Everyone likes beautiful lips, but it is not only for aesthetics that this should be a concern. A cracked, whitish or bruised mouth is a sign of disease. Ideally, lips should always look rosy. But when they do not look like this, what does it mean about our health?

Some changes, such as becoming thinner in appearance and also in skin, are natural to aging, but some characteristics may indicate disease.

One of them is the lips becoming whitish: "Like some anemia that the patient may have, or even as a consequence of prolonged photo exposure, where you can have a degeneration of the labial mucosa, which is more exposed", explains Marisa Homem de Mello Maciel Campilongo, a dermatologist teaching assistant at the ABC School of Medicine.

Anemia appears when the body is deficient in iron, a mineral found in foods such as beans, cabbage, broccoli, liver, and beets. Thus, without enough iron, the amount of red blood cells in the body drops. They are responsible for transporting oxygen, so the person becomes more tired and depressed.

Lip appearance x external factors

The lips are very sensitive to interference from wind, pollution, hot sun, and low humidity of the air. Moreover, they are very "in demand" - we need them for eating, drinking water, talking, kissing. Thus, some habits can greatly worsen the health of the lips - and the body in general: smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and unprotected, excessive sun exposure.

A very common problem that affects this region of the body is dryness, which leaves them cracked and sore. Although more common in the cold, this discomfort can also appear in spring and summer. Likewise, lipsticks, makeup, and even toothpaste can also cause sensitivity and even allergies.

In these cases, it is very important to frequently use a good lip moisturizer throughout the day, even some of them have colors and give that healthy look to the mouth. Drinking water - at least two liters a day - is also very important to ensure the healthy appearance of the face as a whole.

But, in case the person is not without a more striking color on the lips, the tip is to look for lipsticks with moisturizing actives and keep an eye out if the use of any of them is followed by flaking or chapped lips. In other words, in this case, it is worth leaving the item aside.

Marisa also points out that the mouth can be affected by leukoplakia, little spots on the lips that seem harmless, but can become malignant and even cancerous with time. In this sense, when they appear, it is essential to seek a specialist as soon as possible.

Sun in moderation (and protection)

The sun is one of the enemies of the lips. Although it is essential for our health, because in the right quantity it helps to fight depression and to synthesize the essential vitamin D, in excess and without protection it can lead to cancerous lesions. Therefore, using a lip sunscreen is also very important.

As in any other aspect, being aware of one's own body is indispensable: any change in the lips must be accompanied by a visit to the dermatologist: "Lip sores in some situations can be the expression of some precancerous lesion or even a lip cancer", Marisa points out.

Read also: Summer dry lips: Tips to prevent the problem

Appearance of the lips: when do I need treatments?

There are several treatments done in dermatologists' offices that can change the appearance of the lips, if the person so wishes. The evaluation must be done by a dermatologist. Finally, some of the treatments are filling with hyaluronic acid or botulinum toxin to make them thicker and stop the effects of aging, and injectable hydration.

Source: Marisa Homem de Mello Maciel Campilongo, teaching assistant dermatologist at ABC Medical School.