Itchy & burning lips

I have been having seriously burning and itchy lips for the past 3 weeks. I went to the pharmacy. The pharmacist said it was cold sores, and recommend me the Zovirax cream. I used it for a few days and the the painful feeling was somewhat suppressed. However, after stopping using the cream, my lips were cracked and dry and tingling. I tried different lip balms, such as Carmex and Burt's Bee, to heal them, but then the burning and itchiness came back! I then start taking lypsine and applying the zovirax cream. They seemed to be working and now I don't feel the burning and itchy sense,just occasional tingle, but my lips are very very dry and cracked. Should I use the lip balms again?

[ydtgwen]

The blisters on my lips are almost invisible. They are very very tiny and grow in clusters all over my lips.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
These symptoms can be due to cheilitis skin. 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.

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 doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[lipwitit]

Can Chelitis effect the entire top lip.  My lips started to tingle, burn, and then presented little white bumps in the corner of my mouth and also little bumps on my top lip that can only be seen when the lip is stretched.  It's been like that for 3 months now and I think I'm going to go get it looked at.  They don't always burn or tingle and when they do it is only for a few minutes.   My only concern is that it doesn't go away on it's own....... Sound like Chelitis?