If you ask anyone about their skincare goals, chances are they’ll have a few ready answers. Radiant and glowy skin, an even complexion, a smooth base – you get the idea.
Discoloration of any kind can kill your confidence and prevent you from getting that perfect, glass skin you’ve been striving for. But, guess what? Most forms of hyperpigmentation are totally treatable.
Whether you’re trying to calm redness and irritation or manage rough-textured dark spots, getting to the root of the problem is key. Most of the time, you can fix it if you know what’s causing it.
Today, we’re diving into one of the most common (and most frustrating) trouble areas: hyperpigmentation around the mouth. These shadowy spots can be particularly stubborn and hard to hide.
If this is something you struggle with, don’t stress. We can help you ditch the hyperpigmentation, regain your confidence, and prevent discoloration in the future.
How to Get Rid of Hyperpigmentation Around the Mouth: Pro Tips
Hyperpigmentation is a super common condition where areas of your skin become darker than your natural tone. (So, yes, even those with darker skin tones can have hyperpigmentation.)
This happens when, for whatever reason, your body produces too much melanin. And remember, melanin is the pigment that gives our skin, hair, and eyes their beautiful color.
These darker patches can pop up anywhere. However, they tend to be most noticeable around your mouth, eyes, and forehead. Of course, the features that draw the most attention.
While hyperpigmentation isn’t harmful, it can be seriously frustrating. These areas don’t fade easily, which makes covering dark spots (both with and without makeup) a chore.
All that said, the right skincare practices can reverse the condition and finally even out your skin tone. It just takes a little patience and consistency.
This is what you need to know:
What Is Hyperpigmentation Around the Mouth?
Of all the areas of hyperpigmentation, discoloration around the mouth is the worst. The skin there is much thinner, and it’s exposed to constant movement.
Why does this matter? Well, all that friction can actually trigger or worsen excess melanin production, leading to skin darkening.
Plus, products like lip balm and toothpaste can irritate the skin over time, further contributing to discoloration. Basically, that area of the face has a lot working against it.
Not sure if this is something you deal with? Here’s how to tell: Hyperpigmentation around the mouth can look like dark patches around the lips or chin, faint discoloration at the corners, or even a subtle “mustache” on the upper lip. You may have heard Lauryn talk about hers before.
The skin on these darker spots is usually rough, too. So, covering it with makeup is NOT easy. In other words, your best option is to fix it rather than conceal it.
What Causes Hyperpigmentation Around the Mouth?
Birth Control
Pregnancy
PCOS and Other Hormonal Conditions
Sun Exposure
Friction and Movement
Product Irritation
Allergic Reactions
Barrier Damage
Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Vitamin D Deficiency
Iron Deficiency
Inflammation from Acne
Does Hyperpigmentation Around the Mouth Go Away?
Yes. Hyperpigmentation is never permanent. Remember, our old skin cells will eventually shed, and new, fresh ones will take their place.
That said, cell turnover can take a long time on its own. So, you really need to give your body a skincare boost to speed things up and fade stubborn spots.
To do this, you have to fix both the visual symptoms (dark spots) and the underlying causes. After that, it’s all about preventing hyperpigmentation from forming—which is much easier than treating existing dark spots.
Here’s the way to identify and handle each type of hyperpigmentation:
How to Remove Hyperpigmentation Around the Mouth: Breaking Down Each Cause
There are seven main causes of discoloration around the mouth: inflammation, sun exposure, hormonal changes, friction, irritation/allergy, barrier damage, and vitamin deficiencies.
You can’t fix friction—our mouths are going to keep running, right? (Don’t ever let beauty goals silence your voice.)
If you have an allergic reaction to a product, throw it out ASAP. And, if barrier damage is the issue, it’s time to add more hydrating serums and moisturizers to your skincare routine.
While those two causes are easy to tackle, what about the others? Below, we’ll explain how to ditch hyperpigmentation from inflammation, sun damage, hormones, and vitamin deficiencies.
How to Fix Hormonal Hyperpigmentation
Fluctuations in hormones are a pretty common cause of hyperpigmentation. Changes in certain hormones lead to melanin production, and then things like UV exposure, friction, and product irritation worsen it.
These imbalances can come from hormonal birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, pregnancy, thyroid issues, PCOS, or other endocrine conditions.
Often, these hormonal issues lead to a form of hyperpigmentation called melasma. Melasma appears more often on the face, so don’t be surprised if it shows up around the mouth.
Here’s how to handle this type of hyperpigmentation:
Lifestyle Changes: First, you should address the underlying hormonal issue. Usually, hormones can be balanced with the help of targeted supplements, diet changes, meditative exercise, and improved sleep. That said, research your specific condition and talk to your doctor.
Sun Protection: UV exposure can amplify hyperpigmentation, so use a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen that’s at least SPF 30+. And don’t forget to reapply every few hours. Our favorite is the TSC Caffeinated Sunscreen.
Melanin Blockers: There are actually topical treatments that can block melanin production. This treats hyperpigmentation on the outside while you balance hormones on the inside. The best topical treatments are prescription-strength hydroquinone, azelaic acid, niacinamide, kojic acid, and vitamin C.
Retinoids: A retinoid like tretinoin will encourage cell turnover, helping shed those dull, dark, and dead skin cells fast. The cells that take their place will be fresh, healthy, and the correct skin tone.
How to Fix Hyperpigmentation from Sun Damage
It’s no secret the sun is awful for your skin—but did you know that it can trigger hyperpigmentation?
UV rays can damage skin cells and activate melanin production. This type of hyperpigmentation can happen anywhere there is sun damage. And since the face is often exposed to the sun, it’s a common place for UV hyperpigmentation.
The good thing about this type of discoloration? It’s preventable! Stop tanning and make sure you’re wearing sunscreen every single day.
But, to fix any hyperpigmentation you already have, here are your treatment options:
Sun Protection: First, let’s make sure the dark spots don’t get worse. Coat your face daily with TSC Caffeinated Sunscreen and reapply every few hours. (Here’s how to do it without messing up your makeup.) For added protection, wear wide-brimmed hats and other protective clothing.
Melanin Blockers: Over time, topical treatments like vitamin C, niacinamide, alpha arbutin, and licorice extract help prevent melanin production and lighten skin. Here are some specific dark spot correctors that actually work.
Retinoids: If you have dark spots from the sun, that top layer of skin is damaged. Luckily, you can encourage cell regeneration for bright, fresh skin using a retinoid.
Exfoliation: Gentle chemical exfoliants or chemical peels can help fade dark spots by prompting cell renewal. They share the same goal as retinoids, but work differently, making it beneficial to use both.
Laser Treatments: Focused light therapy can help break down melanin so the body can remove it naturally. It also provides pretty much instant results with few side effects.
How to Fix Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a type of skin darkening that happens after the skin gets injured. It’s basically triggered by trauma or irritation.
Melanin production happens in reaction to the injury, leading to discoloration. You’ll often see it after breakouts, skin injuries, allergic reactions, overdoing it with skincare, or eczema/psoriasis flare-ups.
Here’s how you can fix it:
Lifestyle Changes: Inflammation comes from somewhere. Figure out what’s triggering your body and make small changes in your lifestyle to lower inflammation. Things like adopting an anti-inflammatory diet, exercising, hydrating, and managing stress levels go a long way.
Supplements: Talk to your doctor about taking probiotics and anti-inflammatory supplements like omega-3, vitamin D, curcumin, and antioxidants.
Gentle Skincare: Avoid harsh scrubs or picking at your skin. These things can further irritate everything, ultimately worsening hyperpigmentation. TSC’s Mint Roller is a great addition to your routine, too. It can relieve inflammation and soothe irritated skin.
Sun Protection: UV exposure triggers inflammation. So, ensure a high-quality sunscreen like our Caffeinated Sunscreen is in your routine.
Melanin Blockers: Not all melanin inhibitors are gentle, but with inflammatory hyperpigmentation, you definitely want something easy on the skin. Try niacinamide, alpha arbutin, licorice extract, or vitamin C to even out your skin tone.
How to Fix Hyperpigmentation from Vitamin Deficiencies
Even if you have a super thoughtful diet, it’s easy to become deficient in some daily vitamins. If you’re low in vitamin B12, vitamin D, or iron, you may see discoloration around the mouth.
You can identify these deficiencies through lab testing or by paying attention to other related symptoms.
If you figure out this is the problem, here’s your treatment for hyperpigmentation:
Supplements: Of course, one of the best ways to address vitamin deficiencies is by taking targeted supplements to get your levels back to normal. Talk to your doctor before starting anything new.
Intentional Diet: Make sure you’re not solely relying on supplements. Ensure you include plenty of nutrient-dense foods in your diet that’ll help correct your deficiencies.
Topical Treatments: To address existing hyperpigmentation, consider topical treatments that brighten the skin and reduce melanin production. Retinoids, vitamin C, niacinamide, alpha arbutin, hydroquinone, and licorice extract are all good options.
Exfoliation: Exfoliating is another way to bring your skin back to life while correcting your deficiencies. Chemical exfoliants or chemical peels help fade dark spots while encouraging cell renewal.
Laser Treatments: For instant results, consider light therapy. It’ll get rid of dark areas super fast for an even, glowing skin tone. Lauryn loves this Lightstim wand.
Treating the core issues behind your hyperpigmentation will help you restore your perfect complexion.
Hyperpigmentation around the mouth can be really frustrating, but it’s not permanent. With the right products and lifestyle changes, you can prevent AND reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation entirely. Just keep in mind, results don’t happen overnight.
Restoring an even skin tone takes time, but every step you take brings you closer to brighter, more radiant skin.
X, The Skinny Confidential team
+ Get youthful looking skin without Botox or fillers.
++ Check out this acne-prone skin routine for adults.
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