Will My Lip Color Return?

I burned my lip a few years ago while taking a sip of coffee i got at a gas station. I woke up the next morning and  part of my lip was white. Then it blistered up and healed shortly after. But my color never came back. I'm African American so having a pink spot on my upper lip is noticeable. This leaves me self conscience. Everybody said that it would get better. But its been about 5 years! Will the color ever return or is it truly permanent. If it is can i have it dyed or something?

Here is a picture:
http://i53.tinypic.com/25qvxaa.jpg

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the picture it looks like vitiligo lips. It is a pigmentation disorder in which melanocytes (the cells that make pigment) in the skin are destroyed. As a result, white patches appear on the skin in different parts of the body. Diagnosis can be confirmed by external examination, blood tests to check skin cell count  for melanocytes and biopsy of the skin patches.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.