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Got a painful pimple on your lip and wondering, "Can you even get a pimple on your lip?" The answer is yes, as acne can form on the lip line, but it might also be a cold sore! Find out what causes pimples on lips, how to tell if it’s a cold sore or pimple, and how to get rid of a pimple on your lip.
As with acne on the rest of your face and body, pimples on the lips can pop up when your pores (AKA hair follicles) are clogged with excess oil (sebum) and dead skin cells. And if bacteria is involved, an inflamed pimple with pus may be on the horizon.
Pimples on the lip can also form because of these factors are at play:
Now that you know what can cause lip pimples, how do you know if it’s actually a pimple?
Lip pimples and cold sores can look quite similar.
Cold sores are tiny, blister-like lesions with intersectional circles so the border isn’t a perfect circle. It will usually look more like a blister than a pimple.
But if you can’t tell by looking at it, you’ll get a better sense by how it feels, as these lip bumps will tingle with a painful burning and itchy sensation. That’s all before they burst then crust over. Fun, right?
If you’re still not sure, keep an eye on where they appear. If you keep getting blemishes in the same spot, it’s most likely a cold sore, also known as a fever blister. If in doubt, ask your dermatologist!
Are you realizing now that it’s not a cold sore? Let’s get back on track to getting rid of pimples around your lips!
The best thing you can do to help usher away this unwanted lip pimple is to use the appropriate skincare products with the right ingredients in your daily routine. Benzoyl peroxide helps kill the pimple-causing bacteria and reduce the inflammation in the pimple.
Proactiv Solution® Acne Treatment System features microcrystal benzoyl peroxide as the main ingredient in the Renewing Cleanser (step 1) and Repairing Treatment (step 3).
Something you can do to help reduce the pain, pressure and swelling of a lip pimple is to wrap ice in a clean towel and apply it directly to the pimple to calm things down a bit.
If you don’t know by now, you should know that picking at it only makes it worse, can lead to inflammatory acne lesions, and lengthens the healing time. But if the lip pimple is huge or you have an upcoming event and can’t wait to see that sucker disappear, go to a dermatologist.
So the best thing about lip pimples is preventing them, right? Here are some tips to help:
It’s important to know if that irritation around your lip is a pimple or a cold sore. Once you’ve determined that it’s a pimple, there are targeted products you can use and lifestyle adjustments you can make to get rid of those stubborn lip pimples and prevent them from rearing their nasty heads again!