Dark Lips in Men: Why They Darken and How to Stop It

Lips darken when they make more melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour. The most common triggers are sun exposure, smoking and constant irritation such as licking or picking. Some medicines, low vitamin levels and a few medical conditions can also play a part. For many men, dark lips are simply their natural colour.

You cannot change the colour your lips were born with, but you can stop them getting darker:

Protect them from the sun with an SPF 30 or higher lip balm.
Cut down or quit smoking.
Stop licking, biting and picking your lips.
Keep them moisturised, so they are not repeatedly dry and irritated.
See a doctor if the colour changes suddenly or unevenly.

No lip balm will change your natural lip colour overnight, and this post does not promise that any will. What it covers is why lips darken and what actually helps.

Are dark lips normal?

Yes. Lip colour varies from person to person and depends on skin tone, genetics and the amount of melanin your lips naturally have. Darker lips are not unhealthy and do not need treating.

What matters is change. If your lips have become noticeably darker over months or years, or have darkened unevenly, one of the causes below may be behind it.

Why do lips darken?

Sun exposure

UV rays tell the skin to make more melanin as protection, and lips are no exception. Lip skin is thin and gets little natural protection, so repeated sun exposure can darken it gradually. This is one of the most common and most preventable causes. For more on how much sun protection lips need, read SPF 15 vs SPF 30 vs SPF 50: How Much Sun Protection Do Your Lips Need?

Smoking

Tobacco smoking is a well-known cause of darker lips. Nicotine and other chemicals in smoke may encourage melanin production, and the darkening builds up over time. Doctors sometimes call this smoking melanosis. Quitting also benefits your health far beyond your lips.

Licking, biting and picking

Constant irritation can leave dark marks on the skin as it heals, and dry, flaky lips often look dull. If you lick or pick your lips a lot, they are stuck in a cycle of dryness and irritation. How to Repair a Damaged Lip Barrier explains how to break it.

Dryness and dehydration

Dry, peeling lips can look darker and patchier than healthy, well-moisturised ones. Keeping lips sealed and moisturised does not change their natural colour, but it helps them look even and healthy.

Medicines

Some medicines can cause darkening of the skin, including the lips. Antimalarial drugs and the antibiotic minocycline are examples. If your lips darkened after you started a new medicine, tell your doctor. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Low vitamin B12 or folate

Low levels of vitamin B12 and folate can cause darker patches of skin. A blood test can check this, so do not start supplements without advice.

Reaction to a product

An allergic reaction to a lip product, toothpaste or food can irritate the lips and, in some people, leave darker marks as the skin heals. If a product makes your lips itch, swell or burn, stop using it.

Medical conditions

Rarely, dark lips are linked to a medical condition such as Addison’s disease, which also causes tiredness, weakness and low mood. This is not common, but it is one reason to see a doctor if the change is sudden and you feel unwell.

How to stop dark lips from getting darker

1. Wear SPF on your lips every day

Use a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher before you leave the house and reapply about every 2 hours when you are outdoors, and after eating or drinking. This is the single most useful habit. If you are unsure which to buy, read Best Lip Balm for Men in India: 7 Things to Check Before You Buy.

2. Cut down or quit smoking

If you smoke, this is the other big one. The darkening from smoking can fade slowly once you stop, but how much and how fast varies from person to person.

3. Stop licking, biting and picking

Apply a balm when you feel the urge to lick. It takes the habit away and protects the skin at the same time.

4. Keep lips moisturised

Lips have no hair and very few oil glands, so they dry out easily. Use a balm with humectants such as hyaluronic acid, plus ceramides and an ingredient that seals moisture in, such as petrolatum. How Hyaluronic Acid Keeps Your Lips Hydrated explains why.

5. Be gentle with scrubs

Lip skin is delicate. If you exfoliate at all, do it gently and no more than twice a week, and never on lips that are cracked or sore.

6. Check your medicines and diet

If you suspect a medicine or a vitamin deficiency, ask your doctor. A simple blood test can answer the second question.

What does not work

Lemon juice. It is acidic and can irritate your lips, and there is no scientific evidence that it lightens them.
Harsh scrubbing, toothpaste or other kitchen remedies. They damage the skin, and damaged skin can darken further as it heals.
Products that promise to change your natural lip colour fast. Be sceptical of bold before-and-after claims. Prevention is the dependable part, and any change in colour is slow and varies from person to person.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor or dermatologist if:

Your natural lip colour has changed over time and nothing you try makes a difference.
You have a single dark spot or patch that is new, changing in size or shape, uneven in colour, or bleeding.
The darkening started after a new medicine.
You also feel unusually tired or weak.
Your lips look blue or purple, or you have trouble breathing. This is an emergency. Get medical help straight away.

Frequently asked questions

Do dark lips mean something is wrong with my health?

Usually not. Many men simply have naturally darker lips. It is worth seeing a doctor if the colour changes suddenly or unevenly, or if you also feel unwell.

Can dark lips become lighter on their own?

Sometimes. If sun, smoking or irritation caused the darkening, removing the cause can help the colour settle over time, but how much it changes varies from person to person. A natural lip colour will not change.

Does lip balm lighten dark lips?

No lip balm changes your natural lip colour. An SPF lip balm helps by protecting lips from the sun, which is one of the main triggers for darkening.

Does smoking really cause dark lips?

Yes. Tobacco smoking is a well-known cause of darker lips, and quitting is one of the most useful steps if you smoke.

Are lip scrubs good for dark lips?

Not really. Scrubbing can irritate lips and does not change their natural colour. If you exfoliate, keep it gentle and no more than twice a week.

Can a vitamin deficiency cause dark lips?

It can. Low vitamin B12 and folate are linked to darker patches of skin. Ask your doctor for a blood test before taking supplements.

Final word: you cannot change your natural colour, but you can protect it

Dark lips are common and usually harmless. What you can do is stop them getting darker: protect them from the sun, cut down on smoking, stop licking and picking, and keep them moisturised. A daily SPF lip balm for men covers the sun part of that list. INTOIT Lip Restore SPF Lip Balm has SPF 30 and pairs hyaluronic acid, ceramide NP and squalane with petrolatum and plant waxes, in a lightweight, non-glossy finish that is vegan and paraben-free. It will not change your natural lip colour, but it helps keep the sun from making it darker.