My Private Lake

About a year ago I noticed a purplish bluish papule in the middle of my lower lip. I asked my dentist about it when I saw him. He told me I had probably bit my lip, but I didn't remember any such incident. After nine months when I started searching the internet about this type of spot, I decided to see a dermatologist. A venous lake was a possibility, but sometimes melanoma starts this way.
The earliest appointment was 3 months from the time I called.

This is not me; I took this from the internet. The location and size are similar to mine.

I wasn't too concerned because the papule didn't itch or bleed or wasn't asymmetric and didn't seem to be increasing in size.

Thursday I drove to Fort Wayne (we have no dermatologists in Winona Lake nor Warsaw). I do have a venous lake. It will not go away but probably won't get any bigger because it is not a tumor. It is a weakened area from years of sun damage that fills with capillary blood. The best test other than Mohs or a biopsy, is to press it (diascopy) with a glass slide to see if the papule blanches. The blood filling the papule completely disappeared when pressed. The dermatologist congratulated me for not taking anything for granted and having it checked by a professional. I guess I could have it removed by laser for cosmetic reasons. Right now, I am just letting it be.

A venous lake appears in older people with a life time of sun exposure. Having grown up in Southern California and later living in Dallas, Texas area, I have had lots of sun exposure. It is another one of those "badges" of growing older.