Yellow crust on lips

[SCF506]

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.

[shawnie2010]

I have the same thing, cracked, mostly near the sides of my mouth, weeping a lot with yellow fluid that dries up.  I've used Cherry Carmex a few times in the past few days, perhaps it iritated it, not sure. I've never had this before.

Curious if the fluoucinonide is working.

thanks!

[NFMD]

The first couple of posts sounded like impetigo. The more recent posts are proof that you can't always use the itnernet to solve your medical problems. Steroid creams can exacerbate infections. Antibiotic creams may not be enough for severe impetigo. They definitely don't work for allergic reactions to chapstick.

[jonoli]

my lips were literally addicted to chapstick since the 5th grade cause i used it literally every 20 min..now i am in 12th grade and was at the point that i couldnt eat, drink anything spicy or sour..nothing..it was getting ridiculous..after they were so compeltely damaged i got this crust that everyones talking about that dries yellow but its so thin it wipes right off...i tried bacatracin in the morning and all day then put just 1% hydrocortisone on night and it cleared it compeltely after 2 days..i got this from obviously have extremly damaged lips..and if anyone has my problem of addiction to chapstick where if i dont put it on for more then 5 min my lips literally turn red and burn as if i havent used chapstick in years ...follow these steps.."

Apply cool, salt-soaked cloths to the lips everyday to hydrate the lips. Seal in the moisture with a lip balm containing waxes or lanolin.( i used "Bag Balm" its in a green square tin) In extreme cases, apply hydrocortisone ointment under the lip balm. Avoid frequent lip licking. Change lipstick to rule out allergies. Apply lip balm with sunscreen before venturing into the sun. Use a humidifier indoors whenever possible. Increase water intake in the winter months to further hydrate the skin."

[jmo22]

im having the same problems with my lips for 2 months now,it has happen 4 times within this 2 month period,i do get cold sores but this is no cold sore,this usually happens when i tend to stay out in the sun too long,im jus thinking bout going to see a doc about this,do anybody know wat this condition is called?this stuff is making me really depress and its embarrising!!!!

[eeev]

I recently have experienced the same symptoms of the weeping, yellow crust on lips.

It started with cracked, chapped lips, and applied Blistex to help heal my lips. Only my lips did not heal. They started appearing swollen, with reddness on inner lips, yellow crust on tops of lips, no pain but about as uncomfortable as a badly chapped lip.

On the 4th day I went to go see a doctor; he diagnosed me with a condtion called Impetigo which is a bacterial infection that is very contagious.I must say if you look up the condition the pictures can be scary, but if you take medicine and take proper precautions you will be just fine. My doctor prescribed me acyclovir as well as recommended topical neosporin. For me, the neosporin seemed to make my lips more irritable, so this is what I did:

1) Take Acyclovir as prescribed.
2) Wash hands constantly.
3) Wash lips with antibacterial soap.
4) Rinse mouth with antibacterial soap. (helps get top inner part of lips)
5) Apply Vaseline with a Qtip on top and inner part of lips. (throught day and just before bed)
6) Avoid touching lips. (If you do wash hands immediatly with antibacterial soap)
7) Wash pillow covers, bed sheets, and towels after each use. (Better to be safe than sorry)


Well this is day 6 and lips are not swollen any more and seem to be healing up great.


Thank you for the information you all provided, it gave me great direction!




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[barbaraann_49]

I've been suffering with the same problem with my lips... It started in Oct. of 2009, and has been flaring up off and on since then.  I do suffer from psoriasis (PPP, only affects my hands and feet), but that is in remission right now and has been for several years.  I went to see a demotalogist last week, he was very busy, and really made me feel like he wasn't listening to me, took a look at my lips and said I had a yeast infection (there is nothing in my mouth, like thrush, it's only on my lips), he prescribed an antifungual cream.  I took the prescription to my local pharm, they said the cream he'd prescribed was a very  very expensive prescription, and told me that the exact same thing was sold over the counter, its an antifungal cream for athletes foot and jock itch!!!!!!!!!!!!  I've been using it for about 4 days now just applying it to the outside edge of my lips, and the corners. Today I noticed my lips seemed to be getting somewhat better, they weren't weeping and i wasn't waking up with the hard scabby like junk on them.  Then this afternoon I ate some shrimp, just thawed from the freezer, nothing on it, no cocktail sauce or anything.  About 1/2 hour later my lips swelled up, started weeping so much that the clear liquid was running down my to my chin, then they began go bleed slightly.  I've never had any allergies to food, in fact I'd just eaten shrimp last week, and not had this reaction.  I'm very confused, and in a ton of pain right now, my lips are burning like crazy!!  I am going to make an appointment with another derm (thank goodness I have health insurance) and see if this one is any better,  and if he/she has any other suggestions.  In the meantime I'll continue to use the antifunal, not eat any more shrimp(?).. and also continue to buy stock in the vaseline company, being that's what i put on my lips continuously all day.

[AsmoJones]

I have the same thing described exactly in the first post. I have looked into this a lot (and i'm still looking) I believe it is caused by pollen fruit syndrome (also known as oral allergy syndrome) where u develop allergies to things that cross react with pollen. I have noticed I get allergy symptoms or my immune system is down and when I am eating something (usually raw vege salad for me) my lips start to swell up and then eventually turn into a scabby mess. Going to try and see a specialist but hopefully this helps some people find an answer?

[AsmoJones]

I have the same thing described exactly in the first post. I have looked into this a lot (and i'm still looking) I believe it is caused by pollen fruit syndrome (also known as oral allergy syndrome) where u develop allergies to things that cross react with pollen. I have noticed I get allergy symptoms or my immune system is down and when I am eating something (usually raw vege salad for me) my lips start to swell up and then eventually turn into a scabby mess. Going to try and see a specialist but hopefully this helps some people find an answer?