A blister on lip or inside of lip  is an indication of various health conditions. They are usually white and small and sometimes itchy. Common types include fever, sun, blood, water blisters. Although cold sore is a common causes, they are often not cold sore. Explore pictures, causes, signs and symptoms lip blisters, including those on babies. Also, learn how to get rid of them with medical treatments and home remedies.
Signs and Symptoms of a Blister on Lip
A blister is a small fluid-filled bump that can show up on the surface of the skin. The pocket of the bump may contain body fluids such as lymph fluid, plasma, serum, blood or pus. In most cases, blisters are filled with serum or plasma that appears as clear fluid. However, a blister on your skin can also be filled with blood.
A blister on the lip might appear either inside or outside the lip. The outside lip blisters can occur on the vermilion zone, on lip groove and on corners of the lips. When blisters develop in the corners of the lip is medically known as angular cheilitis.
The fluid-filled blisters can develop as a single sore or show up in a cluster. They can vary in size from tiny pinpoint bumps to large lump like boils. Also, their color also may vary as red, pink, yellow, white, gray or take the color of your skin.
Most fluid-filled blisters on your lip can burst, ooze out fluids, crust over and heal after few weeks. However, you can also develop blisters that can advance into ulcers or open sores on the lip that can take a long time before healing.
A blister on lip is typically caused by injuries, burning, sun damage, freezing, allergic reaction, infections and others factors. It is important to known various signs and symptoms associated with blisters on the lip.
Lip blisters are characterized by the following signs and symptoms that include:
- Burning sensation or itching lip
- Redness, tenderness and inflamed lips
- Fluid-filled bumps and oozing sores on surface of the lip
- Red blood-filled bumps inside the lip
- Red, pink, yellow, white or gray bumps on the lips
- Dry, scaly, flaked or chapped lips
- Yellow or white crust on the lips
- Tiny or large soft bumps on the lip
- Cluster of bumps on the lip
- Cracked corners of the mouth with sores
- Difficulties in eating, speaking and smiling
A blister on your lip can also accompany other strange symptoms such as fever, headache, sneezing, vomiting, temporary loss of taste and appetite. In case you develop these strange symptoms on your body, it is advisable to seek the help of your doctor.
Blister on Lip Pictures
The blisters on the lip can appear in different forms. They can be I a form of small bumps, large lumps, sores or an ulcer. To see how they might look like, we have inserted descriptive pictures of a blister on lip to give you a visual understanding.
You can use these pictures to evaluate your skin condition on the lip and get a clued about your health status. When you notice that your lip has a blister that slightly resembles the one in the pictures, it is advisable to seek the help of your doctor for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Blister on Lips Causes
Your lip can develop painful blister due to various reasons. The type and the nature of the blister depend on the causal agent. Some blisters are symptoms of a harmless condition such as allergic reaction and cold sores.
Occasional, the more serious causal agent can lead to mouth blisters on the lips. For instance, STDs infection and cancer of the lip can lead to chronic fluid-filled blisters on the lip that might not heal without medical treatment.
The common possible causes that can lead to the development of blisters on the lip include the following:
1. Cold sore
A fluid-filled blister can develop on your lip as a consequence of cold sore infection. Cold sore can also be called fever blister. These sores typically appear on the surface of the lip, inside the nose, outside the cheeks. The can also occur inside the lip or on any other parts of the oral cavity.
An outbreak of cold blisters on the lip is usually characterized by the itchy skin on the affected area before the bump shows up. After few hours, the bump becomes filled with the fluid into a soft blister. The blister then burst weeps out and forms a yellow crust on the skin. After few weeks the blister heals.
Cold sore is a viral infection caused by herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1). Sometimes, this virus is called herpes virus. This virus is highly contagious. It can spread easily from one person to another through direct skin contact with the saliva from an infected person.
The virus can spread easily through sharing of utensils with the infected person. You can also be infected by the virus through the process of kissing your sex partner or having an oral sex with the infected person who has active virus in the oral cavity.
Once you are infected with herpes virus, they can enter into your body nerve system and stay there for many years in a dormant state. You can develop a fever blister on lip if the virus is activated by some factors in your body such as stress and fever.
The common factors that can trigger the outbreak of cold sore on your lip include:
- Fever
- Stress
- Fatigue
- Change of body hormones
- Weakened immune system
- Exposure to harmful sunlight
Cold sore infection can affect anybody regardless of the age, gender, and skin color. however, the recurrent outbreak of cold sore often occurs in newborns, infants, babies, toddlers or young children due to the under-developing immune system.
Also, people with compromising immune system due to other underlying infection such as HIV and diabetes might experience serious damage from cold sore infection. Elderly individual or people with an advanced age can also develop a health complication caused by cold sore infection due to weakened immunity with aging.
Generally, blister on lip caused by cold sore infection is a harmless oral condition that can heal within a period of few weeks. If you develop fever blister on your lip, no need to go for medical treatment. These sores can resolve itself without even any treatment within few days.
2. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
A bister on lip might appear as a symptom of sexually transmitted infection (STI). Oral herpes, genital herpes, syphilis, and HIV are some of the sexually transmitted diseases that can lead to mouth blister on the lips.
If you develop strange blisters or bumps inside your lips or outside the surface of the lips after having unprotected oral, anal or vaginal sex, it could be an indication of sexually transmitted infection. This requires you to go for medical diagnosis and treatment by visiting your doctor.
3. Canker sore on the lip
Canker sores are a type of mouth blister that has a yellow, gray or white center and a red base. Typically, these sore often occurs inside the mouth cavity. They can form painful blisters on the inside the lips and other parts of the oral cavity. They can also appear outside the mouth on lip groove, surface, and corners.
The main causes of canker sores on the lip are not clearly identified by medical experts. However, the outbreak of cankers sore in the mouth is attributed to occur after they are triggered by stress, fatigue, and change of hormones, oral trauma or due to the weakened immune system.
Canker sore infection on the mouth is a mild oral condition that can go away after a period of few weeks. But if your body has weakened the immune system, canker sore can cause a great damage in your oral cavity that can advance into health complication.
4. Injuries on the lip
Physical injuries on the lip can lead to blood-filled blister to develop in the affected area. The common injuries that can lead to a blister in lip include bruises, chemical burns, thermal burns, bites, cuts, strike, hit or punch.
You can develop a blood-filled blister inside the lip as a result of biting yourself. Biting your lip once at a time is normal. However, continuous biting of your lips during the process of chewing food might be a problem of dental alignment or crooked.
Chemical and thermal burns of the lip can lead to clear fluid-filled bumps on the lip. Exposure of your lips to highly concentrated strong acid and bases can lead to chemical burns on the mouth. You can develop thermal burns and blister when you attempt to eat too hot food.
A strike or punch on your lip can lead to physical damage to the delicate skin on your lip to develop blood-filled blisters.
5. Allergic reaction
Your mouth can develop a strange blister on lip as a consequence of an allergic reaction. Direct exposure of your to the harmful substance can lead to a skin condition known as contact dermatitis that can show as blisters, hives or bumps on the affected area of the skin.
The common allergens or irritants that can lead oral blister include the eating of too spicy food, poison ivy, harsh lip balm, hair dyes and others.
6. Blister on Lip from sun
Direct exposure of your lip to direct harmful sunlight can lead to sunspot on the lip. The UV-rays from the sun can cause skin burns on the delicate skin of the lip that can lead to fluid filed-fluid blisters on the affected area.
Chronic damage of the UV-Light from the sun can lead to serious skin condition such cancer, premature age spots and permanent dark spots on the skin.
7. Cancer of the lip
Cancer of the lip is a chronic skin condition that can lead to oral blisters, bumps, and sores. The cancerous condition is usually characterized by tumors, sores, and blisters that won’t heal easily and they can bleed easily if something touches on it.
Oral cancer is a serious health issue that needs special diagnosis and treatment. Early detection of cancer in the body can be treated for survival. Unfortunately, the most cancerous condition is detected at a late stage when it has already spread to other parts of the body which might not be easy to manage.
8. Fungal infection
Oral thrush or candidiasis is a fungal infection that can lead to mouth blisters and sores. Yeast infection on the lip can show up as a fluid-filled blister that is associated with irregular white or yellow patches on the affected area.
Yeast infection is a common cause of oral sores and blisters at corners of the lip. This is due to a moist condition in corners of the mouth that can encourage the growth of fungus.
9. Deficiency of vitamins B
A blister on lip can appear as a symptom of vitamin B deficiency in the body. People with a problem of nutrient deficiency in their body may develop dry or chapped lips that can easily develop blisters and sores.
10. Dental work
Dental work usually involves teeth brightening, extraction and repair. All these practices use chemical, tools, and equipment that can lead to oral trauma or injuries that can develop into an oral blister. A blister on your lip after dental work could be due to oral injuries.
11. Unfit dentures
For people who wear dentures, loose dentures can lead to a blister on the lip due to friction. The unfit denture can result in the development of blisters and sores inside the lip or in corners of the lips.
12. Eczema on the lip
Eczema is a chronic autoimmune disorder that can lead to sores and blisters on the skin. This condition can occur anywhere on your skin including the lips. Eczema on the lip can show as red blisters that look like a burn.
13. Psoriasis on the lip
A blister on the lip can develop due to psoriasis. This condition is characterized by red, pink or white silvery itchy patches. The condition often shows up on face, lips, arms, feet, and neck.
Blister on Baby Lip
A blister on lip of newborn, infant and toddlers can develop as a consequence of vigorous sucking during the time of breastfeeding. Vigorous sucking can cause friction to develop between the lips of your nipple and lips of the child that can result in blistering.
Occasionally, some babies might develop a blister on the lip due to the sucking of their thumb continuously. The sucking of the thumb is a common habit that toddlers or children might do it up to the age of the teen.
Blisters on baby lips can also show up during the teething period. The development of new milk teeth in the mouth of the child might cause friction and injuries. These injuries can result in blood-filled blister inside the lips.
You baby, child or toddler can develop a blister on the lip due to any of the other causes of blisters on the lip that are already been discussed in these post. Some of these causes include cold sore, canker sore, allergic reaction, and injuries to the lip.
Blister on Inside of Lip
Mucous cyst or mucocele is a type of oral blister that often occurs inside the lip or any other parts of the mouth. A mucocele shows up as a fluid-filled blister that has clear fluid which gives it light-blue appearance in color.
Mucous cyst develops in the mouth when salivary glands in the mouth are plugged with mucus. The blisters often show up on the lower lip. However, you can develop mucous cyst anywhere in your oral cavity.
Other common causes of a blister on the lip include:
- canker sores
- cold sores
- allergic reactions
- injuries or trauma
- unfit dentures
- crooked teeth
- fungal infection
Blister on Lip Not Cold Sore
Cold sore is a common know cause of blister on the lip. However, you might also develop blisters that are not cold sores. The outbreak of cold sore infection on the lip is usually characterized by painful bumps that burst, weep, crust over and heal.
Oral blisters that are not associated with a cluster of yellow oozing sores that crust over the lips before healing might not be attributed to being cold sores infection.
Other blisters that are not cold sore can appear due to any of the causes of blisters on the lip that are already been discussed in some section of this post. Some of the causes include canker sore, allergic reactions, oral injuries, cancer, and fungal infection
Blister on Lip Treatment
The treatment method of mouth blisters depends on the causal agent and nature of the sores. If you notice a blister on your lip that looks worrisome, you can visit your doctor for diagnosis and treatment of your oral problem.
Medical treatment is the best alternative you can go for in case a blister on your lip is likely to be a symptom of a more serious health condition such as STDs infection and cancer. After visiting your doctor, he/she may decide the suitable treatment method that can help to cure a blister on your lip.
Your doctor might use the following treatment methods that include:
- perception of oral medication that can help cure mouth blisters
- prescription of ointment creams that can help to cure blister on the lip
- surgical excision to that can help to dry out the fluid-filled blister
- laser treatment that can help to dry up the blister
Home Remedies for Blister on Lip
Home remedies are effective treatment method that you can use to get rid of mild and harmless blister causes by minor causes such as cold sore, canker sore, allergic reaction and small injuries on the skin of the lip.
You can try the following:
- Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an effective home remedy that can help to heal blisters and sore on your lip. The reagent has the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that can help to facilitate the healing of mouth blister.
How to use:
- get one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and dilute it with an equal amount of water
- use a cotton ball to apply the solution to the affected parts of the lip
- rinse your lip with cold water after about 15 minutes
- repeat this procures three times in a day for few weeks until the blister on your lip go away
- Baking soda
Baking soda is a natural astringent reagent that can help a blister on lip to drain, dry and heal.
How to use:
- Get one teaspoon of baking soda and mix it with few drops of water
- Use your finger to apply the paste to the affected area of the lip with the blister
- Leave the paste to stay on your skin for about 15 minutes before rinsing it off
- Repeat this treatment three times in a day for few weeks until a mouth blister dry up
- Coconut oil
Coconut oil is an excellent home remedy that can help to remove blisters from the lips. The oil has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory abilities that can help to relieve oral blisters.
How to use:
- Get a coconut oil and apply it directly to the affected area of the lips
- Leave the oil to stay on your skin for about 20 minutes before rinsing it off with water
- Repeat to apply it three times in a day for few weeks
- Instead of coconut oil, you can alternatively use castor oil, olive oil, Neem tree oil or any other essential oils
- Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is an effective home remedy that can help to cure a blister on lip. The herb has a natural healing property that can help to dry up a fluid-filled blister on the lips.
How to use:
- Get aloe Vera cream or gel and apply it to the affected area of the lip with blister
- Rinse your lips with cold water after 30 minutes
- Repeat the application three times in day for few weeks until the blister on your lip go away
- Lemon juice and honey
A mixture of lemon juice and raw honey has powerful healing properties that can help to cure mouth blister and sores. Lemon juice has citric acid that acts as the antiseptic that can help to kill harmful micro-organism that can cause mouth blister on the lip.
Raw honey has medicinal properties that can help to soothe itchy mouth blister on the lip. it can also help to moisturize the chapped lips.
How to use:
- Mixture 2 teaspoons of lemon juice with one 1 teaspoon of raw honey
- Apply the mixture to the affected area of the lip
- Allow it to stay on your skin for about 30 minutes before rinsing it off with cold water
- Repeat this procedure two times in a day for few weeks until the mouth blister dry up completely
When to See a Doctor
You can see your doctor over a blister on lip if your notice the following oral condition:
- If the blister on your lip has persisted for more than three weeks without any reasonable improvement
- If the blister on your lips cause difficulties in speaking, eating and drinking
- When the mouth blister on your lip has a characteristic of hard bumps or tumors that can bleed easily if something touches
- When the blister on your lips are spreading to other parts your skin
- If baby, child, toddler or newborn has a strange blister on the lip
Sources and References
[showhide type=”links” more_text=”Show Sources and References” less_text=”Hide Sources and References”]
- Blisters on the lip: http://www.blistex.com/lip-tips/common-lip-problems/cold-sores-a-fever-blisters/
- Signs and symptoms of blisters on the lip: https://www.medicinenet.com/mouth_sores/symptoms.htm
- Causes of blisters on the lip: https://www.medicinenet.com/image-collection/cold_sores_fever_blisters_picture/picture.htm
- Causes of mouth blisters: https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/conditions/mouth-sores-and-infections/cold-sores-and-fever-blisters
- Blister on the baby lip: https://www.livestrong.com/article/545314-can-babies-get-blisters-on-their-top-lips-from-breastfeeding/
- Blisters inside the lip: https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/stomatitis-causes-treatment#1
- Blisters on lip, not cold sores: https://www.steadyhealth.com/topics/blister-on-my-upper-lip-that-is-not-a-cold-sore
- Treatment of blister on the lip: https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-a-Cold-Sore-or-Fever-Blisters
- Home remedies for a blister on the lip: https://www.top10homeremedies.com/how-to/get-rid-fever-blisters.html
- Natural method to treat oral blisters: https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/fever-blister-remedies [/showhide]
