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Dermatology (Expert Forum)

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4 yr old has bright red Rash around mouth - looks like Bozo the clown!

Answered by

Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems

The Rockoff Dermatology Center Brookline - MA

This forum is for questions regarding Dermatology issues, such as: skin rashes, acne, birthmarks, skin infections, rosacea, and general skin care.

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MedHelp Member's Question

4 yr old has bright red Rash around mouth - looks like Bozo the clown!

by rinbea, Apr 27, 2006 12:00AM

Tags: rash, Rashes, dermatology, Sunburn, redness

My 4 yr old son has a rash around his mouth. The rash is very evident and bright red. He doesn't complain of any pain or even any itching. One day it may almost completely disappear, then all of a sudden it reappears. The rash is not bumpy, it actually looks like a bad sunburn. But it's shape looks like that of a clown's painted on mouth! It is very evident and very odd looking. He has had this off & on for about 3 weeks.

I have taken away various foods to see if that could be the cause. I've even changed to a much milder toothpaste and have been very careful when I'm brushing his teeth. I've given him benedryl (sp?) which seems to help clear it up, but then it just shows back up within a few days. I've also tried a cortizone cream and also just put vaseoline on it because it becomes dried out looking.

What could this be? What should I do?

Thank you

Doctor's Answer

by Alan Rockoff, MD

, Apr 28, 2006 12:00AM

The usual rash around the mouth n kids that age is from lip licking. It's a habit that goes away by itself. The rash looks redder when the skin is warm (after a bath) or wet, or if a lotion is applied to it. The redness itself means nothing. 1% hydrocortisone cream applied once in a while may suppress it, but basically it goes away by itself.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

Member Comments (9)

by rinbea, Apr 28, 2006 12:00AM

Today his redness is still around his mouth but also on the lower area of his cheeks.

Anyone out there with any ideas?

Thank you

by Alan Rockoff, MD

, Apr 28, 2006 12:00AM

There might be a component of mild eczema. My overall advice remains the same.

Dr. Rockoff

by Johanna Bekka, May 05, 2006 12:00AM

If it starts looking oozy or crusty go to the doctor. Could be empatigo. Very contagious but not threatening.

by Red Lips, May 08, 2006 12:00AM

I was just looking online and came across these comments.

About Easter time I started to get chapped lips. Although my lips were dry, the area around my mouth started turning red. No real burning other than typical chapped lips and no itching. It went away for about 2 wks and now this morning has started again. I'm a female and 28 ... any suggestions??!! Thanks!

by Djane, Jun 08, 2006 12:00AM

Hi

My 3 year old son also has this red/patchy rash on his upper lip, makes his lip look slightly swollen, and dry at times, it was orignally looking like a bit of exczma, then he developed red rash on top, which is worse sometimes more than others. It is also on his chin, 2 new patches today. He has had it for 3 weeks now, and I have tried colloidal silver (natural antifungal) calendula, and now sudocrem (for nappy rash & Eczma). I was told by a pharmacist it could be candida, which is also common in nappy rash. It doesn't seem to be improving and he doesn't tend to lick his lips much.

I am glad I am not the only one who has a child with the Bozo look, it looks so sore!!!!

by davebock, Jun 08, 2006 12:00AM

When my boy had that red mouth it turned out his skin was very sensitive to the acidity in tomatoes; after eating tomatoe sauce or even ketchup he would sport the red mouth for a few hours. Could this be it?

by MJobs, Jun 11, 2006 12:00AM

Around March, I was waiting for a bus to the mall in Syracuse NY and windburned most of my face pretty badly, while my skin healed a red rash around my lips has persisted, first around the bottom lip and then spreading to the top. The rash is in no way irratating (except to look at) and I have tried to cure it by removing several types of food from my diet, and I stopped using chapstick (not an easy feat in this climate). Fearing that it was empatigo (which i got several times as a child) I applied so bactroban cream which i had left over from my last case, to no avail. From time to time the rash will appear fine untill i look at it in different light (which may make it look worse).

The rash is in no way contagious (i live in a small house with 6 other uneffected people and my girlfriend hasnt had a problem with it). I made an appointment with a dermatologist but that wont come around until about a month from now, and I desire a quicker fix. Im pretty sick of this thing.

Thanks for whatever help you can give

by Moon skin, Jun 16, 2006 12:00AM

My 5 yr old daugther has red Rash around mouth corners as well since from January. I tried to apply different kind of creams and the rash still there. So I tried to stop using the toothpaste and used baking soda and salt only instead of toothpaste. The rash had totally gone. So I found that she may allergic to SLS. Most of toothpaste, shampoo and body wash contain SLS. So I stop to use toothpaste, shampoo and body wash with SLS. So I brought an organic toothpaste after the rash had gone. The rash appears again but not that serious than before. So I asked the doctor to do the patch test on SLS for my daugther. The doctor put the patch on her back area for 2 days. I found some rashes appears on her wrist on the day she applied the patches.and I don't know it's the reaction of the test or not since the doctor said the rash should be appear on her back. Anyway, the doctor said the toothpaste contain couple of chemicals. She may do the further test on these chemicals. I keep you post if I have found the reason. But using baking soda and salt to replace the toothpaste works for her, but I am not sure she can use if for long run.

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