Recurring redness around lips

[Rohai]

About 2 months ago, I went to visit my physician regarding a problem I had with a ring of redness around my lips - more prominent on my bottom lip - it was a lighter, tender pink shade and kind of looked like I had been drinking lots of red kool-aid. I also had constant dry, cracked and bleeding lips, and tried everything from drinking plenty of water and making sure I wasn't licking them. I didn't have any other visual symptoms, but I did have a combination of a burning/numbness feeling on my lips.

The doctors did some bloodwork to check my vitamin levels which all came back fine and instructed me to try an OTC cream like Abreva, as they thought it might be a cold sore (which I never had in the past either). Two weeks later, I scheduled a follow up appointment, as the redness and severe chapping was still there.

The second time, they prescribed an Acylovir tablet and Zovirax cream for oral herpes. All this seemed to do was irritate my entire mouth. My lips swelled up and felt like they were shot up with novicaine. After the 10 day period of using the medication, I noticed the chapness went away, but the bright red ring around my lips is still there. Some days it's more prominent than others and my lips tend to dry out now and then, but I'm trying to avoid putting any sort of ointment/chapstick on them in the event that something coming in contact with the lips is irritating them further.

I've included a recent photo (not the best quality) that shows my bottom lip and my lip line is no longer definitive. I have set up an appointment with a dermatologist a few weeks from now, but I'm still trying to get some clarity on what might be causing this. I've had people suggest everything from a fungal/bacterial infection, cold sores/oral herpes, allergies, vitamin deficiencies, etc. Nothing in my daily activities has really changed for the past several years, so I'm concerned about the sudden onset, and how this problem has persisted for almost 2 months now.

Has anyone else experienced something like this?

[Maxxx03]

TRY CANESTEN cream, i also has that,  i had an itchy down there,then i used canesten cream and it's going better, i suspect, i had my lips infected when right after i apply cream on my penis, i grab a cigarette,maybe it had contaminated and had contact in my lips.

[Maxxx03]

TRY CANESTEN cream, i also has that,  i had an itchy down there,then i used canesten cream and it's going better, i suspect, i had my lips infected when right after i apply cream on my penis, i grab a cigarette,maybe it had contaminated and had contact in my lips.

[CFC11]

I get sudden, and I mean sudden, discoloration below my lower lip about once every 2-3 years.  One minute everythings fine, and the nest is a one inch by 1/4 inch dark reddish brown patch below my lower lip.  

There are no other problems such as chapped lips, soreness or the like, just the discoloration.  It seems like the problem only takes seconds to materilaize.

I've asked my family doctor about it and he has no idea what or why.  It goes away in a week or so and the only problem is the cosmetic one.

I could post a photo, but I don't know how.

[appleking]

I have it right now.  Have had it for 2 months and it is driving me nuts.  The MD put me on an anti-viral yesterday.  My Husband is on the way to the store for B12.  I will let you know if it works.

[bearpig]

GOT THE ANSWER!!!   angular cheilitis. both of my children,  and later I was having the same problem. went to a local walk in clinic to get in somewhere quickly and without hesitation he told me take vitamin B and it should clear right up. Went home and gave it to my kids as well, it was gone in 2-3 days for all of us!! My kids and I all take B12 as soon as the weather gets cool and our lips show the slightest indication of a ring and it nips it in the bud. You may ask your Dr to recommend a dose but I believe I usually take 2/day for a few days of the 500mcg over the counter B12. (the b complex has a much lower amt of the B12 as I recall). Best of luck!
I was just googling to find out the name of it as I forgot. It is called angular cheilitis. Once it progresses to cracked corners, they can hold saliva in them and it seems that is where it can grow a fungus which can spread. (as some people are posting) .  The vitamin B therapy has worked for us for about 3 years now! After reading what everyone has gone through to find an answer, I am REALLY thankful for the Doc at the walk in clinic!!  When you google it may say it begins with lip licking and none of us thought we did that either, but the site I read said some people do it in their sleep (or esp older folks...drool).

[Keats3]

I have the same problem. Never had them before. Flared up all of a sudden accompanied with dry and chipping lips. No, I don't lick my lips neither do I smoke nor drink nor did anything different or ate anything different that would have caused this. It came out of the blue!

I was given a cream which I applied and which helped get rid of the pink ring (inflammation). But, I applied the cream just once a day at night. However, the moment I stopped applying the cream, the redness returns within days.

Please don't tell me I have to use this cream forever.

[Liasboat]

What was the name of the cream that worked?

[Kelmcg4u]

Yes, please share the name of the cream.  I've had this exact problem for going on two months now.  It is painful and makes me very self-conscious. I get blisters inside my lips, numbness of my tongue and the itching burning ring around my mouth. I've been using Lamosil, but that hasn't done anything to help.