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Avatar universal

Yellow crust on lips

For the last two days I have woken up with a yellow, crumbly crust covering my lips. I have been applying Vaseline liberally, and while that helps keeps my lips nice and moist, I still have this crust developing and I often feel as though my lips are weeping or sweating.

Is this an infection? If it is, will I need a prescription for an antibiotic cream or is there one I can get OTC? It started off as regular chapped lips, but I think the chap is largely gone now thanks to the Vaseline. I sometimes feel like they are burning a little too.

My lips itch slightly around the outside too. It looks as though there may be some very small raised bumps on my lips, with no heads or anything, like it's a rash - but I'm not sure. It certainly doesn't look like cold sores. I and my  boyfriend were tested for all STD's recently and came up clear, but I may go to a clinic to get herpes ruled out just to ease my mind. I would have seen a doc about this already but I am overseas right now so it's tricky.

Stats:
Age - 19
Non-smoker
History of eczema, but not on or around the face, and not seen for years
I don't lick my lips, I use Chap Stick quite a lot because I do get chapped lips easily
Iron deficiency runs in family, but is usually not a problem for me because I include lots of iron and Vit-C in my diet
As far as I know, I'm perfectly healthy otherwise and haven't been ill in months.
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Avatar universal
*BEST - I hope that EVERY person who has these types of lip problems, will read this information.  It will take care of your problem in short order.  Most health professionals, especially Conventional doctors, and holistic doctors, Will not get this one, and it is the reason, most of the time that this "lip problem" keeps coming back, regardless what you do.  First, let's identify the usual symptoms, all of which are present within 48 hours:  - 1. Lips swell largely, to 2-3 times normal. 2. Lips tingle/burn. 3. Overly Dry Lips, with scaling skin on, below or above the lips. 4. Weeping - yellow and/or clear liquid coming from the lips upper or lower (either or both).  5. Sometimes inside mouth raw feeling on gums around teeth. 6. Sometimes throat or sinus irritation, like getting a cold.

What is usually diagnosed as some type of Cheilitis, Impetigo, Eczema, Rash, or even allergic reactions to other things, like food, cosmetics etc., is NOT.  Not in all cases, but in over 90% of these cases, it is none of these happening - and the reason for re-uccurances days, weeks, months or years later.  What is at the Root of your problem, is a STREP INFECTION (bacterial), that ORIGINATES most of the time, in the stomach.  Sometimes, it's in other areas, like the lungs, throat etc.  Yes, the stomach, and can be there for years, without detection.  It surfaces by moving up through the upper extremities, to soft tissues like the lips, mouth, throat, nose, sinuses.  Strep is highly contagious, and in fact, most people have it floating around in them, and don't know it - until something triggers it, usually a little emotional stress, which you also may not even be aware of.

CURE:  We've found that our VERY BEST cure, is NOT antibiotics of ANY KIND - or lip creams, hydrocortisone, fungal creams etc.  This actually increases the yeast factor immediately, and does not get rid of the Strep, and actually prolongs the bacteria until later.  With drug antibiotics, symptoms may appear to recede for awhile, but will reappear later again - and then you also have the yeast problem to deal with, which can actually aggravate the problem and other problems even more.
COLLOIDAL SILVER, is the only thing we'd recommend, to get rid of the problem, for Long Term.  
Buy a bottle of Colloidal Silver at your health food store, any brand will do.  TAKE 10 DROPS PER HOUR, until the bottle is gone.  You'll see the symptoms begin subsiding within a few hours.  Colloidal silver stays in the bloodstream and kills all the Strep bacteria within your entire body, for this is NOT limited to your lips or skin irritations.  It's coming from within your body.  You can keep your lips moist with some type of lip balm, whatever works best for you, without burning as much, until the lips begin returning to normal, because the Colloidal Silver is killing the bacteria right away. Until you kill the bacteria inside, the symptoms on the outside will not subside, or appear to subside, until later.  Google Colloidal Silver and educate yourself.  Even if you are suffering from any other type of bacterial infection, this will help your entire body.  The yellow or clear discharge from your lips, or peeling, is evidence of bacterial infection, and the culprit is in over 90% of the cases, is a form of Strep.  Problem solved, usually within 48 hours.  Colloidal Silver also helps anyone who has problems due to a Virus of some kind, like simple Herpes Simplex, etc.  Drink at least 1 gallon of water every day religiously......even after you're healed.  Additionally, we'd also recommend a good B-Complex vitamin daily for awhile, even some Zinc, especially for men, so that your immune system can process the stress more easily, without the immune system manifesting an external problem (most people are way deficient on B's - the stress busters).  Good health to you.
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......additionally, in some cases, it may take up to 5-7 days to subside.  If your lip or above the lip or below the lip is cracking & dry with yellow crust, then you can use some Neosporin on those areas a couple times a day, while you're taking the Colloidal Silver.  You may need a couple bottles of Colloidal Silver (500 ppm), in extreme cases over 7 days or so.  Strep is a very feisty, tough bacteria, especially when we've had it a long time, at the organ or stomach level..... so have a little patience and let your body and the Colloidal Silver, rid itself of it once and for all.  You can't expect it to go away and not come back again, if you just treat the outward skin symptoms with creams etc.  You HAVE to treat the bacteria on the inside of your body, where it originates from, along with the outside, together.  Your immune system will heal it through it's own intelligence... with a little help.
Am I suppose to take 10 drops of 500 ppm of silver every hour. Or is that for 10 ppm?
i’m pregnant is there anything i can do to fight it off? i can’t stand the itchiness
I’m not sure how I stumbled upon this, but I am truly grateful. Been dealing with this for over a month. It’s embarrassing and gross. I’ve been to urgent care and taken prescriptions, but the second I started using the colloidal silver in my cabinet, I started seeing my lips clear up. Thank you thank you thank you for positing this!
Avatar universal
just wanted to say this thread was a source of help and hope for me. i developed what my derm suspected was eczema on my lips but has yet to be confirmed: it started off covid/flu like symptoms (body aches, chills only that went away after a day), then a few days later i noticed just a few tiny bumps with clear centers on my lips. more showed up and they eventually started weeping clear liquid that formed small yellow crusts all over. i've never had anything like it in my life. had to avoid the urge to pick them. i thought it was oral herpes but by the time i went to see a doc they had healed up so they couldnt test it. my lips healed up decently after 7 or so days from the initial bumps. all that was left was intense dryness/flakes all over and a few deflated bumps. at this point i see the derm who based on the info provided and her observation, suspected it was eczema. note: carmex did not help at all. fast forward 10 days, my lips are mostly back to normal, a little more dry/sensitive than usual, and maybe 1-2 small bumps around the edges but no leaking fluid. for the next few days i cant help but to pick at some of the dryness (maybe chapped lips at this point?), and it eventually leads to some bleeding/raw parts on my lips. well i dont know how things progressed but suddenly my lips have cracks/raw parts all over and are leaking the yellowish fluid (no visible bumps). as a side note: at this time i had some eczema on my cheeks that i think got irritated by using Cerave cleanser, and suddenly i had raw patches on my face leaking the same yellow fluid. so i have leaking raw spots on my lips, around my lips, and on my cheeks. i thought it would never end and it only got seemed to get worse. around the worst time, my lips erupted all over in small bumps, even more than the first time, and a few of them had whiteheads/pus showing. both lips ended up being fully covered in yellow crusts (so disgusting) and the weeping never seemed to stop. today, exactly 7 weeks after my initial flu symptoms, my lips are almost back to normal (just get drier easily now, and slightly sensitive). here's what i did that i think got rid of the "eczema (?) infection". 1. avoid food on lips / drink with straw 2. wash lips with soap and water after every meal 3. after washing, put thin layer of 1% hydrocortisone cream (from drug store) on lips, pat dry, then some neosporin on top - this helped get rid of the bumps 4. once the bumps are gone, if  yellow crusts are still forming or open cuts still weeping, wash lips with gentle soap and water, gently rub off dead skin with fingertips, pat dry, reapply neosporin 4. once the bumps are gone, repeat steps 1-4 but just with neosporin and try to keep lips clean from food. things started improving after 2.5 days of doing this. note: even when my lips showed signs of healing, a few days after starting this routine they even got swollen like an allergy but it went away after a day. after 5 days or so, my lips started looking much better. today, 2 weeks since starting washing/neosporin steps, my lips look completely healthy (although feeling dried out (not chapped) and more sensitive now; my cheeks are mostly healed up with a few leaking spots left). i have a doc appointment tomorrow, will update if i am diagnosed with anything diff. to anyone out there who needs it - i hope this helps. things will get better. (female, 28)
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2 Comments
also - make sure to take progress photos!
I have been experiencing this in different forms for a long time. I hope your situation is not like mine. It has been almost 10 years and thinking about that makes me extremely sad that I'm still dealing with this. When it first started happening, there was no yellow fluid, just bumps. About 4 years in, the outbreaks happened less, but now worse with the yellow fluid, swollen lips for days. I have gotten every STI test (because that is the first thing every. single. doctor. thought at first) I could multiple times, especially a lot in the first year/2 years. I have been to multiple doctors about this and it is unfortunately either dismissed or misdiagnosed. I don't lick my lips, I am very hygenic, and treat it as soon as it comes typically blistex or carmex with neosporin gives me the most relief. I'm still not sure what triggers it. Please update if you get a clear diagnosis, and I will try to do the same.
Avatar universal
Ivd had this happen a few times in my life. First time i was about 22 happened after shaving,face and lips got really dry so i used carmex on my lips.. the second i put it on it BURNED like hell, i would take it off and put it back on a few hours later. Anyway all the symptoms described would happen. Its ugly and kind of painful. Fast forward to now im 28 and dealing with it again after 3 days of using carmex it popped up. Im using aquaphor on my lips a very thin layer and after cleaning around my lips with warm water and soap i apply witch hazel a very genorous amount. It seems to help dry out and i know its very good with any infections.
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Avatar universal
I have had the same symptoms as described in the first post (swollen top lip, followed by tiny almost non insistent bumps, followed by a clear weeping that then scabs into an easy to remove with water yellow crust). Pretty certain it starts of as an allergic reaction (normally I am outside in summer or eating a fresh vege salad when my lip starts to tingle and swell). Then after a few days (not always) it turns into the above mentioned disaster! I believe it is POLLEN FRUIT SYNDROME (Oral Allergy Syndrome or OAS). Caused by a cross reactivity with a pollen and seemingly unrelated raw foods. Then the darned thing gets infected! However some people here sound like they have other things as mentioned in previous posts. Think I'm going to look into some more natural treatments (as I get this **** way too often), taking homeopathic stuff, natural antihistamines combined with an antiseptic treatment on the lips (I have just mixed up some honey, yoghurt and tea tree oil for a type of 'mask') but think I will try a bit of coconut oil mixed with a few drops of tea tree and Vit E oil for during the day as i'm worried my lip balm is part of the problem. Curious about the Collodial Silver (however the above post doesn't mention concerns with taking it internally, so I will investigate this further first) although I don't think in my case it is a Strep Infection there is definitely some type of infection happening and continual use of Antibiotics is never good for you. Then the next step is getting tested to figure out exactly what i'm allergic to.
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Did you ever figure out what you were allergic to? Also, any homeopathic remedies work? Thanks!
Avatar universal
Lip Mercy is my personal cure.

Symptoms: Lips start out numbing to the touch, tasting somewhat like iron, near invisible dots/bumps start to form at the corners of my mouth and spread to the rest of my lips, could end up getting red, itchy, and weeping with yellowish goo. But I start applying Lip Mercy at the numbing stage and it never gets bad anymore. Heals quick.
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2 Comments
I've been having the majority of these symptoms for over 3 months now. All around my mouth has been extemely red and swollen, which sometimes I wake up and find it has covered itself in yellow crust. There is a very uncomfortable tingly sensation, and there are minute red dots on the upper lip. Doctors have given me steroids, flucloxacillin and daktirin which helps temporarily but again this morning I have woken up to painful bottom lip. Any advise is appreciated. I'm a 19 year old female and am relatively healthy. I am booked in with the dermatologists now because my doctors are clueless, but that is not for another 3 months :(
I have been having regular symptoms for two months now, but started noticing minor symptoms starting two years ago. This year was the first time I had any swollen pain. I definitely recommend Aquaphor for temporary relief, I never let it get to a point of soreness anymore when I use it! Any aquaphor works, but there is an spf one for your lips if you go outside and have exposure to the sun. It can only help by keeping your lips hydrated for long periods of time  (nearly all night) so they don't get sore from reacting to dryness while you're sleeping, or figuring out your diagnosis.
Avatar universal
Brothers and Sisters~ i've suffered the uber swollen lips followed by cracking, scabbing, peeling, dryness, skin around lips red and open...and the secondary infecions of impetigo when staph and strep, normal bacteria get into the open lips.. i tried all kinds and the least irritating, most soothing thing was coconut oil but it wouldnt seal the lips. PURE NATURAL LANOLIN seals the cracks and prevents the bacteria from getting in and lets the skin heal and keeps away the peeling. slather it on after you was your lips with clean water and a gentle antibacterial soap.
after doing the candida diet, vision quests, hydrating, mediation(so this was really a gift) two doctors have diagnosed it as allergies. try zyrtec or something, keep the lanolin on, schedule a patch test with a dermatologist to determine the culprit if you cant pinpoint it. ive had a history of excema so this makes sense. sometimes adults can develop allergies we didnt have before.
thank you for being here on my journal to an answer and i hope this helps anyone here!!
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Avatar universal
EVERYONE I HAVE A WAY TO TREAT THIS!!! had this issue... went to Doctor... sent me to dermatologist!
Dermatologist perscribed mupirocin ointment USP 2% and Desoximetasone Cream USP 0.05%. told me to mix the two and put on lips... also perscribed MethyIPREDNISolone Tablets USP 4mg! WORKS LIKE A CHARM... possible food allergy/ dermatitis I recommend!
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Avatar universal
i really do enjoy reading everyones post.. i have one now.. i was dealing with the same thing. my bottom lip formed a red circle that became a little itchy/ tingling with tiny blister bumps on it; however, it was filled with clear water or whatever. the next day, it formed into a yellowish crust. the thing is, this blister thing formed the very same day, later on that day, at night.  3 or 4 days later, i go see my doctor and get a blood test, 2 weeks later or so, i get an email saying i have the herpes virus 1. i was sexually active that day yes, but i was also in a hot tube, and i was also in a steam room that smelled like vicks. i use chap stick A LOT because my lips get chapped, but im scared that im have the HVS 1.. what do yalls think?
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Avatar universal
I had similar symptoms to the original poster.  Thought it was a case of angular chelitis/perleche as I have had that before.  Typical over the counter Lotrimin antifungal cream works but this time it did not.  Went to dermatologist who prescribed Naftin 2% antifungal cream and Mupirocin 2% antibiotic (to address any secondary bacterial infection).  Use small amounts at corner of mouth as they can irritate sensitive skin around the mouth if overused.  That still didn't fully clear it so she then prescribed 7 days of Cephalexin 500mg antibiotic and Desonide 0.05% ointment for skin around the mouth.  That seems to have cleared it.  I'm using Aquaphor ointment to keep my lips moist.  Doctor thinks it may have been perleche plus secondary staph infection.  I also am taking a multivitamin, Vitamin B 100 complex and Vitamin D supplement  and drinking lots of water.  Hope this helps!
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Avatar universal
I like this site because it gives me hope for my daughter who is suffering from some"similar" symptoms to some of those posted. It seems like many post,"I have the same symptoms" yet all of the posts are a bit different.  I've looked at pictures on line to see if the conditions already listed look similar to what my daughters looks like, but they don't.  She has had swollen, red, weeping and yellow crusty scabs surrounding her mouth.  She is addicted to chapstick.  She is sensitive to gluten, dairy, yeast, and sugar and has not had these in her diet for the past year.  The doctor prescribed an anti fungal cream which has done nothing, but make the condition worse.  I am going to try hydocordizone  cream with antibiotic cream and see if it helps.  I wish we could post pictures.
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2 Comments
i tried the antifungal. had the same thing.. the antibiotic and hydrocortizone would help because its a secondary infection of impetigo..and it itches. but the culprit, the reason why this allergic reaction is happening being eliminated would stop the recurrence.
and those antibiotics overused no good. try keeping them clean. applying lanolin(as long as not allergic to that) and let the body heal it. and try an allergy medicine until the allergin is found and eliminated. good luck. i believe everyone should have access to this information!
Thats sounds exactly like the thing i have right now but im not sure if i should go to the doctor with it then
Avatar universal
Oh my goodness. Basically, two weeks ago I got bumps around my mouth. I thought it was a cold sore because I tend to get colds really easily since my immune system is low and I am most definitely not a 5 a fruit and veg a day person. Thus, I left it thinking it would go. Man, was that a bad decision, within 3 days I had a burning sensation (it killed) around my mouth and my mouth was pretty much swollen. I was obviously convinced to go to the doctors, so I did. My doctor mentioned I had a contagious virus (did not give a name) because I seemed to have spots on my feet and hand as well. My doctor gave my flucloxacillin and this cream to put around affected area for relief. My goodness did it help! Within a week of using it, I felt much better and so stopped using what was prescribed to me. However, a few days later I woke up with yellowy crusts around my mouth and it looked disgusting and I just want to cry. I am unable to even. I still have the cream that the doctors gave me and I am applying it now. I just do not know why it has just reappeared?! I hate this so much and my college is already angry at me for missing days off due to stupid infection. I have a feeling this is more than a non-bollous impetigo, for me anyway. Will be going to the doctors tomorrow for help. Will keep y'all posted.
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Avatar universal
I've been having this problem off and on for a few years now, but it's only gotten bad this year, 2014. I can't understand why different medicines work for different outbreaks when my symptoms are usually the same. Sometimes the crust is worse than others, sometimes the crust isn't hardly there. It starts out as a red patch on an area of my lip and spreads to patches covering both lips usually by the end of a day or 2 days. It will feel crusty and sand papery if I put my lips together. Sometimes it itches like crazy although it's currently not very itchy but burns a little. Only ever affects just my lips and can never pin down a cause of why it happens. The only thing that definitely causes it is using almost any lipstick or chapstick so I exclusively use Aquaphor and Carmex now. Over the summer carmex seemed to stop this overnight and I'd be ok for a month or two, but it'd come back. What is this?? Two doctors didn't know. One guessed it could be herpes but when I went back earlier this month when it was bad she didn't think it was herpes anymore but didn't know what it was. One doc gave me Muiprocin which seemed to hcure it the first two times after 1 or 2 weeks but not lately. Last time it seemed to respond immediately to Muconizole, a drugstore antifungal, but this time it didn't seem to help and my crusts are worse than they've been since my first outbreak of whatever this is. It doesn't really look like impetigo, chelitis, herpes or anything I can find pics of online. I can't understand how to fix this or why it happens. I'm in great health otherwise, healthy weight, could eat more fruits/vegetables but don't eat a lot of fast food, 25 yr old female. This doesn't seem to be contagious as my fiancee refuses to stop eating and drinking after me and he has never shown any type of symptoms. Help!!!!
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Avatar universal
what if you do don't experience the itching , just pain. But you were tested twice, one form the culture and a blood test and they were negative for herpes. They also gave me pills to treat it as if it was herpes and there was no improvement.
The dermatologists don't know what it is but know that it isn't contagious, I've had it for a year and none of my family members, or my boyfriend, has got it.
It has not spread either, it always only on my lips.
Can a food allergy cause me to have such symptoms like this? I swear it's ecthyma.
Would you recommend any topical creams or pills?
Would a biopsy be helpful?
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Avatar universal
Hey I wanted to ask how is it going for you. Have you gone to the doctors after the post?
I have the same issue as you except it hasn't spread to any other parts of my body. A year a go I got tiny little bumps on my lips that made the same sand paper feeling, tasted almost salty, that oozed a clear liquid. Then rapidly just a day later the bumps got bigger and they oozed the yellow honey looking liquid that would crust over. The doctors thought I had herpes also but they were wrong.
I asked a dermatologist if he could treat it as if it were impetigo and he said that if he did he believed it would get worse. So he prescribed me protopic and clotrimazole & betamethasone dipropionate and they both help. Protopic I use every day bc it's doesn't have harmful steroids. But my lips would break through every week and a half so then I would use the other one which has steroids for a day or two and it would go away. And then the cycle repeats it's self.
Im getting pretty sick of this issue . I'll see a specialist this Wednesday and hope she can help. I'll report back if she is of any help.
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Avatar universal
Hello everyone!

So, I was reading this after a recent breakout of mine to see if there was any new information on how I could more efficiently handle my reaction, and it seems that applying an ointment like Neosporin might help in addition to the hydrocortisone cream.

It's called Candida albicans, a natural digestive flora in the yeast family found in your digestive tract that feeds on sugar. An imbalance causes a hyper release of toxins and toxic byproduct which results in a variety of symptoms, the small bumps, yellow discharge, and irritation included. Because it feeds on sugar, it actually causes you to crave it, making the reactions worse. It's a catch 22.

Avoid sugars; that means fruits, breads, any simple carbohydrates, and, of course, the obvious ones like candies and desserts. Eat things that have been fermented and take probiotic supplements to help get it under control long-term.

To treat it, I've found that drinking cinnamon water before bed and before breakfast works wonders. Detoxing helps as well. I do oil-pulling with extra virgin organic coconut oil, which literally pulls toxins orally, and makes your skin look amazing by the next morning. (These are personal results - every person's hormonal composition is a unique cocktail, so I can't make any guarantees, but I highly recommend at least trying what I've suggested.)

For more information and professional medical advice, check out these websites:

The Ultimate Candida Diet:  http://www.thecandidadiet.com/
Oil Pulling:  http://www.thecandidadiet.com/oil-pulling.htm
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10003022 tn?1407183614
Dear everyone!

I started having these same symptoms, as well: sores, weeping, clear yellow crusting. I found that when I eliminate all gluten, sucralose, and some berries, the symptoms disappear. As soon as a I have any wheat/ bread/ splenda/ berries, it comes back.  It's not impetigo, it's an allergy to something in the food. With all these GMO's god knows what the genetic manipulation is doing to us! Anyhow, you can't always control what is in your food, especially when you eat out. If I have a flare up, i do use cortizone cream to clear it up, but I hate using that stuff, especially on the face. Cut out all the processed foods, especially the diet sweeteners, and wheat/ gluten stuff, and you'll see.  Give time though, it takes months for this stuff to really leave your system, and even a little soy sauce (gluten) can trigger another reaction. Good luck to us all!
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Avatar universal
I have suffered from this where I would wake up with a thick yellow crust on my lips which was weeping. Very distressing and even more so as it was a few weeks before my wedding day. After lots of trips to my doctors where some doctor prescribed me blisteze !!! Was like rocket fuel on my lips! I ended up going private (£150) as soon as I walked in to the clinic, the doctor said it was eczema and prescribed me Eumovate (steroid cream) within 2 days my lips had healed!! I still get this condition from time to time which I think is caused by stress.
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Avatar universal
The same thing is happening with me. I am also using omega 3 and multivitamins which seems to help. My doctor prescribed me antihistamines and antibiotic which was not working well and fast so I used corticosteroid with antibacterial ointment, it is giving me relief from weeping of lips and the rash is gone, but I am having sever dry skin around mouth that seems to be stretching towards lips in a way that I am unable to open my mouth with out tearing corners of my lips. Did you go through same? what did you do about it?
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Avatar universal
chiming in real quick to share what worked for me. had similar conditions (chapped/peeling lips leading to lip infection, pus coming out and drying, swollen lips, redness and itchiness spreading beyond lips). here's what i did that got rid of all this in a few days:

- polysporin over lips and affected red area beyond lips, to fight bacteria
- ibuprofen to fight inflammation and swelling
- multivitamins to boost immunity

what didn't work for me was hydrocortizone chapstick (resulted in constant peeling of the lips) and aloe vera (burned and increased redness on areas beyond lips).

all in all the most helpful was the polysporin. would apply liberally and try to wash off and do a new application frequently.
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Avatar universal
So I've had this experience twice now, where i start out with red bumps on my lips which lend a sandpapery feeling to my lips and seep pinpricks liquid if I press my lips together. In a day they are forming small yellow crusts and the corners of my mouth are getting worse. There is a tingling sting on my lips, especially around the borders. The corners of my mouth will be sore and crusty and will split if I open my mouth too wide. On day three everything will be worse, my lips will be swollen and an itch will start on my ear and back of my wrist. Day 4 has super swollen, painful, weeping lips and the bumps on my arm are more visible and a little itchy. My ear will be very itchy, hot and scaly feeling. My ear and wrist do not act the same as my lips, there is no liquid seepage or tingle, just itch. On day 5 my lips will be bump free but the corners of my mouth will still be painful. There are no longer bumps or seepage on my lips, but they still tingle a lot. The itch has spread to a larger area of my ear and there are more bumps on my wrist.

The first time this happened, I went to my doctor on the fourth day, after it had spread to other parts of my body and my lips were a mess. He said it might be impetigo but was more likely HSV-1 because of the tingling/pain on the lips. He took swabs of the yellow crusts and took blood to test for HSV-1.  He gave me acyclovir and an antibiotic to take until the tests came back and he knew which one it was. The tests came back negative for HSV-1 (oral herpes).


This second time this happened, I assumed I had impetigo and went to the same doctor, on the first day of symptoms. (once you have sandpapery tingle lips, you don't forget) and he said it was definitely not impetigo and was probably herpes. I reminded him that he said it was impetigo last time and had done blood tests. But he was sure it was herpes and gave me acyclovir again. He also took more blood for another blood test. I decided to get a second opinion and went to another doctor on day 2 of symptoms. I said my reason for being there was "impetigo? herpes?"  The doctor took one look at my lips (note that at this point, nothing had popped up on the rest of my body) and said that she knew exactly what it was because she got it too. She said it was definitely NOT impetigo OR herpes. She said it was caused by stress and vitamin B deficiency. I told her about it seeming to spread to other parts of my body the last time I got it, but she said that was probably something unrelated. I left that office with orders to take a vitamin B supplement, drink milk, use chapstick classic flavor, and try to have a relaxing weekend.

I think I need a third opinion because now it is day 5 and it seemed to happen exactly as last time, although my lips have reached an almost healed state overnight between day 4 and 5, the spread to my body is getting worse. It is spreading to most of the same places, but not all of the same places, the first time it spread of my torso and cheek as well. Last time I had antibiotics and I wonder if I need them this time.

Does not look like photos of herpes or impetigo I have seen on the internet, looks a little bit like angular cheilitis but has pain and is all over the lips and not just in the corners so is probably not that.

Does anyone know what this could be if it is not herpes or impetigo and acting differently on the lips and the rest of my body?

tl;dr -what gives you bumpy, tingly, painful swollen lips that seep yellow liquid, but also can cause itchy, hot, red ears, and bumps that only itch, do not tingly and do not weep on your wrist?
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2 Comments
Probably too late for this reply.. but sounds like it could be from pollen fruit syndrome (or contact dermatitis, basically some type of allergic reaction), possibly combined with an infection?
I have since figured out that this was a reaction to the oil  in mango skins, this is apparently kinda common in people who don't contact mangos when they arekids.  If you have similar symptoms, Google mango mouth or mango allergy if you've been in contact with mangos, to see if it's the same thing.
1662353 tn?1302761303
If there are fluid filled bumps and yellow oozing liquid that form a CRUST, then it is NOT exfoliative cheilitis. Exfoliative cheilitis is marked by large flakes of yellow/brownish peeling skin WITHOUT the bumps and weeping.

I, being a licensed nurse, and several others on this forum, have posted over and over again that what most here are probably dealing with is impetigo, a HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS bacterial infection caused by the staphylococcus or streptococcus bacteria. Impetigo is marked by itchy fluid filled bumps that ooze and form a yellow crust on the lips, neck, hands, and in small children, the diaper area. They are usually NOT painful, just itchy, so if pain is involved it might be herpes/cold sores.

Good hygiene can help prevent impetigo, which often develops when there is a sore or a rash that has been scratched repeatedly with unwashed/dirty hands (for example, poison ivy can get infected and turn into impetigo).

Doctors can usually diagnose impetigo based on the appearance of the rash. Occasionally, they may need to take a sample of fluid from blisters. Impetigo is typically treated with either an antibiotic ointment or medication taken by mouth.

Impetigo is marked by:
Pimple-like sores on the skin, especially around the nose or mouth. The sores begin as small red spots, then change to blisters that eventually break open. The sores are typically not painful, but they may be itchy.
The sores turn into blisters that ooze a yellowish fluid and look crusty. Sores often look like they have been coated with honey or brown sugar.
The sores usually increase in size and number. Sores may be as small as a pimple or larger than a coin.

It is VERY IMPORTANT to practice GOOD HYGIENE. PROPER hand washing REALLY IS IMPERATIVE in preventing the spread of this infection. By proper, I mean washing with sudsy soap and warm water and making sure to wash well between each finger, fingertips, and going under nails with an orange stick. And all items of clothing and bedding, especially pillowcases, must be washed in very hot water.
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Avatar universal
I have been having the same condition for a while now. First time it started out during the summer of last year. I visited two doctors. The first one told me she was unable to do anything and that I just had to wait for it to cure. After this bad advice I visited a second, who prescribed me hydrocortisone ointment (which you should never put on mucous membranes). So in short, both doctors gave me bad advice. Luckily, after two painful and embarrassing weeks, my lips miraculously cured.

However, three days ago I woke up with the same condition without any clear reason. Afte two days, my lips got so yellow and painful that I visited another doctor. He diagnosed me with impetigo, just as in some earlier posts in this thread. He gave me a medicin called Staphycid (500 mg), which is a penicillin in the form of capsules.  The active substance of Staphycid is natriumflucloxacillinemonohydrate. I have been using these capsules for two days now. Though my lips still hurt, they are not yellow anymore and I see some real improvement. I guess it will take a few days to get everything back to normal, but other than that it seems to work out fine.

To make a long story short: if you have the same symptoms as all the people above, there is a significant chance you have impetigo. Personally I advise you to see a doctor - not only to make sure you suffer from the same, but also because it is easier to get the right medicin by visiting one. I hope this helps for some of you, I have noticed this is an extremely painful condition, so I guess all the small things help. Maybe Staphycid or something with the same active substance might help you!
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Avatar universal
I have severe food and outdoor allergies. I recently got this condition and went to the doctor. They prescribed a low dose of prednisone and it cleared right up; therefore, it was a lip allergy. However, it came back and I got super frustrated. I work as a nurse at a clinic so I asked my provider to look at it and she too said it was an allergy. I had a sinus infection as well and so she prescribed me a HIGH dose of prednisone and an antibiotic to knock everything out. I got better, my lips healed and I stopped using my toothpaste to see if that was the cause. NOPE. My condition is back because I have been off of prednisone for a few days. I refuse to keep taking prednisone because of the risks it comes with. I am at a loss for what to do next because I can't stop eating completely. My food allergies developed over the last 5 years and I have yet to pinpoint them so I don't feel like it will be easy to find the culprit. Time to go see an allergist after all.
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Avatar universal
I'm having the same exact problem. I have a cortisone cream already will that work? Or will a Rx cream called protopic  maybe work?
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