Dark Upper Lip

A lot of people are seen complaining of dark upper lips, that has suddenly developed and has become a cause of embarrassment. What's more, even makeup fails to cover up these dark patches on the lips. Most common among women between the age of 20 and 40, it has started to become a cause of concern for many and they are constantly looking for remedies to solve this problem. It does not occur suddenly, rather it develops overtime and is noticed only when the upper lip turns completely dark. There can be various reasons leading to the darkening of upper lips, including a medical condition that may require treatment.

Causes

Hyper Pigmentation
The most common cause is a phenomenon known as hyper pigmentation of the skin caused due to overexposure to the sun. Melanin is produced in large quantities in the upper lip area to protect it from the harmful effects of the UV rays of the sun.

Melasma
It may also be due to a disorder known as Melasma that causes discoloration of the skin in patches due to the malfunction of certain melanin producing skin cells.

Hair Removal Methods
Hair removal methods like plucking, threading or waxing too can result in darker upper lips due to irritation of the skin in the area.

Other causes include overuse of chemical based skin products, over bleaching upper lip hair and aging. Alcohol consumption and smoking can also lead to the darkening of the upper lip area or the development of shadow. In women, hormones and the consumption of birth control pills are most common reasons for darkening of the upper lip. This problem of upper lip hyper pigmentation may also spread to the lips, if it is not treated and cured.

Cure

People with a dusky skin tone are more prone to developing dark upper lips than people with a fair skin tone. Although there are a number of skin creams and ointments available commercially that claim to rid you of the problem, only a few of them are somewhat effective in curing the problem. Certain dermatological procedures may also claim to rid you of this problem completely, but these are quite expensive and may not yield the desired result always. It will be, therefore, wise to make use of a few home remedies. Here are a few of them.

• One of the most popular and effective remedy is to mix some honey and lime juice and to apply it on the darkened upper lip area. This mixture can be stored in the refrigerator and used daily for application.
• Extract some pomegranate juice by grinding the seeds. Add a few drops of beet juice to it and apply it on the upper lip area. Wait for it to dry and then rinse off with lukewarm water.
• Prepare a natural skin lightener by mixing together some chickpeas flour, turmeric, honey and milk cream. Whisk the ingredients into a fine paste and apply this to the upper lip area.
• Prepare an exfoliating scrub using a mixture of rice powder and yogurt. Use this to exfoliate the upper lip area twice daily.
• Mix together a tablespoon of oatmeal, a teaspoon each of lime juice, yogurt, honey and one egg white. Whisk the ingredients together and apply the mixture on the entire face. This will help remove the tan and will lighten the upper lip skin naturally.

Using the remedies above, can lighten the upper lip, but it will surely take some time before it goes away completely. You should also indulge in the use of natural products like a homemade skin bleach instead of using chemical based products. Consult a dermatologist for medical treatment and guidance, in case none of the above remedies work.