Why does inflammation develop specifically on the lips? The fact is that the skin on them is different than on other parts of the body. The red border of the lips, although equipped with a protective stratum corneum, is too thin compared to the skin in other places. And at the same time, unlike the more secluded parts of the body, our tender and defenseless lips are always open to any adversity. They have to suffer from harsh climates, unfavorable ecology, chemicals contained in cosmetics, food, and many other irritants.
Related article: How to cure chapped lips? There are many reasons for cheilitis. Therefore, treatment may vary depending on the situation. But the first specialist you need to contact with such an ailment is a dentist. If it turns out that the disease is secondary, he will refer the patient to a specialized doctor.
To make it easier to navigate the variety of cheilitis, we will tell you about the main types of the disease.
Allergic to saxophone?
Did you buy a new lipstick or change your toothpaste? And suddenly my lips were “swept.” What's happened? This is how contact-allergic cheilitis manifests itself. The name itself speaks about the reasons that cause it.
But the culprits of the disease are not only chemicals - sometimes it develops after contact with metal objects. There is even a “professional version” - this type of cheilitis attacks musicians who play wind instruments - the lips react to contact with a metal mouthpiece. Peeling, itching, burning, redness of the lips, and sometimes swelling are unpleasant sensations. The main thing is not to try to get rid of them on your own; you can greatly worsen your condition.
What to do . To find and eliminate the culprit, this most often requires a consultation with an allergist and appropriate examinations to determine the allergen. For treatment, ointments containing corticosteroids, which have antiallergic, antipruritic and anti-inflammatory effects, are used, and antihistamines are also prescribed.
You will also have to watch your diet: give up citrus fruits, strawberries, chocolate, caviar and other foods that can provoke allergic reactions.
Actinic
Reason . Increased sensitivity of the red border of the lips to ultraviolet radiation. The disease appears in the spring-summer season, and by autumn it disappears by itself.
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Symptoms .
The red border of the lower lip swells, becomes bright red, powdered with small white scales. Sometimes small bubbles appear, after opening which crusts form. Patients are concerned about itching, burning, and less often sore lips. Treatment and prevention . You should not only reduce your exposure to sunlight, but also start constantly using sunscreen cosmetics. Ointments with hormones (hydrocortisone, prednisolone, etc.) can be used topically. Inside - vitamins. Rinse your mouth with herbs.
Wind and sun are not friends
There is also the so-called meteorological cheilitis, which often develops in those who spend a lot of time in the wind and are often exposed to sudden temperature changes in the air.
And in the southern regions, where the sun shines brightly almost all year round and therefore increases solar radiation, actinic cheilitis is common.
What to do. Lips should be well protected and constantly use hygienic and sun-protective lipstick. And for those who work in the wind, on the street, a special ointment based on lamb fat is suitable, which is no less effective than lipstick.
These two types of cheilitis must be treated promptly and carefully so that they do not gradually become chronic, because against their background, oncological diseases of the lips and oral cavity often rapidly develop.
What to do if your lips are chapped
The main causes of dry lip skin Beautiful and moisturized lips emphasize the health of the skin, while chapped lips bring a long-term feeling of discomfort and do not look aesthetically pleasing. Lips are the most sensitive part of the face. Their structure consists of many nerve endings. The absence of sebaceous and sweat glands makes the thin skin of the lips truly fragile and delicate. In summer, lips become chapped less often. In hot sunny weather, daily comprehensive facial skin care is more than enough. But in the autumn-winter period of the year, lips are especially susceptible to dryness and peeling. This is due to the fact that the thin skin of the lips is devoid of a hydrolipid film, which acts as a protective barrier from external irritants. These include: sudden temperature changes, cold wind, humid air, heating. Drinking hot drinks outside exposes your lips to the cold air. In addition to external factors, there are a number of internal causes of dryness and flaking. Let's look at the most common of them. Lack of vitamins A and E, dehydration. To compensate for the lack of vitamins during the cold season, balance your usual diet with foods high in fiber. Pay attention to vitamin complexes. Discuss your choice with your doctor first. Insufficient consumption of clean water provokes dryness and peeling not only of the skin of the lips, but gradually leads to dehydration of the entire body. Install an application on your mobile phone that will remind you to drink water on time and normalize your water balance.
Bad habits. Biting and licking aggravate the condition of chapped lips. Every time you feel discomfort on your lips, moisturize them with a nourishing product.
Improper care provokes the appearance of cracks on chapped lips and aggravates the problem. Dryness often appears after frequent use of cleansers. Therefore, carefully study the label of facial cleansing cosmetics. Daily hygienic lip skin care is definitely one of the most common beauty procedures. It begins with morning cleansing of dead skin particles and continues throughout the day. The sensitive skin of chapped lips requires delicate care. High-quality cosmetics will help quickly restore lips from chapping, provide reliable protection, long-term nutrition and hydration.
We replace dryness and flaking with tenderness and hydration . Are you familiar with the concept of biosynergy? This is a combination of innovative and natural ingredients that enhance each other's effects. It is on this combination that the CERAMED moisturizing lip balm was developed. The key components of the balm are ceramides. They are responsible for smoothness and hydration of the skin, restore cells and smooth the skin of the lips. Young skin actively produces ceramides at a natural level, but with age their quantity decreases. Lack of lipids causes dry skin of the lips and provokes irritation. When applying a balm with ceramides to damaged lips, the intercellular process of regeneration of the upper layer of the epidermis is launched - the skin is renewed. Lipids are able to restore defects in the intercellular structure caused not only by external factors, but also by skin diseases (atopic dermatitis, psoriasis). Like bricks, ceramides are embedded in the deep layers of the skin, forming a reliable protective barrier that promotes the rapid healing of wounds and cracks on the thin skin of the lips. The complex of ceramides included in the balm retains moisture on the surface of the skin and restores chapped lips.
Properties of lip balm with ceramides.
- Relieves the feeling of dryness and discomfort
- Restores chapped, chapped lips
- Helps moisturize and restore skin
- Prepares lips for makeup
The thick texture of the balm instantly moisturizes and nourishes the skin, eliminating the feeling of dryness. For greater effect, the balm can be used as a night mask. Applying a thick layer of nourishing cera balm to the skin of your lips will ensure your lips look well-groomed and healthy in the morning. CERAMED balm does not contain fragrances or dyes, so the risk of an allergic reaction is minimized. With daily use of the balm, lips acquire natural color, softness and elasticity. The quality and effectiveness of Cera-Balm has been confirmed by clinical studies at the CosmoProdTest Medical Scientific and Practical Center for Expert Evaluation of Nutrition and Cosmetics.
Cera-advice When choosing decorative cosmetics for lips, it is worth considering the content of moisturizing emollients in the composition. The most active are essential oils and a complex of vitamins A and E. We recommend not to overuse matte lipstick - it dries out the skin of the lips. Before applying matte or liquid lipstick, moisturize your lips with a thin layer of Cera Balm. A delicate scrub or superficial peeling will do an excellent job of cleansing the skin of dead skin particles. Products that use natural oils or honey in their recipes additionally saturate the skin with amino acids and fats. After each cleansing procedure, apply a thick layer of Cera Balm to your lips. Ceramed lip balm will revive chapped lips and give them deep care and reliable protection until the first summer sun!
Another crack?
A serious problem is a crack in the middle of the lip, which is very difficult to get rid of - the inflammatory process is “stimulated” by microbes that get into it, which prevents healing, and the lip in this place often bursts again and again. And this is not only a cosmetic flaw that spoils life - the crack causes pain when talking and eating. The disease can be triggered by injuries, lack of vitamins, smoking and meteorological factors.
What to do . First of all, find the reason that causes the crack to form again and again. And be patient to complete the course of treatment. The doctor will prescribe drugs that have an anti-inflammatory effect and accelerate the formation of epithelium at the site of injury. Sometimes antibiotics are needed.
In extremely difficult cases, they resort to excision of the crack. When the course of treatment is completed, it is important to ensure protection against relapse: use hygienic lipstick, forget about childhood habits: do not lick your lips, do not suck a pencil, do not bite your nails, give up spicy and too hot food.
Localization Features
The cause of plaque can be determined by taking into account its location.
| Localization | Most likely causative factors |
| Corners of the mouth |
|
| Outer lips |
|
| Inner lips |
|
A sticky coating on the surface of the lips in the morning indicates a pathology of the stomach or esophagus.
Continuous geography
Often, during an examination, the doctor asks: “Show your tongue!”: by its appearance, one can suspect symptoms of a variety of diseases. But the tongue also has its own specific diseases. One of them is desquamative glossitis, in which the surface layer of the mucous membrane begins to peel off, or, as experts say, slough off. As a result, in some areas of the tongue there are no filiform papillae left at all, and they acquire a bright red color, while a light coating appears on the neighboring ones.
Exfoliative
Reason . Depression, anxiety, vegetoneurosis.
Symptoms . It affects only the middle part of the red border of the lips, while at the edges everything remains normal. Accompanied by either itching and peeling, or the development of swelling and abundant crusts. It occurs mainly in women and young girls, especially those suffering from vegetative neurosis. They often have the habit of licking or biting their lower lip.
Treatment and prevention . Complex therapy uses anti-inflammatory and antibacterial ointments, vitamins, and immunomodulators. An important part of treatment is sedatives or tranquilizers. Sometimes psychotherapy is necessary.
If hair grows in your mouth
Of course, this does not happen, but sometimes it seems that the tongue is covered with... hair. The fact is that thread-like papillae grow on the tongue, and their length can reach one and a half centimeters, and they become like hairs. This phenomenon is observed in cases of impaired immunity, in response to certain medications that disrupt the microflora of the oral cavity, as well as in patients with chronic gastritis and colitis. There is nothing wrong with this, but the patient experiences unpleasant sensations that create constant discomfort.
What to do . If possible, you should stop taking medications and take only antihistamines. After 5–10 days, the “hair” on the tongue will disappear. And don’t forget to brush not only your teeth, but also your tongue twice a day.
Fungal
Reason . Fungal infection Candida albicans. Damage to the red border of the lips is often combined with stomatitis. The disease is promoted by poor oral hygiene, hypovitaminosis B2, long-term use of antibiotics or glucocorticoids, poor nutrition (little protein foods, too many carbohydrates), as well as carbohydrate metabolism disorders.
Symptoms . The lips are swollen, reddened, the edges of the lips are dry and flaky. In the corners of the mouth there are weeping areas with erosions covered with a whitish, easily removable coating.
Treatment and prevention . First, you need to test for a fungal infection. If its presence is confirmed, the doctor will prescribe antifungal drugs, which should be used orally in combination with vitamin B2 and ascorbic acid. Complete sanitation of the oral cavity and careful treatment of problem areas with oil solutions of vitamins are necessary. To prevent relapses, a diet with limited carbohydrates is prescribed.
Be careful, border!
Oncological diseases of the lips and oral cavity usually creep up unnoticed; all of them can now be successfully treated if you consult a doctor in time. What symptoms should you pay attention to?
Sometimes a malignant formation can cause a harmless-looking spot on the lip. Although it often does not bother you for several months, then an erosion or ulcer suddenly forms, which seems to sink inside the lip and harden.
In men after forty years of age, a wart often appears on the lip, which quickly becomes covered with papillae, becomes horny and lasts for 4–6 months. It is best to remove it as soon as possible.
In general, if you feel any discomfort in your mouth or notice something “suspicious,” do not put off visiting the dentist. Be attentive to yourself!
Meteorological
Reason . Exposure to cold air, strong wind. It occurs more often in men, especially those who suffer from general weather sensitivity or work outdoors.
Symptoms . Peeling, itching and dryness, as well as erosions and crusts on the lips. Cracks in the corners of the mouth.
Treatment and prevention. If possible, minimize exposure to cold and wind. Use protective cosmetics for lips. Take B vitamins internally, as well as PP. Use special wound-healing ointments externally and often rinse your mouth with extracts of chamomile, oak bark, and calendula.
