Furuncle on the lip

Definition

A lip furuncle is an accumulation of pus in a hair follicle localized on the lip. It is a bacterial inflammation. A boil on the lip appears as a reddened, pressure-painful, overheated and hard knot on the lip.

Often the adjacent tissue is also affected. If several furuncles on the lip merge, a so-called carbuncle develops. If a lip furuncle occurs again and again, it is called furunculosis in technical jargon. A furuncle on the lip can occur spontaneously and without a directly recognizable cause. However, it can also occur in the context of other diseases.

Causes for a boil on the lip

A boil on the lip is usually caused by staphylococci. These belong to the normal skin flora. Under certain circumstances, they can cause bacterial inflammation and, for example, imply the development of a lip furuncle.

Through small injuries to the lip, the bacteria can penetrate along a hair follicle into the skin of the lip. Once there, a deep inflammatory infiltration develops within a few hours to days. An uncomplicated lip furuncle usually bursts open independently after about a week.

After that, the pus can empty itself and relieve the lip furuncle. It then heals independently. A small scar remains.

The skin of the lips is exposed to chemical, mechanical and physical noxae and stimuli. These can be cosmetics, too hot drinks, sunlight or dust and many more. This can quickly lead to minor damage to the skin of the lips. The risk of a bacterial infection developing in the form of a furuncle is, for example, higher in the case of a weakened, endogenous defence system, iron deficiency anaemia and diabetes mellitus. You can find out about other causes of lip furuncle at Causes of a furuncle

Diagnosis of a furuncle on the lip

To find out the cause of lip furuncle, it is essential to interview the patient. A lip furuncle is usually a diagnosis of the gaze. The characteristic signs of inflammation are usually present.

Sometimes the pus clot appears in the middle as a white-yellowish spot. Pathogen detection is particularly necessary in the case of pronounced or recurring furuncles and accompanying symptoms such as fever. In the case of recurring lip furuncles, the causative disease must be found.

This often requires further examinations. For example, the blood sugar is measured and a blood sample is taken to check certain parameters in the blood. The next article will explain everything about the sugar test in detail: Test strip for blood sugar