PANIC ABOUT ANGULAR CHEILITIS - FOLLOW UP

Doctor Rockoff, I wrote to you last week about my Angular Cheilitis and I expressed panic then and am feeling panic still.  For 6 weeks I have had a problem in the left corner of my mouth. It initially hurt when I opened my mouth because the sore was right in the corner, so it felt very raw when opening. It scabbed and 2 dermatologists in nyc diagnosed angular cheilitis and prescibed Bactraban and nystotin.  For the last 2 years I have suffered on and off from this condition, both corners of mouth affected at different times. It always cleared up in 2 weeks and i was back to normal. Weeks and months would go by without a recurrence. But now, the whitness wont disappear in the corner and it's still scabby.  6 weeks have gone and I am afraid the white will never go away and that i am/will be disfigured.  I am a very healthy 39 year old male but for this.  Have you ever heard of white disfigurement in a healthy, non-denture wearer, as a result of angular cheilitis? Will the whiteness/scabbing ever go away?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I suspect that in your panic you are playing with or picking at the area in question.  I can't think of any other reason why the whiteness would persist, or for the spot to become "scabby."  If so, you need to stop doing this and to leave the area completely alone.  A topical steroid cream may help, OTC or by prescription.  Your doctor should be able to help you sort this out.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff