Have you ever noticed that you have unexplained white spots on your lips?
If you have, then you’re not alone as the little-known. According to a 2015 case report published in Clinical Case Reports and Reviews journal, they occur in 70 to 80 percent of adults.
They are called Fordyce spots, and are small yellowish or whitish spots that may appear on the lips, or on the inside of your cheeks.
What are Fordyce Spots?
The spots, also called Fordyce granules or Fordyce glands, are enlarged oil glands. They are completely normal, harmless, and painless.
Oil glands, called sebaceous glands, are usually associated with hair follicles. Fordyce spots appear on your skin where no hair is present. They usually develop as isolated or scattered bumps, but sometimes they cluster together.
These spots appear due to enlarged sebaceous glands (at any age), but appear more frequent during puberty due to hormonal changes.
How can you identify Fordyce spots?
Fordyce spots tend to be about 1 to 3 millimeters (.04 to .12 inches) in diameter but can be larger. They’re usually light yellow or flesh-colored. If they develop in your genital area, they can be a reddish color. Stretching out the surrounding skin makes the spots more visible.
Fordyce spots are most likely to form around the outside of your lips or the inside of your lips and cheeks. They usually appear symmetrically, on both sides of your lips.
They can also form on your gen!tal area, including your pen!s or scrotum if you’re male or your lab!a if you’re female.
Fordyce sports are often barely noticeable, but in some cases they can be unsightly. They aren’t painful, itchy, or infectious.
Some other dermatological conditions can appear similar to Fordyce spots, including:
- milium cysts, which are hard, white, round bumps that can develop on your face
- sebaceous hyperplasia, a condition that can cause small, soft bumps to form
- epidermoid cysts, which are small, hard lumps that can form under your skin
- basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer that can appear as a bump, red patch, or other growth
What causes Fordyce spots?
Fordyce spots are a natural part of your anatomy. They’re present at birth, but they aren’t usually noticeable until puberty, when hormonal changes enlarge them.
How To Get Rid Of White Spots On Lips
Although Fordyce spots do not need any specific treatment, there are ways you can eliminate them for aesthetic reasons with creams like retinols, and other home remedies.
- Garlic: has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial properties
- Apple Cider Vinegar: acts as an astringent and has antibacterial properties that help eliminate bacteria. We recommend Halcyon Skin Care Apple Cider Toner.
- Coconut Oil: Most often, the excess secretion of sebum that causes white spots is due to dehydrated, dry skin. Coconut oil moisturizes your skin and also has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk soothes the inflammation and irritation.
Source: healthline.com; Beaux Medspa/FB