Lips

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Hi There!Has anyone had skin cancer of the lips? If so, what has it been like, (symptoms, treatment, recovery, scarring)? I have a pre-cancerous condition of the skin of my lips. The patches come and go. The dermatologist said to wait until a patch remains for a few months before having it removed. My face is full of scars anyway, but I do wonder how bad my lips will look. Right now they are evenly scarred from being burned and the scars aren't really noticeable. I have plenty of facial scars that are noticeable, including deep prune-lines around my lips. My father keeps going in to have skin cancer removed, so I'm pretty sure of what is ahead for me. I have fair skin and have had some very severe burns. I'm in my forties. If anyone knows of a site with pictures of skin cancer of the lips, I'd appreciate it if they would post that information.Lexa

Lexa,I just came across your post, I too have been diagnosed with the same and have found no information.A Plastic Surgeon was the first to diagnose me so now I'm off to see a Dermatologist for a second opinion. I wanted to go to an Oncologist but understand they will not do anything with skin cancer.I'll keep you posted with anything new I find out, please do the same.

Hi!Thank you very much for your reply! I'm sorry to hear about your lips. I've had my pre-cancerous lip condition for a few years. I've been lucky so far, and careful. I'm just hoping that the current patches will go away when the season changes. Otherwise, it may be time for removal. The patches are bigger this time.What does your lip condition look like? How does it feel? Did you sunburn your lips? I only notice my patches visually when close to a mirror. I can feel the patches with my tongue, though. They feel a little tough and rough, almost bumpy. Also, I have less sensation in areas of patches, which makes me notice them when I move my lips. If I learn anything new, I'll be glad to post it. Thank you for offering to share information. I hope that your lip condition will be slow and not very serious. Lexa

Lexa,Hello again, I only recently found out about my lip pre cancerous condition. I hadn't noticed anything unusual about my lips there is some freckling and discolorations but that is it. In the past however I have had terrible sores on my lips from sun burns and am prone to "cold" sores still if I eat the wrong foods or have too much sun.You are seeing a doctor about this I hope. And before any treatment begins by all means get a second opinion.Hope all is well.K.D.

I had a wart just on the top and inside of my bottom lip for about 6 months to 1 year in 1985. I ended up at a plastic surgeon and a biopsy was done and it was a squamous cell carcinoma. The surgeon did a wedge resection that removed about 1/2" of lip down to my chin. I was 25. In 1987 I was living in another state and noticed a white bump under the skin next to the scar line when I would push my tongue out behind the scar. NO VISIBLE MARKS ON THE SURFACE OF MY LIP NORMAL INSPECTION WOULD REVEAL NOTHING! Visual inspection by the plastic surgeon revealed nothing until I showed him. His response was that it was most likely just scar tissue. Indeed it was squamous cell carcinoma again. I did get a second opinion but I had another wedge resection. In 1995 I noticed the same type of condition under the skin next to the scar line again, along with a white discolored area on the surface. A biopsy revealed a pre-cancerous condition. Squamous displatia. This time I went to a dermatologist for laser surgery to remove all of the surface skin of the bottom lip. I am now 45 and have survived my old enemy for at least 16 years. I had all but forgotten about my past problems until now. I have had a biopsy done on an inflammation in my colon. It was not cancer but I have a very bad feeling about the report. Also I can see that what I thought was nothing under the skin next to the scar line on my lip is actually similar to the second recurrence in 6 years ago. I am going to a dermatologist for a check up and biopsy this month. I will have to tell the doctor look I know this appears to be nothing but with my history I demand a biopsy. I think that I had just decided to get on with my life forgotten about the past, and allowed my old enemy to return again and perhaps maybe move beyond the skin cancer condition. OOPS!! I suggest seeing a surgeon that uses what is called MOHS surgery which removes much less area of healthy tissue than a traditional plastic surgeon. I have had 1" of lower lip down to my chin removed with the wedge resections and it is hard to tell.

Hello MNP,Thank you for sharing your experiences. It sounds like you have been through a lot. I imagine that some of it was quite painful. I am glad that the results of what you endured were so positive. I hope that your future examinations and treatments will keep you on the winning side of the battle with skin cancer. You have given me some very helpful information. I am not as fearful of what may be ahead, and I have hope that my additional lip-scars may be kept to a minimum, if precautions are taken. I wondered how long it was before you were able eat normally after the wedge was removed. I sucked liquids through a straw perched between my front teeth when I had my worst lip burn (not an easy task). I am assuming that recovering from partial lip-skin removal may be 10 to 14 days of he** (OUCH!!!), followed by more-easily-tolerated healing. Is that about right?I hope KD finds your post. I'm glad that I did. Take Care! Lexa

I too have a problem with an area on my upper lip. I have had a difficult time getting a doctor to actually take me seriously. The dermatologist I saw blew me off. I had gone to see him about just a sore spot on my upper lip that does not heal as well as a lesion on my shoulder. The lesion on the shoulder did prove to be a basal cell carcinoma which I had surgically removed, but still the doctor didn't want to talk to me about my lip. "Come back another time and maybe I can do a little biopsy if you like" was his response. It's hard to see most of the time but I've had it for over 6 months now and am finally preparing to have a biopsy done by a plastic surgeon I recently saw. Apparently, nobody wants to touch this because it's a difficult area. Anyway, my spot on my lip would appear to be a sore. It's not raised (except for when it has a scab). It tends to heal over a bit, get a scab, and then the scab comes off and we start over again. It does tend to bleed. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I am starting to wonder if I am getting a biopsy for no reason at all. It certainly doesn't have any other colors to it--kind of blends in with my lips since it's just red. Any thoughts or information would be appreciated.

Hello RD,

The pre-cancerous part of my lips is the same color as the rest of my lips. I wish I had more answers for you, but I don't. I wanted to let you know that I read your post, and I think you are doing the right thing having the suspicious spot evaluated. I am amazed at the "wait and see" attitudes of some doctors regarding skin cancer. Hang in there, and I will be hoping that it is not cancer.

Lexa