Cracks in the corners of the lips: causes and treatment, what to do if cracked skin does not heal, how to smear

Cracks in the corners of the lips are either a localized cosmetic problem, or a sign of a serious pathology, and the causes and treatment of this skin defect can belong to both dental and other medical industry.

Causes and symptoms of cracks

The main factors in the appearance angulite (scientific name for jam, caused by streptococci or fungi of the genus Candida) or cheilita (the general name of the group of diseases of the lips, this includes angulitis) there can be external and internal stimuli.

Internal factors

Among the internal reasons for the cracking of the corners of the lips, vitamin deficiency and some pathological processes in the human body are distinguished.

Lack of B vitamins, iron and zinc leads to a weakening of the immune system and, as a result, the formation of angulite.

In turn, vitamin deficiency is a sign of the development of the following painful conditions:

• gastrointestinal diseases;
• fever;
• hypoglobinemia, or anemia;
• oxygen starvation of the body;
• diabetes mellitus;
• cirrhosis of the liver;
• dysbiosis.

Also, a lack of nutrients in a woman's body can be caused by pregnancy or a long diet.

Cheilitis can manifest itself as a side infection due to a number of diseases:

1. Syphilis(syphilitic seizure). At the same time, the crack is dense, painless, and has a gray coating. With a slight tension of the tissues, a rounded chancre is found.
2. Tuberculosis(tuberculous seizure). It manifests itself in the presence of an active process in the lungs.
3. Atopic dermatitis (atopic cheilitis). It is one of the manifestations of the disease. Often has a hereditary predisposition and is expressed by small cracks on the flaky skin.
4. Eczema. It is characterized by an inflammatory process of the upper skin.

Quite often, the lips may hurt and crack due to the development herpetic seizures. An important difference between this type of jam is the ability to grow the affected area in different directions. The cracks themselves appear on the skin after the breakthrough of herpetic blisters and the formation of crusts.

External catalysts - why can cracks appear in the corners of the lips?

External causes of cracks in the corners of the lips can be injuries, various kinds of infections, allergic reactions of the body, low-quality cosmetics, weather conditions, bad habits and so on.

The mechanical effect on the delicate areas of the skin is the direct reason that the lips are constantly chapped.

This can occur due to tissue injury when:

• food intake;
• wearing uncomfortable crowns, braces or prostheses;
• prolonged stretching of the skin (for example, at a dentist's appointment).

Lips are also quite common in young children. This may be due to the habit of knowing the world around "by taste". Active salivation during teething also contributes to the development of pathogenic microorganisms and the formation of seizures.

Among the bad habits in adults, the formation of angulitis is promoted by:

1. Smoking. Almost no one washes their hands before lighting a cigarette, so pathogens are guaranteed to get on the skin of the lips and cause a problem.
2. Excessive consumption of sweets. An increased level of glucose in the blood leads to metabolic disorders and a decrease in immune defense, and sweet lips are a favorable environment for the development of various kinds of bacteria.
3. Licking or biting lips. A bad habit contributes to the entry of pathogenic microflora into small wounds or cracks and, as a result, the development of inflammation.

Occasionally lips can be injured (get weathered) under the influence of climatic factors: cold or too hot air, scorching sun and wind. The epidermis in the mouth dries up, which leads to cracking.

Allergic inflammatory processes are a reaction of the skin to the use of outdated or low-grade cosmetics, as well as to the use of certain foods. The corners of the lips first turn red and itch a lot, and in the case of scratching or touching with dirty hands, they transform into cracks.

Lack of personal hygiene is another reason for the development of angular cheilitis.

Sources of infection in this case can be:

• household items (dishes, towels, etc.);
• poorly processed vegetables or fruits;
• cosmetics (if stored improperly);
• old toothbrush etc.

A chronic crack in the corner of the mouth that does not heal is often the result of psycho-emotional disorders. You cannot try to treat such a recurrent injury on your own: sometimes it becomes malignant.

The main symptoms, regardless of the cause jam in the corners of the mouth, experts call:

• itching;
• redness;
• wound formation;
• painful sensations;
• the discomfort;
• fluid under the affected area of ​​the skin.

If untreated, crusts and bleeding ulcers become additional clinical manifestations.

How to treat cracks?

You can completely get rid of cracks after finding out the reason for their formation. Before prescribing treatment, the doctor will offer to undergo an examination to identify the causative agent of the pathology.

Diagnostics will include:

• oral swab;
• scraping from the affected area;
• general analysis of blood and urine.

You will also need a consultation with a dentist, therapist, endocrinologist and hematologist.

Drug treatment

You can quickly heal cracks in the corners of the mouth using the following medicines:

Drug category	Name of medicines	Specifications
Antiseptics	Solution Furacilina, Miramistin, Metrogyl, Chlorhexidine, Vishnevsky ointment, zinc ointment	Used for irrigation or in the form of applications and compresses
Antibiotics	Bactroban, Syntomycin, Streptocide, Tetracycline ointments, Fusiderm cream, Clotrimazole, Lamisil cream, Lamicon cream, Levorin (ointment) and others	Antibacterials are not effective against fungal infections, and antifungals are not effective against bacterial infections
Combined funds	Triderm, Trimistin, Lorinden S	Contains hormone, antifungal and antibiotic
Wound healing creams	Bepanten, Pantoderm, Dexpanthenol	Apply in a thin layer to the affected areas
Immunostimulating drugs	Imunofan, Amiksin, Galavit, Viferon	Used orally
Vitamins	Centrum from A to zinc, Aevit, Aekol	Are intended for oral administration

Folk remedies

It is possible to smear lips, if they crack, with folk remedies. The following methods are considered the most effective:

• lubrication of cracks with melted wax or sea buckthorn, rosehip, linseed oils;
• using lotions from sage, string, chamomile or calendula;
• rubbing the affected areas with goose fat;
• covering inflammation with aloe, Kalanchoe or plantain juice.

Earwax, honey, or cigarette ash will not help.

Possible complications and prevention

Complications of wounds in the corners of the mouth can be:

• additional fracture infections;
• herpes;
• transition of the process to the chronic stage;
• scarring;
• carcinoma.

Experts call the main preventive measures against angulitis:

• compliance with hygiene rules;
• using hygienic lipstick to moisturize your lips;
• oral cavity sanitation;
• disinfection of dishes;
• timely replacement of a sponge for washing household utensils and a toothbrush;
• rejection of bad habits.

A healthy lifestyle, increased immunity, good rest and prevention of chronic diseases are a guarantee of excellent well-being.