Can a Cold Sore Cause Hyperpigmentation of a Mole on my Upper Lip?

Question

I have a small, circular, flat, light brown mole on my upper lip. I got a cold sore directly on that spot. After it healed, my mole appeared darker (no other changes). Can this change in color be a result of the cold sore? I've had 4 IPL sessions for upper lip hair removal. The last session was ~4 weeks PRIOR to onset of the cold sore. There were no signs of darkening of the mole after the IPL sessions. It was only after the cold sore healed. What made my mole darker?!?

Gary Goldenberg, MD · Answer

A cold sore could heal with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (dark area). This pigmentation may fade, you may use a bleaching cream, or have a laser procedure.

Philip Young, MD · Answer

Cold sores and any time your skin gets excessively stimulated can lead to hyperpigmentation. The one question I would wonder is if this mole is undergoing changes. I would keep an eye on this mole and make sure that nothing serious is going on like progression to a cancer.  Most likely it is just hyperpigmentation from the cold sore.

Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD (retired) · Answer

The darkening of your mole is most likely due to what we call post-inflammatory hyper-pigmenttion. This is due to the pigment in the mole dropping off into the dermis and causing increased pigmentation. 

	However, it is prudent to consult a dermatologist for darkening of any mole, especially if herpes labialis was a self-diagnosis. After all the "C" in the A B C D E of melanoma detection stands for "color change".

Can a Cold Sore Cause Hyperpigmentation of a Mole on my Upper Lip?

Answers (3)