What Could a Painless Bump on My Lip Mean?

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

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

A painless bump on your lip could be a harmless growth such as a mucocele. Evaluation by a doctor can help decide if treatment is needed.

Explanation

A painless bump on your lip, especially on the lower lip, is often caused by a cyst that forms due to a blocked or injured minor salivary gland, called a mucocele. This type of cyst is usually harmless and appears as a soft, bump-like swelling on the lip. Other causes of a painless bump on the lips include fibromas (benign growths of fibrous tissue), lipomas (fatty tissue growths), oral papillomas (caused by the HPV virus), or fordyce spots (enlarged oil glands). A healthcare provider can perform a clinical exam and guide next steps based on their findings and your specific situation.

(References)

Gudi SS, Sikkerimath BC, Puranik RS, Kasbe SS. Swelling on lower lip…not always a mucocele !!! Ann Maxillofac Surg. 2013 Jan;3(1):98-9. doi: 10.4103/2231-0746.110080. PMID: 23662271; PMCID: PMC3645623.
Almutairi, A., Alaglan, A., Alenezi, M. _et al._ Nasolabial cyst: case report and review of management options. _BMC Surg_ 20, 10 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12893-020-0677-3
Kannan N, Ramalingam K, Kizhakkoottu S, Ramani P. The Diagnostic Considerations and Clinical Management of Lower Lip Swellings in Adolescents: A Narrative Review. Cureus. 2024 Oct 17;16(10):e71707. doi: 10.7759/cureus.71707. PMID: 39553086; PMCID: PMC11568828.

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