Lip licker's dermatitis

Common card · No. 291004

Lip licker's dermatitis is a type of skin inflammation around the lips due to damage by saliva from repetitive lip licking and is classified as a subtype of irritant contact cheilitis. The resulting scaling, redness, chapping, and crusting makes a well-defined ring around the lips. The rash may extend as far as the tongue can reach and usually does not occur at the corners of the mouth. It commonly occurs during winter months but some people can have it year-round if lip licking is a chronic habit. Lip licker's dermatitis differs from perioral dermatitis, which spares the vermilion border. Allergic contact dermatitis presents similar signs and symptoms that can be differentiated from lip licker's dermatitis with an allergy patch skin test. It is treated with simple moisturizers, emollients, and sometimes topical steroids, while perioral dermatitis is worsened by topical steroids. It is important to identify the cause of the inflammation, whether it is due to lip licking or a more complex...

Read on Wikipedia · Image James Heilman, MD, CC BY-SA 4.0