Small holes in my lip!

[nataliag]

Hello Doctor,
I am female and 15 years of age. A few days ago i woke up and found that my lips were incredibly dry and beggining to form crusts arounf the corners. I washed my face with cool water and applied Cetaphil moisteriser and some vaseline to help soothe the irritation, dry and discomfort from the lip condition. I woke up the next day and found some more crusts around my mouth, they are not very visible but are painful to touch. I also have found numerous small holes in my lip. This sound worse than it is but it is kind of like tiny tiny little holes, they arnt very deep but occasionally after applying vaseline, water or puss starts to leak out. I have also tried Mentholatum. In addition to all these symptoms, i have also discovered small small clear/white like bumps around my chin. I would really appreciate knowing what is going on with my skin! It is some skin infection or eczema? I also have a wisdom tooth coming through and also got swollen lymph nodes and sore throat.
Thankyou

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms it sounds like cheilitis and angular cheilitis. Angular cheilitis is an inflammatory lesion at the labial commissure, or 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.
I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.

[FurballsMom]

Swollen lymph nodes and sore throat plus these other symptoms tells me that you should see a doctor.