Cheilitis in adults: causes, symptoms, treatment, prevention at home

What is cheilitis

This is a collective term for a whole group of diseases that have one thing in common - inflammation of the red border of the lips. In clinical practice, it is customary to distinguish several forms, which is why the symptoms of cheilitis in adults or children depend.

The inflammatory process can be long-lasting, persist for weeks, or appear and disappear. By the way, cheilitis in adults often goes away on its own, but in the elderly or children it almost always requires drug treatment.

Important! Some forms of cheilitis are precancerous forms of inflammation.

Causes of cheilitis in adults

The causes and predisposing factors for development depend on the form of cheilitis in adults, whether it is a primary disease or a symptom of a systemic one. In general, the following causes of cheilitis in adults can be identified:

Dermatoses. In this case, this is a secondary disease - a symptom of lichen planus, psoriasis and numerous skin diseases.
Aggressive factors. Exposure to wind, UV rays, substances in cosmetics, etc.
Allergic reactions. Allergic inflammation can be caused by components of cosmetics, certain procedures, food, etc.
Cheilitis as a manifestation of other diseases. This could be neuritis of the facial nerve, hypovitaminosis. Cheilitis can also be a consequence of long-term use of medications, surgeries, cosmetic procedures, for example, shape correction, lip tattooing, etc.

Demodicosis

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Symptoms of cheilitis in adults

The manifestations of the disease largely depend on its form.

Cheilitis due to endocrine diseases. In this case, the main symptom is dryness and the formation of deep cracks. In general, the following symptoms are characteristic of cheilitis:

burning;
formation of crusts on the lips;
itching;
in some cases soreness;
edema.

Glandular cheilitis. It is based on changes and inflammation of the minor salivary glands. It is characterized by dry lips, which can be easily eliminated with the help of decorative and medicinal cosmetics. Later, as it progresses, deep cracks appear, which may even bleed. The situation is complicated by constant licking of the lips in order to moisten the red border.

Contact-allergic cheilitis. It develops after exposure to an allergen. Cosmetics, toothpaste, etc. can provoke a reaction. The main symptoms in this case include:

severe itching;
burning;
edema;
redness of the red border and mucous membrane.

In general, cheilitis is characterized by burning, crusting on the lips, itching, swelling, and sometimes pain. Photo: Commons.wikimedia, James Heilman, MD

With systematic exposure to an allergen, bubbles form, and after opening, ulcers and erosions appear.

Actinic cheilitis. It is also called meteorological and is based on increased sensitivity to natural and weather conditions. Consequently, symptoms are more likely to appear during strong winds, frost or scorching sun. The main symptoms are dryness, redness; in complex cases, exudative forms develop with the formation of painful ulcers and erosions. And it is precisely this form, under a combination of circumstances, that more often turns into oncopathology.

Atopic cheilitis. It is directly related to dermatitis of the same name, and the appearance of symptoms can be triggered by the use of cosmetics, nutrition, infections and waste products of pathogens. Typical manifestations are itching, peeling, redness, crusting, etc.

Macrochelitus. This is a special form of inflammation that manifests itself against the background of neuritis of the facial nerve. Characteristic symptoms include lip enlargement, itching, swelling of other parts of the face, and changes in lip shade. The lesion may affect one or both lips, spread to the cheeks and parts of the face.

Cheilitis due to hypovitaminosis. The clinical picture in this case will depend on the deficiency of a particular vitamin. The main symptoms are peeling, formation of cracks, swelling, redness.

Contact dermatitis

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Natural makeup

It would seem, what could be wrong with him? I put on at least some makeup – it’s already a natural make-up. Not so simple. Today, natural makeup is a whole set of actions that must be strictly followed, otherwise you risk being left broke.

To make your skin beautiful and natural, you will need a whole bag of products: makeup base, corrector, highlighter, contouring products, good foundation... All this is laid out on your face in a clear sequence. Which of these remains natural is a question, but since experts say that this is correct, we will not argue. After spending a good 40 minutes re-drawing the shadows and light on the face, for the first time during the experiment I felt pleased with the result: it seemed like a very calm image, but it actually looked good in the photo! But my colleagues at work did not miss the opportunity to joke about where my “war paint” had gone.

During the experiment, I realized the main thing: don’t be afraid to try and learn! It's never too late to acquire new useful skills. And it doesn’t matter how you do it, the main thing is to have fun!

Treatment of cheilitis in adults

The treatment tactics for cheilitis in adults are determined by the form of the disease, the clinical picture and the patient’s condition. Local treatment consists of the use of laser and ultrasound therapy; less often, it may be necessary to prescribe ointments or gels with anti-inflammatory activity.

For glandular cheilitis, the use of anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and hormonal ointments may be required. In difficult cases, surgical treatment is performed - electrocoagulation of the salivary glands. A security mode is recommended - excluding all irritating factors.

Diagnostics

If symptoms of cheilitis appear in adults, you should consult a doctor. Diagnosis and treatment can be carried out by a therapist, dentist, or dermatologist. Depending on the cause of inflammation, other specialists are included in the diagnostic process and, accordingly, treatment: endocrinologists, infectious disease specialists, immunologists, etc.

The diagnosis is made on the basis of complaints, objective examination and skin scraping. Additionally, to determine the cause of the symptoms of cheilitis in adults, the following are prescribed:

allergy tests to identify the allergen;
skin scraping to calculate the infectious component of the disease;
blood test to determine hypovitaminosis and hormonal levels.

Stomatitis

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Modern methods of treatment

To combat the dryness of the red border of the lips, cosmetic products containing hyaluronic acid can be recommended, and creams with an SPF filter can be used for everyday care. The course of treatment is supplemented with multivitamins.

Recently, laser therapy has become very popular, providing treatment and prevention of possible complications.

Diagnostics

The cause of the symptom is determined by a dentist or maxillofacial surgeon. If the pain is neuropathic, a consultation with a neurologist is required; if malignant neoplasia is suspected, an examination by an oncologist is required. For cheilitis, herpes simplex and traumatic injuries, the basis of diagnosis is complaints and examination data; additional studies are not prescribed or are carried out to a minimum extent. Neuralgia is confirmed based on the clinical picture and the results of palpation of trigger points. Taking into account the nature of the disease, the examination plan includes:

Cytological or histological examination.
It is a basic way to verify the diagnosis of lip cancer and lichen planus. For patients with cheilitis, according to indications, it is performed for differentiation from other pathologies. For herpes simplex, it is carried out if it is necessary to identify the virus.
Other laboratory tests.
Patients with cheilitis are prescribed a biochemical blood test to identify metabolic disorders and possible precipitating diseases. For herpes, PCR, RIF, and ELISA are performed. In patients with lichen planus, accumulation of immunoglobulin M is detected by direct immunofluorescence.
Visualization techniques
. The presence of lichen is indicated by a yellowish-orange glow when examining fingerprint smears under a Wood's lamp. Patients with cancer are shown an ultrasound of the lip and radiography of the lower jaw. If there are signs of metastasis, an extensive examination is carried out, including ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, chest X-rays.

Visual inspection of lips

Prevention of cheilitis in adults at home

It is especially important to adhere to the rules for preventing cheilitis at home if you are predisposed to the disease and its complications: with food allergies or reactions to cosmetics, dermatoses, chronic endocrine diseases, or with dentures. The rules are quite simple:

regular visits to the dentist for oral hygiene and preventive measures;
timely replacement of old fillings, crowns, treatment of chips and smoothing of sharp edges;
proper and nutritious nutrition to prevent hypovitaminosis;
use of sunscreen cosmetics, hygienic lipsticks, but all products must be hypoallergenic.

Shaded arrow

This option scared me the most. It’s not clear how to draw straight arrows, and even walk with them all day long. They say that you can only shade an arrow with a brush with natural bristles: all that I have are artificial. So, armed with a soft black pencil and an angled brush, I started the war.

In fact, the pencil turned out to be not so soft that I could at least shade it; I used cotton swabs and my fingers, and it’s better not to ask. It was not possible to achieve the desired effect. But, having framed it all with shiny smokey eyes and nude lipstick, I looked like Kim Kardashian on Halloween.

People peered into my face, trying to understand why the next Addams Family gathering was taking place in Petrozavodsk. However, I even went on a date with these shooters. Although he hasn't called since then...