What is the difference between angular cheilitis and cheilitis?

Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
Updated on September 20, 2024
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Angular cheilitis usually occurs only at the two corners of the mouth, also commonly referred to as "cracked corners of the mouth." The surface may show some whitish substances and appear moist. Patients might avoid opening their mouths wide, as doing so can cause significant pain due to the worsening of the sores at the corners. This may even prevent patients from eating normally. Angular cheilitis generally refers to various inflammatory conditions of the lips, such as cracking, bleeding, and peeling, which could be caused by changes in the weather. For example, during the dry seasons of autumn and winter, patients' lips are prone to these inflammatory symptoms, showing signs like cracking, bleeding, and peeling. It is advised that patients should not peel off the skin with their hands, as this can increase the risk of infective inflammation. Thus, angular cheilitis is different from cheilitis.

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How to treat exfoliative cheilitis?

Treatment for exfoliative cheilitis involves identifying and removing potential causes, avoiding external irritants, and correcting bad habits with local medication treatment. For mild cases, apply honey, glycerin, petroleum jelly, silver nitrate ointment, or zinc oxide ointment externally. In severe cases, apply corticosteroid cream externally, consider surgical removal for those with epitheliomatous hyperplasia, and treat with helium-neon laser irradiation and superficial X-ray irradiation. Drug treatment shows significant short-term effects, but often recurs and is difficult to cure completely. (Note: Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Can the melanin left by cheilitis be removed?

When a patient has recovered from crusted cheilitis, their lips might appear slightly darker in color. This condition generally improves over time. It is recommended that patients should not be overly concerned and can apply some aloe vera gel or vitamin E appropriately. These can effectively eliminate pigmentation from scars and aid in the recovery of scar coloration. Additionally, if a patient develops cheilitis, it is crucial to maintain local hygiene and avoid infections. Persistent infections and inflammation can increase local irritation and potentially damage some soft tissues, leading to worsened scarring. Patients are advised to maintain a light diet.

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Can I still apply lipstick if I have cheilitis?

When patients suffer from cheilitis, they certainly should not apply lipstick. During cheilitis, cracking, bleeding, or dryness may occur. At this time, patients should apply anti-inflammatory ointments, which can promote the healing of cheilitis and also alleviate cracking and dryness. If patients apply lipstick during this time, it may aggravate the inflammation of the lips and hinder the healing process of cheilitis. Therefore, it is recommended that patients avoid applying lipstick when suffering from cheilitis. Some cheilitis might be allergic cheilitis; in this case, applying lipstick is even more inappropriate as it may also be an allergen. Hence, patients with cheilitis should pay attention to local hygiene, clean food residues, brush their teeth morning and evening, and rinse their mouths promptly after meals.

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Do you need to take antibiotics for cheilitis?

Cheilitis is common in clinical settings and can be caused by various factors, including some that may be allergic in nature, requiring the intake of antiallergic medication as anti-inflammatory drugs are ineffective. Common antiallergic medications, such as loratadine, can provide significant anti-allergic effects. Topically, anti-allergic medications like dexamethasone acetate cream can also be applied to achieve a certain level of anti-allergic effect. For patients with contact cheilitis, it is recommended not to use antibiotics, as they generally do not have a significant effect on local lip inflammation. It is suggested that patients apply erythromycin ointment locally, which can also provide a good anti-inflammatory effect. The inflammation occurs at the epidermal extremities of the lips, and orally administered antibiotics, when they reach the lips, are usually at a low concentration and do not provide an effective anti-inflammatory effect. It is advised that patients primarily focus on local care, paying attention to the protection of the lip area and keeping it relatively moist. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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How long does it take to cure cheilitis?

How long cheilitis can be cured also depends on the condition of the patient's local symptoms of cheilitis, as well as the measures taken by the patient. If good treatment and protective measures can be taken, the healing time is relatively short, generally about a week. Patients must pay attention to hydrating and sealing moisture in the lips, preventing further spread of the condition, deeply repairing all damaged tissues, reconstructing the protective barrier of the lip mucosa, and restoring some normal layers of the lip skin. It is advised that patients should be careful with their diet, avoid spicy and irritating foods, use less lipstick or other cosmetic products that irritate the lips, and avoid frequently licking the lips with the tongue, as this is harmful to the lips. Patients are advised to try to eliminate these bad habits.