dry patch on lip

[sk00]

hi, i have a dry patch on the top of my lip. it started off about 2 months ago as a small discolored dot, then progressed into a darker patch bigger patch (<1cm wide). Now, it looks dry and and slightly flaky, and feels weird when i touch it with my tongue, but i can't really pick at the dry skin. it also feels sort of heavy, not numb or slightly tingling (not like pins and needles) but like i can feel something there. also when i stretch the skin i can see white spots behind it.
what is it, and what can i do to treat it, tried moisturizing with Vaseline constantly, but doesn't help. Could this be a sign of lip cancer?

any advice would help. thanks.

[chotch]

Hello all - had the same problem and promised myself that I would come back to this site and post if I found a solution.  But yes a dry dark patch that grew to 2 patches on my upper lip.  felt like tape...  I used Car Max lip balm (can be found at any supermarket or any pharmacy).  Worked after using constantly for about a week.  Still using it after about 2 and a half weeks.  Patch is no longer dry and the discoloration seems to be fading...  Phew, no need for doctor/dermatologist!

[Lele116]

Ok, I have a few of these dry patches on my lips over the past few months.  I was really concerned that it might be herpes since I was with someone that I later found out had herpes.  My blood tests came back negative. There's no sore, no blister, no itching, tingling, or pain. Just three little patches of dry, flaky skin.  They look red when I get out of the shower and if I look with a magnifying mirror I can see tiny little white dots on one of them.  I'm baffled, on the one hand, I'm worried about herpes...but with no typical symptoms, it's hard to believe that, that is what it is.

[mary127]

I read through this whole page a few weeks ago and related and since there were no answers I went to see my doctor.  Who sent me to another doctor.  Who ultimately sent me to a dermatologist.

I was experiencing the same thing explained here -- a spot on my lip that felt like there was superglue, or stiff -- a textural difference that was NOT a cold sore and was not in pain but did not go away for three months.  And I couldn't stop picking at it.

The dermatologist did a biopsy and ultimately concluded it is a wart.  which is viral.  (upon google image searching I in fact found pictures that resembled my spot).  The treatment for the wart is for the dermatologist to freeze it off.

I don't have a progress report on the treatment for you but did want to start contributing some answers to this page since so many people seem to have the same symptom and no information!  This may not be your answer but it was mine.  

[Natnic]

I've been experiencing the dry patch on my top lip for almost two months now. I don't have any infections or dramatic diet changes. But one thing I think it may be that I haven't seen anyone make light of is eczema. I've had eczema since I was a kid and therefore have extremely dry and sensitive skin. It didn't occur to me until after reading through all these post that I could have an dry eczema outbreak on my lip. I have a special cream I use for when I get outbreak rashes from eczema. I applied it to my lip today so I'm going to see if it disappears in a couple of days.

[valcione]

Hi there,

I have been experiencing the same and it is driving me nuts. I have a doctors appointment next week but am curios about the answers you got. Did you fin out what it was at  all?

Thanks

[gz400k]

I too have the same exact problem with my upper lip - about a month now. Dry patch that feels like tape on the lip or nail glue, once in a while I can peel it off.  I have tried Rosebud Salve which works on all kinds of skin ailments, but I have seen no noticeable improvement.  

However, unlike many of you who have posted about yeast infections, viruses and pre-cancerous conditions, but no specific changes....I noticed that mine cropped up shortly after my husband and I changed something in our diet.  We are very healthy eaters and about a month ago, I started roasting a poblano pepper - virtually every day - and we have been eating them every night for a month now.  Additionally, we have been eating raw garlic rubbed on grilled bread and then served as a vegetarian sandwich.  Each of us has half the poblano on the sandwich.  I have sensitive skin and especially in the winter prone to dry patches and irritation from city water/chlorine.  So after a couple of weeks, I figured that the peppers may be causing the problem.  As much as I hate to, I will stop consuming the peppers.  I will follow-up in 1 week whether or not there is any improvement.