Irritant contact cheilitis (Lip Sucking) - Medtick
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Irritant contact cheilitis (Lip Sucking)

What is it?

A type of skin inflammation around the lips due to saliva from repetitive lip licking.

  • The resulting scaling, redness, chapping and crusting make a well-defined ring around the lips.
  • The rash may extend as far as the tongue can reach and frequently spares the angle of the mouth.

Cause

  • Repeated licking resulting in a cycle of wetting and drying
  • Persistent and continuous respiratory condition from the mouth which may cause dry lips and result in the temptation to repeatedly lick the lips with the aim to keep them moist.
  • Lip chewing
  • Thumb sucking
  • Excessive drooling
  • Wind instrument players i.e. trumpet saxophone, flute
  • Compulsive licking of lips due to stress and anxiety and other psychological disorders.
  • Epilepsy

Syndromes

Treatments

Anti-astringent

(zinc oxide, titanium oxide, calamine)

  • These ingredients help to absorb moisture and hence reduce the rash.

Imidazoles cream

(Anti fungal agents)

  • These work by disrupting the fungal cells (they break down the wall of the yeast cell, the cell membrane by stop producing a product called ergosterol).
  • They also have antibacterial properties and are useful if a bacterial infection has occurred in a yeast infection and can be used on large areas.
  • To be effective use it according to the length the manufacturer states.
  • Please note miconazole containing products can interact with warfarin.

Antiseptic Agents

(Cetrimide, Benzalkonium)

  • These help to keep the skin clean and prevent secondary bacterial infection.

Vitamin B5

  • Vitamin B5 helps to repair damaged skin.

Barrier creams

(dimethicone)

  • These protect the skin by forming a water repellent layer.

Creams

  • Creams hydrate the skin like emollients and prevent water evaporating from the skin.
    Some creams are also used as ‘soap substitutes’.
  • They should be used liberally and regularly (four to six times daily). It is not unusual to use 250g-600g of cream each week. Most people believe that is too much, but it is not.
  • One should take a tub to school/work and it can be used all the body if required and not just on patches. Again it should be used even if one has no flare-ups.
  • A good tip is to warm cream with hands to make it easier to apply.
  • It should be used especially after one has had a bath or shower to lock water in the skin, since it is then one loses a lot of water from ones skin when drying oneself (ideally within three minutes of bathing and showering to ‘trap’ moisture).
  • Rub the cream softly in a downward fashion in direction of hairline.
  • Do not rub vigorously.
  • If itching is a particular problem, creams can be kept cooled in a fridge before applying them.

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

This condition does not clear up easily until one stops sucking their lips and/or control and/or prevent other factors (see causes)

This condition can be have similar symptoms to:

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Irritant contact cheilitis (Lip Sucking) in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

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