Allergic contact cheilitis

Cheilitis is inflammation of the lips. This inflammation may include the perioral skin (the skin around the mouth), the vermilion border, or the labial mucosa. The skin and the vermilion border are more commonly involved, as the mucosa is less affected by inflammatory and allergic reactions. Cheilitis is inflammation of the lips. This inflammation may include the perioral skin (the skin around the mouth), the vermilion border, or the labial mucosa. The skin and the vermilion border are more commonly involved, as the mucosa is less affected by inflammatory and allergic reactions. It is a general term, and there are many recognized types and different causes. Cheilitis can be either acute or chronic. Most cheilitis is caused by exogenous factors such as dryness (chapping) and acute sun exposure. Patch testing may identify allergens that cause cheilitis. Chapped lips (also cheilitis simplex or common cheilitis) are characterized by cracking, fissuring, and peeling of the skin of the lips, and are one of the most common types of cheilitis. While both lips may be affected, the lower lip is the most common site. There may also be burning or the formation of large, painful cracks when the lips are stretched. Chronic cheilitis simplex can progress to crusting and bleeding. Lip licking, biting, or rubbing habits are frequently involved. Counterintuitively, constant licking of the lips causes drying and irritation, and eventually the mucosa splits or cracks. The lips have a greater tendency to dry out in cold, dry weather. Digestive enzymes present in saliva may also irritate the lips, and the evaporation of the water in saliva saps moisture from them. Some children have a habit of sucking and chewing on the lower lip, producing a combination of cheilitis and sharply demarcated perioral erythema (redness). Treatment is usually successful with barrier lubricants, such as lip salve or Vaseline. Medical grade (USP) lanolin accelerates repair of the lips, and is used in some lip repair products. Sometimes the term 'cheilitis simplex' is used as a synonym for cheilitis generally, however, exfoliative cheilitis (discussed later) is also sometimes stated to be the equivalent of chapped lips. Also termed 'solar cheilosis', this condition is the result of chronic over-exposure to ultraviolet radiation in sunlight. It usually occurs on the lower lip, which is dry, scaling, and wrinkled grey-white in appearance. It is especially common in people with light skin types who live in sunny climates (e.g., Australians of European ancestry), and in persons who spend a lot of time outdoors. There is a small risk that this condition can develop into squamous cell carcinoma in the long term, but lip cancer is usually noticed early and hence has a good prognosis compared to oral cancer generally. Angular cheilitis (angular stomatitis) is inflammation of one or both of the corners (angles) of the mouth. It is a fairly common condition, and often affects elderly people.