Question: Help – what is this bluish, clear very noticeable round lump on my lower lip?
Answer: I had a young patient come into the office this week with just that: A clear, bluish-tinted bump on her lower lip. It was more than just a “fat lip.” I immediately suspected a mucocele because of the bluish tint, roundness and the lower lip placement, so I asked the mom if her daughter had hit or bumped her lip in some way. Yes, she had been riding her bike and fell, hitting that portion of her lip against her teeth. But a mucocele is not just a child’s occurrence…it can happen to anyone who bumps their lower lip on anything which can be common in active adults when skiing, kayaking, climbing, mountain biking or other activities.
Any face-first fall can cause a mucocele
Luckily, a mucocele is easy to treat. Usually, just one soft, round, painless lesion (lump) appears noticeably on the lower lip, which may be anywhere from 2-10 mm in diameter. It may look clear or bluish and the bluish tint represents a bruising to the mucous duct from the trauma. The exact cause of the lump is a rupture of a minor salivary (mucous) duct, which causes a leaking of mucous into cystic spaces combined with inflammation from the trauma.
As new connective tissue is formed, scarring may form. That’s why I always drain the mucocele (cyst) of its excess fluid to allow the healing process to begin before any more damage to surrounding tissue occurs. A quick, tiny incision to the cyst releases the thick fluid. If scar tissue forms we may treat it using cryotherapy (freezing) or a laser resurfacing treatment.
I also recommend rinsing the mouth thoroughly with a mixture of one tablespoon of salt to one cup of warm water four to six times per day to help it heal.
A cyst like this can occur elsewhere in your mouth. Musicians who play wind instruments may develop a mucocele opposite the upper second molar on the inside of the cheek (called the buccal mucosa) from the repeated pressure on the mucous duct there.
A mucocele can also form anywhere in the mouth when there is a true blockage of a salivary duct (which may turn painful), so always see a dermatologist or dentist immediately if you see or feel a bump in your mouth.
-Jodi