preferably SPF 50++ to keep your skin protected from sun rays.
Treatment Options for Alleviating Pigmentation Around Mouth
If home remedies do not bring the desired results, you may want to switch to dermatologist-approved options for skin treatment:
1. Pigmentation reversing medications
You may find these over-the-counter drugs to help with your mouth discolouration:
- Hydroquinone cream to inhibit melanin production and to lighten dark spots around the mouth.
- Azelaic Acid to reduce discoloration and inflammation on the mouth
- Kojic Acid to target melasma and alleviate age spots
2. Chemical Peels
Often termed as a transformative skin treatment for skin brightening, improving skin texture and bringing a natural glow, Chemical Peels can certainly bring about great results with hyperpigmentation. Glycolic acid or salicylic acid Chemical Peels effectively exfoliate the skin and reduce pigmentation.
3. Laser Therapy
Our touted laser technology includes CO2, Q switch, etc. to promote collagen that encourages even tone on your skin and removing dark spots around the mouth.
4. Microneedling
This technique creates tiny injuries in the skin to boost the effectiveness of topical treatments and stimulate collagen production, which can help address pigmentation problems.
5. Retinoids
Tretinoin can increase cell turnover and enhance skin texture, while also gradually reducing dark spots.
Want to remove pigmentation around the mouth safely? Get expert consultation for pigmentation treatment in Delhi at Dermasure. We specialize in treating pigmentation for the face and other parts of the upper body. Through our tested and tried techniques we can help you in getting even-toned skin in a few sittings. Contact us to book an appointment at our skin clinic in Delhi.
