Melasma Mustache: Why Your Upper Lip Gets Darker

A melasma mustache is a patch of darker skin above the upper lip caused by melasma, a common pigment condition linked to sun, visible light, heat and hormones. It looks like a faint brown or gray-brown shadow where a mustache would be, even when there's no hair there at all.

It's harmless, but it can be frustrating, especially when you're not sure whether it's melasma, irritation from hair removal or something else. Here's how to tell, what causes it and how to care for the skin day to day.

What is a melasma mustache?

A melasma mustache is melasma that shows up on the skin above the upper lip. It usually looks like a flat, even, tan to gray-brown patch with soft edges, often on both sides of the lip. It isn't hair and it isn't dangerous, but it can make your upper lip look shadowed or darker than the rest of your face.

Melasma is a common skin condition in which pigment cells become more active and leave patches of skin darker than your natural tone. It most often appears on the cheeks, forehead, bridge of the nose, chin and upper lip [1][2]. Some people have it in several of these places; for others, the upper lip is the main spot they notice.

Anyone can get melasma, but it's much more common in women, especially between the ages of 20 and 40, and in people with medium to deep skin tones [3]. Men can get it too. For the full background, read what is melasma?

Why is my upper lip dark but there's no hair?

If your upper lip is dark but there's no hair, the most common causes are melasma, darkening after hair removal (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), sun exposure, and irritation from lip licking or products around the mouth. For many people with olive, brown or deep skin, the skin around the mouth is also naturally a little darker than the cheeks.

Here are the usual suspects:

• Melasma. Even, soft-edged patches, often on both sides, that look darker in summer and after sun or heat [1].
• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). Darkening left behind after irritation or inflammation, such as waxing, threading, laser, razor bumps or a rash [4]. More on this below.
• Sun and visible light. The upper lip catches a lot of light and is easy to miss with sunscreen.
• Irritation around the mouth. Frequent lip licking, a lip product or toothpaste that stings, or wiping your nose a lot during a cold can inflame the skin and leave it darker.
• Your natural coloring. Skin around the mouth can be slightly darker than the rest of the face. That's normal and nothing to fix.
• A hair shadow. Fine hair, or regrowth just under the skin after shaving, can create a shadow that looks like darker skin.

What causes melasma mustache?

Melasma mustache has the same causes as melasma anywhere else: UV light, visible light, heat and hormones, on top of a genetic tendency. Pregnancy, birth control pills and a family history all raise the odds [3]. Why some people react and others don't isn't fully understood, but pigment cells in melasma skin appear to switch on more easily [3].

Sun and visible light

Sunlight is the biggest trigger [3]. Your upper lip sits right in the path of light, it's often skipped when you apply sunscreen, and eating, drinking and blowing your nose wipe off whatever you did apply. Visible light matters too, especially on medium to deep skin. In one study of people with skin types IV to VI, visible light caused darker, longer-lasting pigment than long-wave UVA [5]. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that visible light can make melasma worse and suggests a tinted sunscreen with iron oxide [6].

Heat

Heat may play a part as well. Many people notice their melasma looks darker after time over a hot stove, in a sauna or during a heat wave, even without direct sun. Read more in does heat make melasma worse?

Hormones

Estrogen and progesterone seem to be involved, which is why melasma so often appears during pregnancy or after starting birth control pills [3]. Melasma is so common in pregnancy that it's sometimes called the mask of pregnancy [1], and the upper lip is one of the places it often shows. Learn more in melasma in pregnancy.

Genetics and other factors

Melasma often runs in families [3]. Some medicines that make skin more sensitive to sunlight, thyroid conditions, tanning beds and possibly stress have also been linked to it [3].

Can waxing, threading or laser make your upper lip darker?

Yes, hair removal can make your upper lip darker, but usually through post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) rather than melasma. Waxing, threading, tweezing, hair removal creams and laser can all irritate the skin. On skin that marks easily, that irritation can leave brown patches behind, and it can make existing melasma look darker too.

Here's how it happens. Pulling, heat, friction or chemicals cause a little inflammation. Your pigment cells respond by making extra melanin, and some of it stays behind once the skin has calmed down [4]. PIH is more common and tends to last longer on medium to deep skin [4].

Common culprits include:

• Waxing that's too hot, or repeated passes over the same spot
• Threading that leaves the skin red, bumpy or broken, especially when it's done often
• Hair removal creams left on too long, which can burn
• Laser or light devices used with settings that don't suit your skin tone
• Shaving with a dull blade, which can lead to razor bumps

One common worry: waxing doesn't make the hair itself grow back darker. The darkening people notice after waxing is usually in the skin.

To lower your risk:

1. Choose an experienced professional, and tell them if you get dark marks easily.
2. Patch test new waxes, creams and devices on a small area first.
3. For laser, ask whether the device and settings suit your skin tone.
4. Skip exfoliating acids, retinol and scrubs on your upper lip for a few days before and after.
5. Apply a plain, fragrance-free moisturizer afterward, and sunscreen the next morning.
6. Give your skin time to recover between sessions.

For more on how irritation leads to marks, see the everyday habits that make dark marks worse.

Is it melasma or hyperpigmentation from hair removal?

Melasma and hyperpigmentation from hair removal can look alike, but a few clues help. Melasma tends to be an even, symmetrical patch that looks darker in summer and with heat or hormonal changes. PIH from hair removal tends to show up after a session, follow the area that was irritated and sometimes come with bumps or redness.

What to look for:

• Timing. PIH appears in the days or weeks after a session or a rash. Melasma often shows up during pregnancy, after starting the pill, or builds slowly over sunny months.
• Shape. Melasma is usually even and symmetrical. PIH can be blotchy or dotted, following hair follicles or the edge of where the wax went.
• Seasons. Many people with melasma find it looks darker in summer and less noticeable in winter [1]. PIH doesn't follow the seasons as clearly, although sun can darken it too.
• Other places. If you also have patches on your cheeks, forehead or chin, melasma is more likely.

You can have both at once, and only a dermatologist can tell for sure. That matters, because the care plan is different, and some approaches that suit PIH can irritate skin with melasma.

How can you care for a dark upper lip every day?

Daily care for a dark upper lip starts with sun protection: a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every morning, ideally a tinted mineral sunscreen with iron oxides, reapplied after meals and when you're outdoors. Add shade and a wide-brimmed hat, keep hair removal gentle, and skip anything that stings or burns.

Step by step:

1. Wear sunscreen every day. Broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, even on cloudy days [6].
2. Choose a tinted formula. Tinted sunscreens with iron oxides add protection against visible light [6]. Mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are often comfortable on sensitive skin. Compare options in best sunscreen for melasma.
3. Go right to the lip line. Apply sunscreen up to the edge of your lip, then use a lip balm with SPF on the lips themselves.
4. Reapply after eating and drinking. Food, drinks, face masks and tissues rub sunscreen off this spot faster than anywhere else. A tinted sunscreen stick makes top-ups easy.
5. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and seek shade. A hat shades your whole face, including your upper lip [6].
6. Keep heat in check. Step back from the stove or oven, and cool your face down after workouts.
7. Stay gentle. Use fragrance-free products and stop anything that burns or stings, since irritation can make pigment darker [6]. Avoid DIY remedies like lemon juice or baking soda, which can burn the skin.
8. Be kind with hair removal. Follow the tips above, and consider trimming instead of pulling if your skin reacts.

Melasma is long-term for many people and often returns with sun exposure [1], so steady daily habits matter more than any single step. If the patch bothers you, makeup can help too: a peach or orange color corrector under concealer helps neutralize a brown or gray shadow on medium to deep skin, and a light peach tone suits fair skin. For more common questions, see our melasma FAQ.

When should you see a dermatologist about a dark upper lip?

See a dermatologist if your upper lip darkens suddenly, keeps getting darker despite daily sun protection, or bothers you enough that you want more options. A dermatologist can confirm whether it's melasma, PIH or something else, and discuss prescription options and in-office procedures that suit your skin tone.

Also see a doctor or dermatologist if:

• A spot on or near your lip changes in size, shape or color, bleeds, itches or grows
• The darkening comes with new, coarse hair growth, acne or irregular periods, which can point to a hormonal cause
• You're pregnant or breastfeeding and want to know which skincare is safe to use
• Hair removal has left the skin broken, blistered or infected

Dermatologists take extra care with melasma on deeper skin tones, because some approaches can irritate the skin and make pigment darker [1].

References

1. American Academy of Dermatology. Melasma: overview.
2. Ogbechie-Godec OA, Elbuluk N. Melasma: an up-to-date comprehensive review. Dermatology and Therapy (2017).
3. American Academy of Dermatology. Melasma: causes.
4. Davis EC, Callender VD. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation: a review of the epidemiology, clinical features, and treatment options in skin of color. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (2010).
5. Mahmoud BH, Ruvolo E, Hexsel CL, et al. Impact of long-wavelength UVA and visible light on melanocompetent skin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2010).
6. American Academy of Dermatology. Melasma: self-care.

This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. If you have a skin condition or concern, talk to a doctor or dermatologist.