What causes lips to burn?
Although it may receive less attention than burning skin on other parts of your body, burning your lips happens frequently.
There are several potential causes for it.
There are several potential reasons, including smoking, pesticides, sunburns, and eating foods that are excessively hot.
Even slight burns on your lips can be dangerous because of the thin and sensitive skin there.
Read on to discover more.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
✅ Since the skin on your lips is so thin and sensitive, burns to that area may be more painful and distressing.
✅ If you have first- or second-degree burns, you can take care of the treatment yourself.
✅ However, visit a doctor if they become infected.
✅ If you believe you have third-degree burns, seek medical assistance right once.
Burning lip signs
Burned lip signs and symptoms include:
- pain
- discomfort
- inflammation
- redness
There may also be blisters, edoema, and skin flushing if the burn is severe.
Lip burn therapy
Depending on the severity of the injury, several treatments are recommended for burned lips. Burns of the first, second, and third degrees are all conceivable.
- First degree. On the skin’s surface, there are only minor burns.
- Second degree. When several layers of skin are burned, they can be dangerous.
- Burns of the third degree. The most severe cases like these need to be treated right away by a doctor. Deeper subcutaneous fat tissues are burnt together with all layers of skin.
Thermal burns are the most common type of lip burn. These occur as a result of coming into contact with heat or fire.
Mild burns and scalds
Lip burns of the first degree are usually mild. These can be brought on by common events like eating or drinking while using hot dishes or liquids that come in contact with the lips. Even very hot meals can result in minor lip burns.
The following home remedies can be used to treat minor burns and scalds on the lips.
Cool compresses
Use cool water at room temperature or a cool, damp cloth to treat the burn. A clean cloth and water should be used. In the immediate aftermath of the burn, this helps minimise inflammation. Never use ice or extremely cold water.
Cleaning
To treat the burn and stop infection, gentle cleaning techniques like soft soap or saline solution are advised immediately.
According to studies, the inner gel of the Aloe Vera leaf, a common houseplant, can speed up the healing process and reduce pain and inflammation associated with burns. Additionally, it might hydrate skin and fend off dryness and cracking. Since there is little risk of infection, small burns on the lips typically don’t need home care. Maintaining a clean burn and refraining from picking at it should hasten to heal.
Aloe Vera
Research has shown that the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf, a common houseplant, can speed up the healing process and reduce pain and inflammation associated with burns. Additionally, it might hydrate skin and fend off dryness and cracking.
Since there is little risk of infection, small burns on the lips typically don’t need home care. Maintaining a clean burn and refraining from picking at it should hasten healing.
Lip blister from a burn
Typically, second-degree burns involve damage to more than one skin layer. A blister generally develops as a result of these burns.
Avoid popping or tearing the blister. In order to prevent infection, it is best to leave the skin intact and undamaged.
A more serious burn can also be treated with ice packs, washing, and Aloe Vera gel.
Ointments with topical antibiotics
Although they are not necessary for minor burns, antibiotic ointments can help prevent infection. They shouldn’t be used right away following a burn. Only if the skin or blister is intact and after the burn has already begun to heal, should ointment be used. This occurs often one to two days after the burn incident. You can use over-the-counter topical antibiotic ointments like Neosporin or Polysporin. Only if you are not allergic to any of these substances should you use them.
To manage discomfort, you can also use over-the-counter painkillers as necessary. Consult a doctor if the burn becomes infected and the infection either does not get better or gets worse. They might suggest stronger topical antibiotics or oral antibiotics. They might also recommend other types of therapy.
Smoking-related lip burn
Smoking cigarettes or engaging in other forms of smoking may be a prevalent cause of burns.
Depending on how severe they are, this could result in first- or second-degree burns on the lips. In this case, either severity can be approached using the same strategies.
Lip sunburn
Sunburns on the lips are also rather typical.
This can resemble getting scalded or burned by heat or fire. Other times, it could feel more like chapped, uncomfortable lips. Sunburned lips can be treated with salves, balms, moisturisers, or herbs like aloe to promote healing and relieve pain or dryness.
Remember to wait until the skin has healed before applying any oil-based therapies, including antibiotic ointments or creams, if the sunburn results in broken skin or an infection.
Until the skin heals, Aloe Vera gel and cool compresses are a wonderful place to start. Oil-based therapies can then be applied.
Chemical lip burn
Despite being uncommon, chemical burns to the lips are also possible. In some situations, chemicals like ammonia, iodine, alcohol, or other substances can burn the lips if they come into contact with them.
Although second-degree burns and blistering are possible, these often result in first-degree burns that resemble scalds. The same care should be taken with these burns as with any first- and second-degree burns on your lips.
At what point should I visit a Doctor?
The most frequent burn-related consequence is infection. Keep an eye out for these illness warning signs:
- swelling
- pain
- Dyspigmented skin (purple, black, or blue)
- pus from an open wound
- open, oozing skin
- blisters that take a week or more to heal
- fever
Consult a physician if an infection gets worse while you are treating your burned lip, especially if you start feeling feverish. You might have a third-degree burn if your burn is quite bad but you aren’t hurting. Watch for indications of skin that is white, black, brown, or seems to have burns or scars.