Highly Irritating rash on Lips

[stephieL]

For the past 6-8 years no doctor or natural path doctor or nurse has been able to help me with my case. They ALL send me home with the same small container of white cream to apply to my lips (which does NOT work) and says it will go away.

It's been about 8 years. it did not go away.

Funny thing is I always get this in the summer, rarely in the winter. It starts out as a clump of tiny bumps on my lips on either side of my lips (not the corners) and during the days it spreads to around the corners of my lips. From far away I just look like I have fat lips, up close they look like little bumps all around. Sometimes they pop and water leaks out but other times they're just there and won't go away. They don't bleed, but worst case they spread to just above my lips and it's been so bad before that it's spread to the bottom of my nose. I do get the chills when this happens and my hormones can't take it and I get extremely upset. I expect this to happen at least 2-3 times in a year. They last for about a week or 2 before subsiding and then come back within 2-3 weeks.

I'm very frustrated in dealing with this for so long....does ANYONE have any suggestions at all??

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms it can be Allergic contact dermatitis, cheilitis or herpetic sores. In herpetic sores, Pain, burning, tingling, or itching occurs at the infection site before the sores appear. Then clusters of blisters erupt which break down. You need to get some investigations like sample from the sores to identify the virus, culture analysis, Tzanck smear, antigen and antibody studies and blood sampling for antibody studies done to confirm the diagnosis. My sincere advice would be to consult a dermatologist.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[stephieL]

Also....it gets really itchy....and the only thing I do to relieve the itchiness is apply ice for about 5 minutes...but the itchiness comes back...If I scratch it though it seems to spread..