oral melanotic macule

Hi

I have had this problem for over 3 years. My lips are in a bad condition. They are swollen most of the times and red and i used to bite and lick them and also used to eat allot of spicy food and still eat allot of spicy food, despite the doctor saying do not eat it, i have stopped licking and biting though. I talked to my dermatologist, he told me to put on vaseline and a ointment called TACROLIMUS 0.1% PROTOPIC. i have used it..i still don't know if it has been effective since my lips are still worse. Whenever i take a shower my lips turn white and the dead skin keeps ruining. i dont know what to do. Whenever they start healing and if i put water or drink something hot they ruin. recently i was looking at my lower lip..btw all this is on my lower lip. i discovered a black dot..i discovered that one about 8 months back and now another one has came..i researched on the net. i think i might have oral melanotic macule. iam still not sure. iam really stressed, my dermatologist did notice the dot, but he never said anything about it. can you help in this matter, the dot is  circle shape . Thanks .

Aneeb

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
The black dot can be due to oral melanotic macule. Oral melanotic macule is a small, sharply circumscribed, pigmented macule surrounded by normal-appearing skin.
You cannot remove them at home. Cryosurgery using liquid nitrogen and laser are the main treatment modalities. 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 dermatologist/ urologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.