A blood blister on lip can be very disturbing. It is an attack on the way you look and general facial appearance. What are the causes of this blood blisters inside or on lip? Does this mean you have lip cancer? In this article, we provide answers to some of those question, including the reason why the blister may fail to go away and treatment of how to get rid of them.
A blood blister on lip is a red, painful, fluid filled bump. Whereas the main cause of the blister are injury and trauma on lip, at time they may indicate an underlying medical condition. A painful blister may appear anywhere on the lip. It may be inside, on the lip or at the joint of the mouth. You should immediate medical attention to reduce the chance of it spread to other parts especially if the cause of the blister is cancer.
Treatment of the blisters depend on the underlying cause of the infection. You should avoid smoking till the blisters are healed. Avoid popping the blister since you could open your inner skin up for infection. If you have a weak immune system or chronic health condition, see your doctors as soon as the blisters appear. You need to avoid over-the-counter medication until the actual cause of the blisters is known.
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What does a blood blister on your lip look like?
A blood blister on lips appears as a painful red fluid filled bump. In most cases, the blister may resemble a pimple which becomes very painful when touched or felt with hand. To some people the blister may appear dark and when popped, purple like fluid comes out. Fresh blister maybe soft and tender to touch. Those that last for more than a week are usually hard and when popped, they do not have fluid but powder like contents.
The blister is formed when the underlying layer of the lip skin get raptured or damage, the upper layer remains in tacked, the blood and fluid from the inside is then trapped forming a painful bump. The bump can be anywhere on the lip. However the size and duration of stay of the lip will depend on how strong your immune system is, what the cause of the blister is and the style you uphold, example for people who smoke, the blister may take long to heal compared to those who do not.
We have provided some images, you can look to see how the blister look like.
Blood blister on lip symptoms
As we have stated, the causes of blood blister on lip vary. The common cause however is an injury on lip or a trauma, this may take a few days and the lips will be back to normal. With simple cold compress and not popping the blister, you get to reduce the risk of a viral or bacterial infection.
Apart from the red, fluid-filled appearance of the blister, some of the symptoms associated with the blister regardless of their cause will include the following;
- Painful ulcers on lip
- Red bump on, in or around the lip
- The bump may become itchy and irritating
- Swollen painful bump on lip
- The bump may be soft or hard depending on how long it has been there
- Fever
- General body fatigue
- Lymph nodes may start to swell.
Blood blister on lip pictures, images
We have provided the following images for visual assistance of how blood blister on lip appear.
What causes blood blister on lip?
The common cause of blood blister on lip is trauma or physical injury mostly from chewing or from external impacts. However this is not the only cause, a blister on any part of the body indicates an underlying medical condition. Bellow we discuss some of this causes and the treatment option available for them.
1. Lip piercing
Looking good has been an emotional driver for so long now. It helps build courage and general self-esteem for people. The art of people piercing body parts including ear, lips, nose, tongue and belly button has been rampant this days. Before you decide to have your lips pierced, you need to make sure it is done in the right manner, with the right tools and with the right person. Let a professional do the piercing.
You should avoid sharing the piercing tools, make sure the tools are sterilized and the pin inserted is clean and not reactive to the body cells and tissue. Be sure to use methylated spirit or hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound and sterilize the tools.
A blood blister on lip after piercing is as a result of an infection. Other sing of an infection will include the following;
- The lips may take long to clot
- The lips may start to swell and fill painful
- Blood blister may form on the lip
- A painful lump may be formed
- Pus may be discharged
- Removing the pin may be difficult and with lots of pain
You need to see a health care provider who will observe the extent of damage and advice on what to do. A tetanus injection may be given.
2. Lip cancer
The other possible cause of blood blister on lip is cancer. Cancer refers to malignant cell that start to grow without stopping spreading to other body parts. Cancer is a tumor but not all tumor are cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer is group of cell that can start anywhere in the body and spread to other body parts.
Cancerous cell are able to evade the immune system, which is the body defense mechanism against infection and disease. The immune system is also responsible for removing dead cells and tissue from the body. Lip cancer can be shown by the following symptoms;
- Sore or blister may appear on lips
- The lips start to swell and get painful
- Swelling jaws
- Bleeding lips
- A painless lump may appear in mouth and on lip
- Red patches on lip
Cancer is a chronic condition, immediate medical attention should be taken. The cancerous cell can be genetically predisposed, that’s moved from one family member to the other. When diagnosed with cancer your doctor will have the following treatment option;
- Chemo therapy, which involved the use of strong chemical drugs to kill the cancerous cells
- Radiation therapy which involves use of high energy ultraviolet rays to kill the cells
- Surgery, where the doctor will perform surgical operation to physical remove the cancerous cells
3. Lip injection
The other possible cause of blood blister on lip is the aftermath of a lip injection. Lip injection from cosmetic surgical procedure such as lip filling can cause this kind of blisters. For some people the blister appear as a purple painful lump whereas to other, the lump may not be accompanied with pain.
Avoid medication such as aspirin before this kind of procedure. This medication are known to increase blood pressure and might cause complication during clotting. After the procedure you can use simple over-the –counter painkillers to relieve the pain. Make sure you keep the lips clean and ensure free circulation of air.
If the symptoms fail to clear on their own after a week, or the pain and swelling gets unbearable, please seek immediate medical attention.
4. Biting, trauma and physical injury
The most common cause of blood blister on lip happen when you accidentally or knowingly bite or injure you lips. When the force cause the inner part of the lips to rupture leaving the outer part intact, blood and other fluid from the inside may get trapped forming a dark red lump which we are calling a blood blister.
This is a normal thing. The blister may be painful but in most cases it clears on its own without any medical attention given. You should avoid popping the bump, this might be even more painful and increases the chances of an infection.
A simple cold compress twice or thrice a day will be helpful in relieving the pain and speeding the healing process. See your doctor if;
- the blister gets too painful,
- causes the lips to swell,
- grows bigger or
- Fail to go away after a week.
5. STD, Herpes
A blood blister on lip can also be though an STD, the most common one being herpes simplex virus HSV. The infection is very contagious and can be spread from one person to the other through close physical contact. This are also called cold sores or fever sore when appearing on mouth and lips
On lips it is known you cause blisters and painful sores. It is also responsible for recurring episodes of small, painful bumps on lips, mouth, genital area and other body parts. The contents of the blister can be helpful in identifying the virus.
There is no treatment option for the virus, however, antivirals may be used to relieve the symptoms caused by the virus and reduce the time it takes for them to heal up. Those with HIV/AIDS or those with weak immune system need to report this kind of body changes to their doctor as soon as they appear. They should also avoid taking drugs not prescribed by a doctor.
6. Low platelet count
Low platelet count also known as thrombocytopenia is the other cause of blood blister on lip. For mild cases, low platelet count may lack visible symptoms. However, if the symptoms show up, they will include the following;
- Bruising on the lips and other body parts
- Prolong bleeding
- Reddish spots on skin
- Spontaneous bleeding
- Blood blisters in mouth, lips and other body parts
To remedy this condition, you doctor may do one or a combination of the following;
- Treat the condition causing platelet deficiency
- Perform a blood or platelet transfusion
- Plasma exchange
- If the condition is related to the immune system, then medication may be given to boost its strength
- Spleen sugary depending on how low the count is
7. Celiac disease
Celiac disease or gluten intolerance is the other possible cause of blood blister on lip. People with this condition are allergic to gluten from wheat and barley. Gluten destroys the small intestine villa which help in absorption of nutrients from food causing nutrients deficiency.
The condition can be shown by the following symptoms;
- Blistering inside mouth and lips
- Dry skin patches
- Unexplained weight loss
- Dry eyes and mouth
- Painful lump inside the mouth lining
The condition ca be genetic, treatment include ensuring a gluten free diet, having enough body rest and regular excesses. Steroid may be used to treat the painful inflammation that might be experienced.
8. Smoking
Smoking is the main cause of mouth cancer which as we have seen can cause blood blisters on mouth. Excessive smoking also damages your mouth mucous membrane lining your mouth. It has been shown to cause white patches and painful small itchy bump.
Smoking also because the mouth joints to crack. It also damages the lips lining, making it dry and crack Reducing smoking and use of tobacco products is key in preventing and avoiding this kind of blood blisters.
Blood blister on lip after juvederm
We all strive to look good regardless of age. Juvederm is medical procedure that seek to make this kind of desires alive. Juvederm involves the use of injectable to prolong facial folds and wrinkles. This is a procedure that should only be performed by a professional dermatologist or a health care provider. High caution should be taken, the injection should be in the blood vessels.
During the procedure;
- Avoid injecting the juvederm injectable in blood vessels,
- Differ the procedure if you have swelling or any infection at the site of injection
- Lots of caution should be given to patients with immunosuppressive therapy
- For lactating or pregnant mothers, lot of caution should be take
- For clients using ibupfen or aspirin please inform your dermatologist, this may prolong bleeding
It is common for those who have this procedure performed on them to have symptoms like, redness, pain, swelling on face and lips, itching and bruising, color change. This people are also at risk of infection
Blood blister above lip during pregnancy in the morning
A blood blister on lip for pregnant women can be as a result of very many things. It could be as a result of trauma or physical injury, apart from the causes discussed above, for pregnant women, this blisters are attributed to hormonal changes, which can significantly affect the health of pregnant women.
Therefor for pregnant women the blisters are mostly associated with;
- Hormonal changes, this is normal, the timing and levels produce are regulated by the body.
- Inadequate vitamins in the body, can be controlled by taking a balanced diet and or vitamin supplements
- Weak immune system, your doctor may prescribe immune boosters
- High stress level
Please visit your doctor is the blister fail to go away or the symptoms become unbearable.
Blood blister on lip that won’t go away – for months
Why would a blood blister on lip fail to go away or recur? A blood blister on lip will fail to go away if the underlying cause is not treated. Most people view a blood blister as a normal thing, therefor they end up treating the symptoms and not the underlying medical condition.
A recurring blood blister is a sign of an infection. Herpes simplex virus is one of those infection. The other thing is that it could be genetically linked condition such as epidermolysis bullosa, pemphigus and pemphigoid. Please seek immediate medical attention if you have had the blisters for more than a week or the blisters keep recurring.
Blood blister on inside lower lip of toddler, child
A blood blister on a child’s lips can be painful and discomforting. The irritation, and swelling caused can make feed the kid a nightmare. But are this blisters normal? What should you do to get rid of them?
It is normal for an infant tom develop blisters especially during teething, this is the time your child has start to grow teeth. This kind of blisters are normal. They are also refer to as teething blisters or eruption cyst. They appear random and can be inside the mouth or on lips. This blisters are normal and in most cases heal on their own without any medical treatment.
When teething and biting is not the cause of the blisters on the lips of you kid, then you need to see your pediatrician as soon as possible. The blisters will indicate an underlying medical condition, such as mouth cancer which can be life threatening. Avoid popping the bump, it can be very painful and opens you child up for infection.
Blood blister on lip treatment
There is no standard treatment option for a blood blister on lip. Treatment involves treating the underlying cause of the blister, preventing spread of the infection and reducing the severity of the symptoms exhibited by the patient.
Given that the cause of the blister will vary from person to person, the treatment option will also vary depending with the underlying cause. The common options will include;
- Oral medication including antivirals for viral attacks, antibacterial to prevent infection and painkiller to relieve the pain caused by most of the blisters
- Vitamin supplements may be used to boost the immune system which help the body fight infection.
- Topical ointments maybe used where the blisters are accompanied with itching and swelling
- Treatment for the underlying medical cause of the blisters, (refer above for individual causes treatment option)
- You have to always ensure you take a balanced diet.
How to get rid of blood blister on lip
For mild symptoms and blood blister caused by external injury or trauma, the symptoms can be managed at home with the following home remedy;
- A cold compress time after time to relieve the pain and soothe the skin
- Applying aloe Vera gel or coconut oil will help dry the lip and prevent bacterial infection by providing an antibacterial cover to the wound caused by the blisters.
- Avoid popping the blisters to prevent the chance of bacterial or fungal infection
- Life style change such as maintaining high oral hygiene
- Stop smoking or taking alcohol for a while till the blisters heal
- You can take vitamin supplements to boost the immune system
- You can also apply a paste of turmeric and honey on the blisters twice or thrice a day
If symptoms persist or the blisters fail to go away after a week of using the above remedies, please seek immediate medical attention.
Sources and references
- http://www.healthyhowto.org/blisters/blood-blisters/blood-blister-on-lip-images-symptom-causes-treatment-of-lip-blister-toddler-and-pregnancy/
- http://www.healthyhowto.org/blisters/blood-blisters/blood-blisters-in-mouth-pictures-causes-treatment/
- http://www.top10homeremedies.com/how-to/how-to-get-rid-of-blood-blisters.html
- http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/cancer-oncology
- http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/infections/viral-infections/herpes-simplex-virus-infections
- http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thrombocytopenia/basics/treatment/con-20027170
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