Blue Lips

Someone with blue lips may be making a fashion statement, but it is more likely that he or she has been out in the cold too long. But blue lips may be a sign of RAYNAUD'S DISEASE, a condition in which the small arteries, usually in the fingers and toes but sometimes in other parts of the body, become constricted from the cold or emotional stress. This prevents those body parts from getting enough oxygen and turns them blue. Medically known as CYANOTIC LIPS, blue lips may also be a red flag that your body is not getting enough oxygen because of one of several possible respiratory conditions, including pneumonia, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and pulmonary edema. Or the lack of oxygen could occur because you are a serious smoker and the carbon monoxide in the smoke is robbing your lungs and other organs of oxygen. Your blue lips could also be telling you that you are iron deficient (anemic).

If your lips are blue and you are pregnant, you may be iron deficient. This is a fairly common and potentially serious problem during pregnancy.