Lip blisters

[Matth2009]

About six months ago I noticed a small blister-like lump towards the outer edge of my lower lip.  Within a couple of weeks it had become 3, all next to each other ...possibly a single long bump, hard to say for sure.

Then about 2 months ago the corner of my mouth split when I was eating, but I put that down to eating a HUGE burger.

Anyway, 2 weeks ago my lips got very dry and tiny white blisters appeared on my top lip, and it felt slightly swollen.  Then the corner of my mouth split again in the same place as before.

All this time those 3 blisters have been there - six months now without any obvious variation.

My doctor said it was Herpes, and I was in and out of her office in 60 seconds with a prescription for Zovirax.  But after 4 days of applying zovirax 5 times (or more) a day, there's no change.

Could this, after all, NOT be cold sores?  Like I say, the blisters have not gone away in six months of first noticing them and this doesn't sound like what I know of Cold Sores.

[gracefromHHP]

More likely to be lichens than it is herpes.  Hope it clears up soon with the topical steroids.

grace

[Matth2009]

OK I had the results from my blood tests and they came back fine.  Perfectly clear apparently.

So I saw a skin specialist GP (not quite a derma but almost as good I guess)...

She diagnosed it as Lichen Planus and proscribed Eumovate cream for my lips and a stronger topical steroid for my shins which had also developed a slight rash.

I'm still not 100% convinced about the diagnosis but we'll see I guess.

[Matth2009]

Thanks Grace, I did say it had been six months to the doctor but I think she misunderstood - She didn't realise I meant that they'd stayed there for the whole six months.  I returned to the doctor yesterday afternoon and she has taken blood for testing of anemia, B-12 deficiency and a full blood count.

I'll post the results on Tuesday.

[gracefromHHP]

topical zovirax doesn't do much for herpes anyways.

This sounds like something else possibly going on. angular chelitis is something else quite common ( this would be the cracking in the corners of the lips ). sounds like you need a consult with someone else for further work up. The blisters that hav ebeen there for 6 months definitely are not herpes. oral herpes would not stay there relativelyunchanged for that long.

grace