lip allergies

I have an itchy rash/peeling around my mouth.  It shows up out of the blue.  It itches, and peels and then goes away.  It can last for weeks or shorter.  It's almost like I've painted an acid lip liner on.  The rest of the lip is ok, and the skin around my mouth is ok.  I've tried eliminating certain lip applications....but it persists.  After it is gone, I use all of the same things.  I can months without a problem.  My scalp and ears tend to have a similar problem.  thanks!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

There are several possibilities that are coming in my mind.

Firstly,It can be due to vit B deficiency.Take some vitamin B complex for some days and see if your symptoms improve.
Secondly,it can be due to atopic dermatitis or eczema("Atopic" refers to a group of diseases where there is often an inherited tendency to develop other allergic conditions, such as asthma and hay fever). Cheilitis(Inflammation of the skin on and around the lips)is often seen in atopic dermatitis.Diagnosed by bld test like RAST.Treatment is by topical steroids or oral therapy of corticosteroids in severe cases.Topical creams like tacrolimus ointment (Protopic) and pimecrolimus cream (Elidel) are also useful.

Thirdly,it can be a contact dermatitis to lipsticks.Take some over the counter antihistaminic like benadryl or Claritin and see if it helps.
Pls consult a dermatologist and discuss these possibilities.Till then keep your skin and lips moisturized by Vaseline or lip balms and take adequate fluids throughout the day.

Hope it helps.Take carea and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing.