I’m African American and am wondering what could be causing this pigment problem on my lips?

Dr. Irwin
January 14, 2013
I am a 45 year old African American woman. For about the past 3 months, the pigment in my lower lip has disappeared. I now have an exact red crescent moon shape starting from the inside of my lip that meets my natural skin tone. The discoloration is increasing and beginning to take over my entire lower lip. I have been anemic for the past year, if that is important. Is there anything I can do to stop this?

This a situation where you really need your doctor or your dermatologist.  There are a number of conditions that can cause pigment loss on the lips but the most common one is vitiligo.   Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease that just affects the skin.  There are treatments available and it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis so please see your doctor!  See AAD.org (the dermatology national academy) for more information.   Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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