What diseases cause a rash on the lips?
Pimples, redness and other signs of irritation on the lips appear for various reasons. Most often, their appearance is associated with a weakened immune system, which cannot cope with bacteria and viruses.
Rashes appear due to vitamin deficiency, frequent hypothermia and overheating, improper installation of veneers and braces. The cause may be the spread of fungus.
A rash on the lips may indicate the development of:
- Herpes - the disease is provoked by a virus, usually type 1. With this pathology, the rashes become regular and look like groups of small bubbles filled with liquid. Their appearance is accompanied by itching and pain;
- Allergies to cosmetic products, toothpaste, substances contained in food. A feature of rashes of allergic origin is swelling, and at the same time redness appears on the skin;
- Oral dermatitis - the rash is quite profuse, accompanied by peeling and sometimes a decrease in skin sensitivity. The cause of the pathology is disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system, the use of low-quality cosmetics, skin hypersensitivity, prolonged exposure to a solarium or exposure to the sun;
- Fordyce's disease - the disease manifests itself in connection with the expansion of the sebaceous glands against the background of hormonal imbalance and manifests itself as white granules or nodules.
When the rash is accompanied by cracks, peeling, and yellow crusts are visible on the lips, this may indicate cheilitis. The disease progresses due to genetic predisposition, frequent stress, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and hypovitaminosis. Neoplasms in the form of ulcers with bleeding may turn out to be malignant.
Is a rash on the lips contagious?
The cause of the rash on the lips determines whether the disease can be transmitted to others. Herpes is transmitted through contact with body fluids or damaged tissue of an infected person. With noticeable lesions, the virus is especially dangerous, but its transmission is also possible in the asymptomatic stage. You can become infected through a kiss or utensils used by the carrier of the virus.
Allergies and oral dermatitis cannot be transmitted from one person to another. The same applies to Fordyce's disease, cheilitis.
Common symptoms and manipulations in dermatology:
- Skin rashes
- Calling a dermatologist to your home
- Itching in the urethra
- Itchy skin
- Skin rash
- Prevention of casual sex
- Skin neoplasms
- Pyoderma
- Pityriasis rosea
- Streptoderma
- Scabies
- Peeling skin
- Fungal infections
- Skin infection
- Pus on the skin
- Blisters on the skin
- Papillomas on the foreskin
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Skin structure
Treatment methods for herpes
Treatment of herpes is aimed at suppressing viral activity, as well as increasing immunity. Oral and topical medications may be prescribed.
The selection of drugs is carried out by a doctor depending on the type of disease (type of infection), as well as on the location of the lesion.
It is impossible to completely eliminate the herpes virus from the body. That is why it is important to always maintain the body’s defenses at a sufficiently high level, and also to prevent re-entry of the virus.
Prevention of herpes
If a person close to you has manifestations of herpes (“a cold has popped up on the lip”), try to ensure compliance with the following hygiene rules:
- use an individual towel and personal hygiene products (soap, toothbrush, etc.);
- be careful with cosmetics: do not use lipstick of a sick person;
- If you have genital herpes, avoid sexual intercourse.
Make an appointment Do not self-medicate. Contact our specialists who will correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment.
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Which doctor treats a rash on the lips
A rash near the lips can be a dangerous symptom. If such manifestations occur, you should definitely visit a doctor, undergo prescribed tests and, if necessary, a course of treatment. First, you should visit a dermatologist, who will prescribe diagnostic procedures to identify the disease.
Even if the test for herpes is positive, many more parameters are taken into account when prescribing therapy: the number of antibodies, the stage of the disease, the individual characteristics of the body. This disease has 8 varieties, and appropriate treatment is selected for each.
If a reaction to certain substances and products develops, consultation with an allergist is required. There is often a need to visit an immunologist, since most diseases associated with a rash on the lips progress against a background of weakened immunity. But you should not visit the dentist if you have such symptoms. During dental treatment, the vesicles can become damaged and become infected, which causes inflammation and complications.
Causes of the disease
Herpes is an infectious disease. This is a virus that enters the body in different ways:
- sexual;
- contact (household);
- airborne (sneezing, coughing);
- placental (from a pregnant woman to a child).
In this case, herpes is most often transmitted by contact. The virus lives in saliva, so a person can become infected through a kiss, toys, underwear, dishes and other objects.
There are several factors that provoke the activation of the virus:
- constant stress;
- depressive states;
- prolonged hypothermia of the body, including one-time hypothermia;
- ARVI with and without complications;
- diseases that suppress the human immune system;
- bad habits, especially alcoholism, unhealthy diet;
- severe intoxication;
- Alzheimer's disease.
Herpes is present in the body of almost every person, but most of the time it is in an inactive state. Usually the virus “wakes up” against a background of weakened immunity. This can happen for various reasons, including against the background of severe stress, lack of sleep and other unfavorable factors.
Ointments that are used for rashes on the lips
A qualified doctor should select medications to treat rashes. Attempting to get rid of unpleasant symptoms on your own will, at best, relieve the symptoms without eliminating the cause of the problem. At worst, the situation will worsen.
A rash on the lips caused by the herpes virus is treated with antiviral drugs - for external use or for oral administration. The following ointments are used:
- Acyclovir (Virolex, Zovirax, Acyclostad, Herperax, Gerpevir, Provirsan) is an antiviral agent that penetrates the DNA chain of the virus and stops its replication. However, over time, the effectiveness of the drug decreases, so its use requires justification;
- Penciclovir (Vectavir, Fenistil Pencivir) - enters infected cells without affecting healthy ones. Prevents viral DNA synthesis;
- Docosanol (Gerpanit, Erabazan, Priora) - prevents the connection of the virus with the cell membrane, is prescribed in the initial stages of the pathology.
For Fordyce's disease, ointments with retinol are used. For cheilitis, you need to use corticosteroid ointments - Prednisolone, Flucinar. The treatment regimen for oral dermatitis usually includes the use of metronidazole cream or gels, clindacimine, erythromycin, azelaic acid products, and pimecrolimus cream.
Answers to frequently asked questions about skin rashes:
- Which doctor should you contact for a skin rash?
- Is the skin rash contagious?
- What diet is necessary for skin rashes?
- What diagnosis is needed for a skin rash?
- Why is a skin rash dangerous?
- Why is it necessary to get tested for a skin rash?
- What diseases does a skin rash indicate?
- What examination is necessary for a skin rash?
- Which skin rash is dangerous?
- How to distinguish an allergic rash from an infectious one
- How to get rid of skin rashes?
- How to get rid of itching skin rash?
- What organs are affected by a skin rash?
- How to prepare for an appointment with a dermatologist?
- How to get checked for skin diseases?
- What diseases does a dermatologist treat?
- What tests should be taken by a dermatologist?
- What diagnostics can a dermatologist perform in the clinic?
- Where to go with a skin disease?
Types of rashes on the lips
Rash on the lips can be of various origins, and externally such skin lesions differ in character, color and other characteristics. The rash can be classified as:
- Blisters are small formations with hemorrhagic or serous contents, their size is 4-5 mm;
- Bubbles - formations with a diameter of 5 mm to several centimeters, usually indicate a long course of the disease;
- Pustules are red or pale pink, filled with pus. They can be located not only on the surface, but also deep under the skin;
- Spots – redness of small areas of the skin;
- Nodules and nodules that can leave scars;
- Erosion and ulcers are neoplasms that violate the integrity of the skin and have transparent or cloudy contents.
Allergic reactions lead to the appearance of small bright pimples, swelling, and edema.
Rash on lips in pregnant women
During pregnancy, certain prerequisites arise for the activation of the herpes virus. The body perceives the fetus as something foreign, and to prevent its rejection, maternal immunity is automatically reduced. The main symptom of the disease is a rash on the lips.
The disease can be primary or recurrent, the effect of the virus on the unborn baby depends on this. If a woman has previously had herpetic manifestations, the probability of danger to the fetus is estimated at approximately 5%. This is explained by the presence of specific antibodies in the blood. If the body has not previously been infected, the risk of fetal pathologies increases markedly.
But a rash on the lips of a pregnant woman is often a sign of hormonal changes in the body, especially in the early stages. The main reason is an increase in progesterone production. Such conditions are not dangerous for either the mother or the child.
Allergies also do not pose any risks to the fetus: the placenta provides reliable protection against allergens and antigens, as well as antibodies that are produced to suppress them. All these substances do not get inside the fertilized egg.
How does primary infection occur?
Often, the initial infection with a herpes infection has no symptoms and is not noticeable. But it happens that complications appear along with herpes:
- gingivostomatitis - inflammation of the oral mucosa and gums;
- an increase in temperature, accompanied by the appearance of blisters and ulcers in the mouth;
- herpetic panaritium (inflammation of the finger tissue) - the infection can spread to the fingers if they are pulled into the mouth;
- rashes can occur throughout the oral cavity, affecting the gums, which turn red and bleed. The child refuses to eat because the process becomes painful.
Prevention of lip rashes
In order to prevent rashes on the lips, it is necessary to maintain the immune system in a normal state: eat well, give up bad habits, engage in physical activity, harden, minimize the influence of stress and hypothermia. As recommended by your doctor, you should take multivitamin complexes or individual vitamins to prevent their deficiency in the body.
To prevent herpes you need:
- Wash your hands thoroughly after contact with affected skin areas;
- Do not use other people’s hygiene items and store your own items separately;
- Use individual dishes;
- Avoid kissing your partner while the virus is active.
The use of high-quality cosmetics and careful diet control will help prevent allergic manifestations. If the diagnosis reveals the body’s reaction to certain foods, it is necessary to stop consuming them. During periods of exposure to the sun or visiting a solarium, you should use special protective creams.
What to do first if herpes appears
First of all, you need to carefully monitor your personal hygiene - constantly wash your hands with soap or other means. Also, do not put your hands near your eyes, much less touch the cornea. Insert lenses only after first washing your hands or wearing sterile medical gloves. The fact is that the virus can spread to the mucous membrane of the eyes.
Also, you should not touch the swellings themselves or touch them with your fingers. You can use lipstick and other products, but only without sharing them with other people. You should not remove blisters or crusts yourself - then the virus can spread to other areas of the skin. During the period of illness, you should avoid oral sex.
Important! If a young mother has herpes, she should take care of the safety of the child. Before picking him up or feeding him, you must wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
Why is a rash on the lips dangerous?
The degree of danger of a rash on the lips and the likely consequences are determined by the causes of this manifestation. For example, the herpes virus is integrated into the genetic apparatus of cells, rashes appear not only on the face, but also in any places where there are nerve endings. This leads to disruption of the functioning of internal organs. If left untreated, a secondary bacterial infection develops and the wound begins to fester. With a serious decrease in immune defense, herpes can cause dangerous diseases, such as encephalitis.
Allergic reactions also pose certain health risks. With allergies, the body produces antibodies to specific proteins that the allergen contains. Due to the formation of biologically active substances, the heart rate may increase, smooth muscle spasms may occur, and edema may develop. The most dangerous manifestation of the pathology is anaphylactic shock - swelling of the larynx, which can even lead to death.
It is easier to treat any disease at the initial stage, while the pathology has not yet caused significant harm to the body. That is why, if a rash occurs on the lips, you should not try to disguise it or cure it yourself. The best solution would be to visit a doctor who will diagnose and prescribe adequate treatment.
Herpes symptoms
Currently, most people are infected with some type of herpes virus. It is believed that antibodies to the Epstein-Barr virus can be detected in almost every adult (up to 98% of the adult population of the Earth). Antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 1 are detected in 90% of the adult population of large cities.
However, as a rule, carriage of a herpes infection does not lead to the development of the disease. The herpes virus is activated when the body's defenses decrease. The weaker the immune system, the more likely the virus is to transition from dormant to active.
That is why the herpes simplex virus type 1 is popularly called “cold on the lip.” The appearance of herpetic rashes is usually preceded by a common runny nose, that is, ARVI. The disease weakens the immune system, which is what the herpes virus takes advantage of.
Symptoms of herpes simplex
When infected with herpes simplex virus type 1, the incubation period ranges from 1 to 8 days. Typical symptoms: chills, fever up to 39-40°C, headache, general weakness and drowsiness. Then redness appears, in place of which characteristic bubbles form. When the oral mucosa is affected, blisters are usually found on the inside of the lips, tongue, and less often on the palate, palatine arches and tonsils. Bubbles appear at the site where the virus enters the mucous membrane. Subsequently, the bubbles burst, leaving behind painful erosions.
The disappearance of symptoms does not mean complete recovery. The virus remains in the body and after some time (in conditions of decreased immunity) a relapse of the disease is possible. Relapses can occur 1-3 times a year for several years and even decades.
Symptoms of genital herpes
The incubation period of genital herpes lasts from 1 to 10 days, after which itching (burning) may be observed in the areas of future rashes. After which swelling appears, and then groups of bubbles appear on the mucous membranes of the genital organs. The inguinal lymph nodes are enlarged. The blisters burst and erosions and ulcers form in their place. The process can last from two to five weeks.
Relapse of the disease is possible within two weeks after the initial lesion. Relapses occur in at least half of those who have recovered from the disease.
Treatment of rash on lips
Whatever the reason for the appearance of a rash on the lips, not only the help of a doctor is necessary, but also the establishment of normal skin care, the elimination of external irritants (if it is an allergy), and correction of the nutritional diet. In general, you probably can’t do without contacting a medical specialist.
It is he who must determine the current condition of the skin, choose the right method of therapy and subsequent skin care. If you follow the doctor's instructions, you will probably soon get rid of problems associated with skin diseases and rashes.
After the initial diagnosis, additional tests are prescribed to confirm the diagnosis and the immediate therapeutic course. All this must be done on time, without ignoring the occurrence of a rash on the lips ,
like most people do. In this case, you will protect yourself from possible complications and the development of dangerous diseases. Chronic diseases can be expressed by severe peeling, cracking, extreme dryness and the fact that the skin may become thicker.
Therefore, it’s time to think about how important it is to follow the correct regime, a normal diet and monitor the condition of every part of your body, including your lips.
Updated: 2019-12-20
Methods for diagnosing skin diseases:
- Diagnosis of skin diseases
- Diagnosis of skin diseases at home
- Diagnosis of allergic skin diseases
- Diagnosis of bacterial skin diseases
- Diagnosis of viral skin diseases
- Diagnosis of hair diseases
- Diagnosis of nail diseases
- Diagnosis of skin tumors
- Skin scraping
- Blisters on the skin
- Dermatoscopy
- Demodex tests
- Diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections
- Mushroom tests
- Skin scraping
