Some people may take discoloration of the skin, such as the lips turning purple, in stride. That should not be so as anything irregular or unusual in your health should be a cause for alarm.
For all you know, your purple lips may be caused by an underlying serious condition.
The Possible Causes
If you want to know what causes purple lips, you have come to the right page. We will give you all the possible conditions and circumstances that may turn your lips from red to bluish or purple.
The medical term for purple lips is Cyanosis. The discoloration usually does not only happen to the lips but also to the nails, toenails, and tongue.
When you are exposed to an extremely cold weather, your lips may turn purple. The significant drop in your body’s temperature will inhibit the normal blood flow.
That’s why some parts of the body turn into a different color; they lack oxygen. This is easy to solve because warming up can easily turn back your blood circulation to normal.
Babies with birth defects in countries like Malaysia, especially concerning the respiratory system, are also often seen with purple lips. Sometimes, purple lips may also be associated with respiratory or heart problems in adults. That’s one of the important reasons it should be taken seriously.
Diagnosis is Important to Determine the Treatment Method
Knowing what caused your purple lips will make it easier for your physician to prescribe treatment. It is important that the root cause of the problem is ruled out because treatment will be directed to that.
If your purple lips is brought about as part of lung cancer symptoms, certain treatments to kill the cancerous cells and keep them from spreading may be needed. This includes chemotherapy.
If your purple lips come with coughing, coughing up blood, breathing difficulty, and chest pain, you may have to undergo different tests that will enable your medical care provider an idea on what you are going through.
Lung cancer should be treated early by getting the best possible lung cancer treatment. Otherwise your chances for survival become slimmer. A simple chest X-ray may detect the presence of tumors in the lung. Some people who have the disease usually do not have symptoms and do not suspect lung cancer.
They only get to find out when they were requested for chest x-ray for another purpose. In that case, purple lips may already be present but not regarded as something to be concerned about.
So, next time you recognize even a slight discoloration on your lips, try to figure some other symptoms. If it is not due to merely a drop in body temperature due to a cold weather, consult a medical professional to find what is out there.
