liplicking eczema
It is a chronic irritation of the skin around the lips. It occurs when the tongue and saliva are constantly used to wet the lips. The saliva damages the skin, which then becomes irritated. The skin around the lips becomes dry, turns red, and starts to peel. The red patches are sharply defined, and a burning, itching sensation develops. Sometimes, a bacterial infection can occur, leading to crusting.
Symptoms:
- Dry, cracked skin: The skin around the lips becomes dry and cracked due to constant licking.
- Redness and inflammation: The area around the lips may become red and irritated.
- Peeling and scaling: The skin may show flaky or scaly patches.
- Pain or tenderness: The affected area may be painful, especially when touched.
- Thickening of the skin: With prolonged irritation, the skin may thicken or feel leathery.
- Itching or burning: The area may itch or burn, worsening the tendency to lick.
What is the cause?
It often occurs in winter when the lips become dry. Moistening the lips to counteract this makes it worse. It can occur at any age but is most common in children, especially boys. Often, licking and moistening the lips becomes a habit that is hard to break.
What is the treatment?
It is important to stop the licking so the skin can heal. Treatment often includes the use of moisturizers and avoiding irritants. If there is significant irritation, it is initially treated with a short-term application of an oily corticosteroid ointment. Afterward, it is advised to apply pure petroleum jelly several times a day to protect the skin from saliva and dehydration. Every time the skin feels dry or there is a tendency to lick, reapply. In the beginning, this may be needed several times a day. Once the skin no longer stings or itches or feels dry, the automatic lip-licking behavior will stop, and the petroleum jelly will no longer be necessary.
