What Could a Hard Bump on My Lip Line Indicate?

Family Medicine, Primary Care Roots Community Health Center, Hippo Education, Kameda Medical Center

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

A hard bump on your lip line can be caused by several different things, such as pimples, epidermoid cysts, or inflammatory conditions.

Explanation

A firm bump on your lip might be caused by a few things. Commonly, a pimple could develop along the lip line, initially starting out as a firm bump. An epidermoid (or sebaceous) cyst could also feel like a hard bump. This is a small, benign (non-cancerous) sac that can form when a hair follicle gets blocked. Less commonly, a bump could be a type of lipoma, which is a small growth made of fat. Sometimes, if there is redness, scaling, or crusting on your lips, it could be an inflammatory condition known as cheilitis. While these causes are generally not harmful, it is still a good idea to be evaluated by a healthcare professional. A provider can evaluate you and make recommendations tailored to your specific situation.

(References)

Phukan JP, Sinha A, Pal S, Jalan S. Cytodiagnosis of epidermoid cyst of the upper lip: a common lesion in an uncommon site. J Lab Physicians. 2014 Jan;6(1):60-2. doi: 10.4103/0974-2727.129097. PMID: 24696565; PMCID: PMC3969648.
Litaiem N, Ben Slimane M, Bacha T, Rammeh S, Zeglaoui F. Cheilitis with hemorrhagic crusts of the vermilion lips. Int J Dermatol. 2020 Jul;59(7):e234-e236. doi: 10.1111/ijd.14814. Epub 2020 Feb 3. PMID: 32010965.
Girgis S, Cheng L. Rare occurrence of lip spindle cell lipoma. Case Rep Oncol Med. 2015;2015:382925. doi: 10.1155/2015/382925. Epub 2015 Feb 25. PMID: 25815220; PMCID: PMC4359822.

Tell your friends about us.

We would love to help them too.

For First Time Users

What is Ubie’s Doctor’s Note?

We provide a database of explanations from real doctors on a range of medical topics. Get started by exploring our library of questions and topics you want to learn more about.

Learn more about symptoms

Bump on lip

Not sure about the cause of your current symptoms?

Try our AI-based symptom check

With an easy 3-min questionnaire, you can get an free AI-powered report on possible causes

Tips to try:

Provide specific, detailed info about all symptoms you have.
Give accurate information about yourself including current conditions.
Answer all follow-up questions

Purpose and positioning of servicesUbie Doctor’s Note is a service for informational purposes, and the provision of information by physicians, medical professionals, etc. is not a medical practice. The provision of information by physicians, medical professionals, etc. is not a medical treatment. If medical treatment is required, please consult your doctor or medical institution. We strive to provide reliable and accurate information, but we do not guarantee the completeness of the content. If you find any errors in the information, please contact us.