Red Lip Rash

For a couple months now I have had this red rash around my lips. Its not dry skin it sometimes has dead skin and other times it just red and sore. I have been to a doctor 2 or 3 times about it and they keep telling me to stop licking my lips and it will go away. I know for i fact I DO NOT LICK MY LIPS! i have been putting some blistex medicated ointment on them that helps a little with the redness and makes them comfortable to live with. Has anyone seen or heard of this or know how to get rid of it? please help.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
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. 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.
If still the symptoms do not improve then please get a clinical examination done by a dermatologist.
I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted in case you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.

[ronzk]

Hi, it might be the "Atopic Eczema"
You should visiti a dermatologist, and if it's the Atopic Eczema she should
write you some PROTOPIC or ELIDEL .
I'v had the same problem for whole my life, but when i started using PROTOPIC
it had almost healed fully. (I had the Atopic Eczema around my lips)
I Use:
Tacrolimus Ointment(PROTOPIC)
Aqualan Plus (Basic cream)

And using the basic cream, don't put too much, the skin wont "breath" anymore then.

-Ronski

[lonestar6201]

I had a similar problem. I was prescribed hydrocortisone, protopic, cloderm, nothin worked. Has anything worked for you so far? My doctor said lip licker's dermatitis, but I don't lick my lips.