Sore, dry, burning lips and corners of mouth

For the past 2 months, my lips have been constantly dry, sore, and burn when I use medicated lip balm or eat spicy foods.  I've also been getting sores in the corners of my mouth which crack and hurt. Nothing I've tried has been able to eliminate the symptoms. I noticed that this started almost immediately after a night of oral sex with my husband. After doing research, I'm assuming I have Cheilitis. Is it possible I contacted some type of fungus from my husband? How can I treat this and is this a chronic condition?? I'm looking for relief as soon as possible please!!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms it looks like angular cheilitis. It is an inflammatory lesion at the corner of the mouth and manifests as deep cracks or splits. More commonly it is caused by a fungal infection.

Dry out the lesions completely by patting and air drying after washing with a mild soap and use petroleum jelly to lock out moisture. It is vital that the affected areas be clean and completely dry before application of the jelly. You can also apply small amounts of athlete’s foot cream which is available over the counter.
If the symptoms persist then please consult a dermatologist as oral antimicrobials may be needed. 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.