How can exfoliative cheilitis be completely treated?

Written by Wang Peng
Dentistry
Updated on November 01, 2024
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Exfoliative cheilitis is currently very difficult to completely cure. Exfoliative cheilitis is considered an immune disease, caused by external irritants, allergens, and various other factors triggering an abnormal body reaction. Clinically, it mainly presents as scaling and peeling of the lip tissue, along with chronic inflammation. Patients with this condition can undergo symptomatic treatment, but curing it entirely is very challenging. During outbreaks of exfoliative cheilitis, it is important to keep the lips clean. Methods like moist compresses can help maintain lip moisture and prevent the cheilitis from worsening due to dryness. Patients should avoid peeling off dry skin from the lips with their hands as this can lead to infections.

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Written by Tian Hua
Otolaryngology
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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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What causes summer cheilitis?

Summer cheilitis is commonly caused by actinic cheilitis, as the skin on the lips is delicate. During summer, strong sunlight and high UV intensity can cause inflammation of the lips, leading to dryness, peeling, or swelling. It is advisable for patients to protect themselves by wearing masks or using sun-blocking umbrellas when going out to effectively prevent direct UV exposure and reduce lip trauma. Additionally, patients should be cautious about consuming certain foods in the summer, such as cold drinks that may contain a lot of colorants, which could also lead to allergic reactions on the lips. Therefore, it is recommended that patients pay attention to their lifestyle and diet.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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You should go to the dermatology department for cheilitis.

Cheilitis should be treated in the department of oral mucosa. Cheilitis is a general term for diseases that occur on the lips and is a type of inflammatory reaction. There are many classifications of cheilitis; by the speed of the disease's development, it can be divided into acute cheilitis and chronic cheilitis, with acute cheilitis often being an acute inflammatory reaction of the lips caused by allergies. If classified by clinical symptoms, cheilitis can be categorized into eczematous cheilitis, erosive cheilitis, and exfoliative cheilitis, which may involve white scaling on the lips. Cheilitis can also be classified based on its cause, including granulomatous cheilitis, benign lymphoproliferative cheilitis, and hypersensitivity cheilitis, and it can also be related to systemic diseases. Cheilitis, a disease that occurs on the lips, has a relatively high incidence rate.

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Written by Wang Peng
Dentistry
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Can pigmentation caused by cheilitis be cured?

If the patient has pigment deposition caused by repeated occurrences of cheilitis, this condition is usually difficult to alleviate. Even with treatment, restoring the lips to their original color is a long and gradual process. It is suggested that patients with cheilitis, who have experienced changes in lip color, may temporarily observe the condition, as it does not affect their overall health, nor does it impede eating or speech functions. If appearance is a concern, one can use lip balm or undergo lip tattooing to cover it up; however, it is crucial to avoid local irritation.

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Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
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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.