Pale, Blue and Yellow Lips
According to Dr. Oz, pale lips can be a sign that enough oxygenated-red blood cells aren’t getting to your lips. This causes anemia and makes the lips look pale. Blue lips are a sign of heart or lung disease. When red blood cells become de-oxygenated the blood becomes blue and in turn makes the lips blue. If you have liver problems, the yellow, jaundice appearance of the lips can be a sign of liver disease.
Dry, Cracked Corners of the Lips
The painful cracks at the corners of your mouth is a condition called angular cheilitis. This issue causes a lot of embarrassment for sufferers, but luckily there’s a root cause and solution. This condition is developed in several ways. If you wear dentures, grind your teeth or drool a lot, moisture can form at the corners of your mouth as you sleep. This pool of moisture can lead to a yeast infection. Gross, right? But Dr. Arbeitman says that you can get a night guard, sleep propped up on a pillow and if you wear dentures that don’t fit, consult your dentist. Also, it’s strongly advised that you coat the corners of your mouth with Aquaphor to provide relief of the issue.
Growths
Please go see your doctor as soon as possible if you see any growths on your lips. This could be a sign of lip cancer. Other signs of lip cancer include dry white patches, stubborn sores that won’t heal, painful lips and numbness in the lips. Dr. Oz says you can prevent lip cancer by using lip balm with SPF built in.
Cold Sores
A cold sore that appears on the lips is a sign that you’ve come in contact with the herpes simplex virus or Type 1 herpes(HSV-1). Cold sores are also called fever blisters. According to the CDC, more than half of the United States has the virus despite not showing any signs or outbreaks from the virus. The sore is characterized as a lesion in or around the mouth and lips. This virus can be spread when active, so please be aware. Doctors normally prescribe antiviral medication which usually clears this condition up in two weeks.
What Your Lips Reveal About Your Health was originally published on blackdoctor.org
