The variation in the color of our lips is a pervasive factor in our body. The difference depends on our habits, lifestyle, skin tone, and exposure to various climatic conditions. Lips are a delicate part of a human body, and the weather conditions are likely to affect them at the very beginning.
The blackish surface surrounding the lips occurrence of which is due to sunburn, allergic reactions causing redness and itching, or maybe smoking habits causing your lips to turn black significantly. Such kind of factors varies from person to person. But what if your lips are turning blue in appearance?
The consumption of a toxin or poison doesn’t have to be the only reason behind blue turning lips. There might be more than one speculation to make to pay attention to the lips turning blue. Lip Discoloration or Blue lips, as it is known, could be an indication of an underlying health condition which you might be ignoring for a long time now.
What are Blue Lips?
Blue lips or Central Cyanosis is a medical condition where due to poor circulation of oxygen throughout our body, certain health conditions underlay the prospect of worsening a long term sickness, which roots itself deep inside.
Apart from the lack of proper oxygen circulation in the red blood cells, when an abnormal form Hemoglobin develops in higher levels in the bloodstream, the same is visible through a change in color of lips. A structural abnormality would mean that the body is unable to supply enough oxygenated red blood cells to various parts and organs.
Usually, whenever an individual is massaged or rubbed to make him warm, lips turn back to their natural color. The blue set lips don’t need to be the result of any cold or flu. The association might be more severe and life-threatening than one is aware of.
There could be specific condition responsible for blue discoloration of lips that you might want to get diagnosed by your physician:
Emphysema
An illness caused by the rupturing of air sacs (alveoli) inside the lungs, Emphysema is a disease that clubbed under a widespread medical condition known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The illness determines an individual’s difficulty in breathing, especially while performing any kind of physical activity.
The inability to endure the stress and breathe efficiently keeps getting worse until it becomes an all-time prevalent issue where a person cannot breathe even while resting. The external signs related to the sickness is visible when the fingernails and lips start turning from the usual natural color into the blue.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Whenever a person inhales Carbon Monoxide (CO), a gas that is colorless and odorless, their body becomes incapable of supplying oxygen in various parts efficiently. A less amount of oxygen provided by red blood cells throughout the body would cause organ damage and requires immediate attention.
The patient might show signs of distress such as headache, weakness, excessive sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, confusion alongside color conversion of the lips into blue, which occurs due to inhaling CO, which shows dangerous tendencies.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Respiratory Syncytial Virus is a fatal skin disease affecting infants and small children majorly. The illness leads to significant complications related to the lungs. RSV generally passes through the cured and triggered phase, which means the disease seems to fade at some point, and at the same moment the condition could show signs of reappearance
Due to the consumption of any allergic food such as spicy eatables, alcoholic beverages, etc. An affected person might trigger the symptoms due to exposure to sunlight or any intestinal bacteria. An affected person can show signs such as facial redness, skin dryness, skin sensitivity, and blue fingers or lips.
Laugier- Hunziker Syndrome
Laugier-Hunziker Syndrome refers to a skin condition that is non-fatal but causes the occurrence of dark spots or hyperpigmentation on the lips or the lining of the mouth. These dark spots are also known as macules ranging from 2-5 millimeters in diameters. The places are likely to occur at fingertips as well. Although no specific treatment is required for the same people, chose to get them removed concerning their looks and appearance.
Hemochromatosis
Hemochromatosis refers to a medical condition where a person suffers from excessive iron levels in his/her body. The elevated levels of iron lead to hyperpigmentation that can cause discoloration of lips or any other parts of the skin.
Aspiration Pneumonia
People with the inability to cough or swallow properly are prone to suffer from Aspiration Pneumonia. The disease is caused by stomach acid or saliva in the lungs. The sickness shows signs such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, difficulty swallowing, and discolored lips.
Many other diseases require immediate attention, and the only prognosis begins with your discolored hands or lips. It is always advisable that whenever discolored lips or fingertips are observed immediate medical attention is must so that complications do not escalate and are controllable within a specified period
