Cheilitis is divided into several types.

Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
Updated on September 20, 2024
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Cheilitis is a relatively common oral inflammation in dentistry, with allergic cheilitis being a common type. Allergic cheilitis may occur when the patient's lips come into contact with certain allergenic substances, such as lipstick, lip balm, or medications. If these components cause discomfort to the patient's lips, it can trigger an allergy, leading to localized red rashes, peeling, and itching of the lips. There is also a type called chronic cheilitis, which generally arises from internal heat in the patient’s body, or a deficiency in certain vitamins and trace elements, leading to dry and cracked lips. Another type is seasonal cheilitis, which occurs during the dry climate of autumn and winter, causing the lips to become inflamed due to the dry weather. This type of cheilitis is generally mild and can be alleviated quickly by applying some anti-inflammatory ointment locally. Patients need not be overly concerned but should relax, paying more attention to daily dietary hygiene.

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Written by Wang Peng
Dentistry
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What should I do if I have cheilitis with yellow fluid and scabbing?

The common clinical symptoms of cheilitis often include dryness, peeling, cracking, and bleeding, and some patients may also experience the leakage of tissue fluid, or even a yellowish discharge. When patients with cheilitis notice yellowish discharge or crusting, it usually indicates that the disease is healing. At this time, patients should avoid touching it with their hands or other objects, and should not pick off the crusts. It is recommended to apply anti-inflammatory lip balm, which can promote the healing of cheilitis and also prevent infection. After the crusts heal and fall off, patients should pay attention to keeping the lip area moisturized and should also address and remove any triggering factors to prevent recurrence of cheilitis.

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Written by Liu Jing
Dermatology
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Causes and treatment of dry desquamative cheilitis

For dry and flaky cheilitis, it is often diagnosed clinically as exfoliative cheilitis, commonly occurring in young women, potentially related to cosmetics and other factors. It is necessary to enhance lip moisturizing care and avoid using decorative cosmetics. Consistent use of medical lip balm is recommended, as well as avoiding licking the lips and consuming spicy and irritating foods. Eating more fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins is advisable. Oral medications such as levocetirizine tablets, total paeony glycoside capsules, and hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets should be taken to provide anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulating symptomatic treatment. Topical applications like pimecrolimus cream or compound heparin sodium cream can be used on affected lip areas. Early in the treatment based on the condition, short-term use of corticosteroids, such as desonide cream, may be employed to control symptoms. (Note: Medication should be used under the guidance of a physician)

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Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
1min 18sec home-news-image

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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Written by Wang Peng
Dentistry
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What kind of people are prone to cheilitis?

If the patient has the following factors, they may be prone to developing cheilitis: First, working or engaging in activities outdoors for extended periods where the lips are frequently exposed to sunlight can lead to actinic cheilitis. This condition causes the lips to turn red, the mucous membranes to dry out, and cracking. Secondly, patients with bad habits such as licking their lips can also experience dry, cracked, and peeling lips if they frequently use their tongue to lick their upper or lower lips. Third, living for a long time in areas with dry or cold climates can cause repeated occurrences of cheilitis, as the lips are continuously exposed to the harsh conditions of cold or dry weather.

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Written by Fang Xiao
Dentistry
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Is cheilitis a skin disease?

Cheilitis is not a skin disease; it is a disease of the oral mucosa and falls under the category of oral mucosal diseases. Cheilitis is a mucosal disease characterized mainly by dryness, cracking, and scaling of the lips. Its types include dry scaling cheilitis, allergic cheilitis, benign lymphoproliferative cheilitis, granulomatous cheilitis, glandular cheilitis, fungal cheilitis, and photosensitive cheilitis. The onset of cheilitis is greatly related to long-term irritation and poor lifestyle habits. Seasonal changes and dry weather also increase the incidence rate, and windy conditions can easily lead to dryness and flaking. Cheilitis is also related to sun exposure, which can cause erosion of the upper and lower lips, known as actinic cheilitis. Patients with actinic cheilitis should first focus on avoiding light, reducing outdoor activities, and protecting their lips.