Do you have painful cracks on both sides of your lips? If you have, you should consult your doctor to find out if you have angular cheilitis. Do you have any idea about this infection? There are lots of things and important pieces of information that you should know about this condition.
What is Angular Cheilitis?
It is the condition wherein the lip corners are affected which can lead to inflamed mouth corners, painful cracks and bleeding depending on the severity of your condition. This infection is also known as angular stomatitis and cheilosis. Angular cheilitis is one of the most common conditions that affect both men and women.
Causes of Angular Cheilitis
There are several factors that can trigger the development of cheilosis. Thus, the treatment for you may not be the same with other patients who have this infection as well. The main cause of angular cheilitis is the accumulation of moisture at the lip corners. Since moisture allows the bacteria to breed, infection or inflammation can develop. Nutrition and oral hygiene also contribute to the development of the disease. If you have deficiency in iron, vitamin B or zinc, you have more chances to suffer from angular cheilitis. There are some cases wherein the cause of the disease is fungal infections. Sometimes, the person who is suffering from it may assume that he or she has mouth thrush.
Signs and Symptoms of Angular Cheilitis
A person who is infected with this disease will notice the formation of crusts within the corners of his or her lips. However, before it happens, these crusts will begin to appear as small cracks. Licking your lips is never a good thing to do since saliva contains bacteria that can cause the infection. The first symptom of angular cheilitis is cracked or chapped lips.
Possible Complication of Angular Cheilitis
If you have angular stomatitis, you should be careful and consult your doctor immediately to avoid any possible disease that may develop due to your present condition. The most common complication of angular cheilitis is the acquired linear anetoderma. So to prevent the development of this possible complication, you should seek medical help immediately. Treatment for angular cheilitis is always available and the diagnosis of your doctor would be the key to know the best treatment for your condition.
Appropriate Treatment for Angular Cheilitis
The most usual treatment used to alleviate the signs and symptoms of this infection is topical antibacterial or anti-fungal cream depending on the microorganism that triggered the disease. If you have angular cheilitis, your doctor may advise you to apply 1% hydrocortisone cream on the corners of your lips. This will be helpful in making the infected area dry. You can also use herbal medicines or perform holistic care so that the reoccurrence of infection will be prevented. These actions are typically more advantageous as they can cure the condition internally than treating the signs and symptoms only.
These are the important details that you need to know about angular cheilitis. Always remember that proper hygiene is important to avoid this infection. You can ask your doctor or search the web if you want to learn more about it.
Check out my latest article on angular cheilitis treatment
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