Everybody is striving to have the smoothest and plumpest lips on the face of the planet. That is why it can be alarming and frustrating to notice black spots on your lips.

There are many different reasons why those dark-colored blemishes are on your lips, and they can range anywhere from not drinking enough water to cancer. Before you panic, keep on reading — this article will tell you some of the most common reasons why your lips are marred by dark spots.

Feel free to share this article on your various social media sites to get your beauty-conscious family members and friends know, too, that those black spots on their lips could be due to any of the following:

Dehydration

Failure to drink about 2 liters of water per day can certainly cause your lips to become dry, cracked and peeling. Such can cause minor injuries to the very sensitive skin of the lips, causing the formation of scabs, scars and dark-colored spots.

Make sure that you consume plenty of fluids on an everyday basis to keep your skin out of harm’s way and your cells and tissues working optimally.

Excess Iron

Iron is essential for the production of red blood cells or RBCs, which are components of your blood that transport oxygen molecules. Supplying your body with enough iron is important for fending off anemia, but excessive amounts of it can cause all kinds of problems, including the appearance of black spots on your lips.

More often than not, having too much iron in the body is due to intake of lots of iron supplements.

Lack of Vitamin B12

Also known as cobalamin, vitamin B12 is essential, for a healthy nervous system. Being deficient in it can cause symptoms such as fatigue, lightheadedness, heart palpitations, tingling sensations and pale skin. Some people may also end up with dark-colored blemishes on the lips.

You can obtain good amounts of vitamin B12 from various animal products such as milk, cheese, eggs, fish and meat. There are also numerous food products these days that are fortified with it.

Too Much Sun

If you love engaging in all kinds of activities done under the scorching sun, then don’t be surprised if you have black spots on your lips — those are actually sun spots. Also known as age or lover spots, you can expect them to get darker and darker if you refuse to steer clear of the sun.

Needless to say, you should have your lips protected from the sun by using lip balms with SPF of not less than 30.

Cigarette Smoking

Everyone knows that cigarette smoking can leave nasty stains on the pearly whites. But did you know that this really unhealthy habit can also leave your lips stained? The presence of black spots on your lips (together with your reeking breath and discolored smile) can easily reveal the fact that you are a smoker.

Definitely, you should quit smoking if you want to keep your lips looking healthy and your lungs and heart out of harm’s way.

Hormonal Imbalance

Women most especially are highly susceptible to the unfavorable signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance. They can encounter those once every month during their period, while they’re in the family way, or during perimenopause and menopause. Having black spots on the lips can be due to hormonal imbalance.

In some instances, hormonal imbalance can be caused by a problem with the endocrine system that needs to be diagnosed and treated.

Cancer

In some instances, cancerous growths on the lips may register as black spots. There are situations in which they may appear as shiny growths, red patches, scar-like formations or open sores that bleed. So in other words, anything on the lips that looks unusual is worth getting checked.

Just like most other forms of cancer, early detection and treatment is of utmost importance.