Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsTypes and CausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Types and Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Cheilitisis a group of inflammatory conditions that cause the skin of the lips to become red, dry, scaling, and itchy. There are many possible causes of cheilitis, including infections, allergies, irritants, and even habitual behaviors like lip-licking.
Cheilitis can usually be diagnosed with a review of your medical history and an examination of your mouth and lips. Other tests likepatch testingor askin biopsymay be ordered if an allergy, inflammatory disease, ormalignancy(cancer) is suspected. The treatment depends on the underlying cause.
Cheilitis Symptoms
There are several different types of cheilitis, but they share many of the same symptoms, including:
If not appropriately treated, cheilitis can lead tosecondary infectionin which bacteria enter a crack or abrasion in the skin and establish an infection. This can result in permanent scarring, discoloration, and thickening of the lip.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoReproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ and ©Raimo Suhonenwww.dermnetnz.org2022
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ and ©Raimo Suhonenwww.dermnetnz.org2022
Types and Causes of Cheilitis
Eczematous Cheilitis
Eczematous cheilitis is most common in people with other atopic (allergy-related) conditions likehay fever, food allergies, and asthma.
With eczematous cheilitis, symptoms occur when you are exposed to stimuli that trigger an allergy (calledallergens) or irritate the skin (called irritants). Depending on the cause, symptoms may last for up to three weeks.
Possible triggers for eczematous cheilitis include:
Angular Cheilitis
Angular cheilitisis a form of cheilitis that affects the corners of the mouth. It occurs when saliva collects in crevasses and, in the process of evaporation, draws excess moisture from the skin, causing it to dry out and crack.
Secondary infection is common with angular cheilitis. This includes infection with the fungusCandida albicans(which causes oral thrush and yeast infections) or the bacteriaStaphylococcus aureus(which causes staph infections).
Angular cheilitis often goes away within two weeks when treated but can persist for weeks if left untreated.
Certain people are more prone to getting angular cheilitis, including those with diabetes, people withironorvitamin B deficiency, and individuals who wear dentures.Medications that cause dryness, likeisotretinoin, can also lead to angular cheilitis.
Children who drool, suck their thumbs, or lick their lips in the wintertime are also at risk.
Actinic Cheilitis
Actinic cheilitis is a form ofprecancerthat on rare occasions can turn into a type of skin cancer calledsquamous cell carcinoma (SCC). It most commonly affects light-skinned people who spend too much time in the sun without the appropriatesun protection.
Actinic cheilitis also affects people who work outdoors for long hours, like fishing, forestry, or construction workers.
Rare Types of Cheilitis
There are other uncommon types of cheilitis, including:
When diagnosing cheilitis, your healthcare provider will review your medical history, including exposures to cosmetics, foods, allergens, or irritants. They will also perform a close-up examination of the mouth and lips.
Based on the initial findings, other tests may be ordered, such as:
Cheilitis Treatment
Cheilitis can be cured in most cases, but the treatment depends on the underlying cause.
Topical corticosteroids(steroids) are commonly used to treat eczematous cheilitis. These are applied to the lips to bring down inflammation.
Lip balm or an emollient, like petroleum jelly, can keep the skin moisturized and reduce dryness. An over-the-counter antibiotic cream likeNeosporincan help prevent infection.
If a specific allergen or irritant is identified, it is important to avoid them wherever possible. Behavioral changes, like avoiding lip-licking, should also be stressed.
For angular cheilitis, atopical antifungalmay be prescribed to resolve the underlying yeast infection, while atopical antibioticmay be used to treat an underlying bacterial infection. A protective lip balm or barrier cream, like zinc oxide or petroleum jelly, can also help.
Improving oral hygiene, including the daily cleaning of dentures, is important. Vitamin B or iron supplements may be prescribed if an underlying deficiency has been found.
There are several treatment options for actinic cheilitis, depending on its severity:
How to Prevent Cheilitis
Some measures you can take to prevent common causes of cheilitis include the following:
It’s also important to get treatment for any underlying conditions that can trigger cheilitis.
Summary
Cheilitis refers to a medical condition where the lips become inflamed, scaly, and cracked. Possible causes include irritants and allergens, atopic dermatitis, chronic sun exposure, and infection. A healthcare provider can diagnose the condition based on a visual examination of your lips (and surrounding skin) and testing if needed.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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