Answered by SecondMedic Expert
General Physician · General Physician
Blue lips, medically known as cyanosis, is a condition when your skin (including the lips) and mucous membranes turn blue due to inadequate oxygen levels in the blood. This occurs when there is an imbalance between the oxygen supply and need for oxygen by the body. There are several possible causes of blue lips ranging from mild to severe including cold weather exposure, respiratory conditions such as asthma or bronchitis, poor circulation caused by heart problems or peripheral vascular disease, certain blood diseases like anemia where there aren’t enough red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen throughout your body; reactions to drugs or insect bites; metabolic disorders that result in high levels of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream like diabetes; kidney failure; and shock. It’s important that you seek medical attention if you experience any kind of bluish discoloration on your lips so it can be properly diagnosed and treated.
