White dots under the skin on the lips: what is it and how to treat it?

If white spots appear on the lips under the skin, the causes should not be sought deep in the body. There is a widespread belief that they necessarily indicate the presence of a disease of internal organs (in particular, the digestive tract), helminthic invasion or metabolic disorders. However, in reality, everything is not so scary. And rashes on the lips in the form of semolina, like pimples do not arise at all due to metabolic disorders.

Fordyce Pellets

The mechanism of the appearance of white dots on the lips is studied by modern medicine. He also has a name - Fordyce's disease, and those same dots are called granules. But doctors do not give an exact answer why they arise. Only suggestions and factors stimulating the development of the disease are given.

Although the disease? If white dots in the corners of the lips or on their surface do not cause any discomfort to their wearer, do not itch and itch, like irritation of the skin of the lips, do not spread and do not increase in size, it is recognized by medicine to perceive them as an absolutely normal state.

Fordyce granules are not contagious, do not entail complications, and do not cause any harm to health. Their only minus is a cosmetic and sometimes a feeling of discomfort.

According to statistics, a Fordyce symptom is present in 60% of men and 35% of women worldwide. Moreover, if in women granules in the form of the smallest grains are localized precisely on the lips and do not cause particular discomfort, then in men they can find a place on the head of the penis, creating the so-called “collar” and protruding above its surface in the form of papules. But even this condition is not a disease, from the point of view of doctors.

Why do white spots appear under the skin?

Doctors believe that small bubbles inside with white on the lips under the skin occur due to changes in the anatomy of the sebaceous glands. Ideally, they are located deep under the skin and their work is completely invisible externally. But in some cases (factors contributing to this, we will indicate below), the sebaceous glands are displaced, advancing to the upper layer of the skin. Additionally, there is a violation of their work, increased production of skin secretion. It accumulates, the ducts of the glands become narrower, which leads to the formation of microcysts - the very points that we can observe in the mirror.

The factors that contribute to the formation of granules are as follows.

• Puberty - the time when spots on the lips appear most often is the age of 13 to 17 years. During this period, the hormonal background is extremely unstable, which becomes the cause of the disease.
• Individual anatomy - Often the displacement of the sebaceous glands is genetically embedded in a person. Therefore, as they grow older, when sebum production is activated, granules begin to form.
• Sebaceous gland changes - the disease provokes narrowing of the ducts, due to which sebaceous secretions accumulate and clog the gland. Also the cause may be injuries, blows.
• Smoking - smokers often find white spots not only on the outside, but also on the inside of the lips.

Fordyce Disease Treatment

Granules in the form of nodules of yellow-white color are a cosmetic defect. Their diameter usually does not exceed 2 mm, the height is 1 mm. Soreness is practically absent, but occasionally there is a feeling of itching or burning, which quickly passes.When pressed on the surface, a yellowish liquid may appear, but you can’t try to extract it yourself, since there is a risk of infection. It is also present when combing granules, scarring is also likely. Therefore, it is not recommended to touch the spots and try to remove them on your own.

The features of Fordyce's disease are such that confusing it with something else is even visually impossible. If in doubt, a tissue biopsy will be prescribed. The basis for it is the presence of multiple rashes, not only on the lips, but throughout the body. Such granules may be caused by a mollusk or, for example, eczema.

Treatment with white dots on the lips is prescribed depending on the characteristics of the course of the disease. If they do not cause any discomfort, they do not need to be treated. The absence of treatment is recognized as the only right decision in this case, since there is no really effective methodology for getting rid of this disease today.

The good news for owners of white spots on the lips can be the fact that often after 30 years the granules disappear on their own. According to dermatologists, this is due to a decrease in the activity of hormones and the normalization of the sebaceous glands.