Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis

Dry, cracked lips are a common occurrence in both cold winter months and arid climates, leading many patients to experience discomfort year-round. Lip-licking is a compensatory measure that perpetuates the condition and often leads to lip-licking dermatitis. In patients in whom this compensatory mea...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of women's dermatology 2020-12, Vol.6 (5), p.377-380
Main Authors: Fonseca, Allene, Jacob, Sharon E., Sindle, Allison
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cheilitis
Dermatitis
Lip-licking
Patient education
Prevention
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Dry, cracked lips are a common occurrence in both cold winter months and arid climates, leading many patients to experience discomfort year-round. Lip-licking is a compensatory measure that perpetuates the condition and often leads to lip-licking dermatitis. In patients in whom this compensatory measure becomes a chronic habit, other sequelae such as irritant contact dermatitis, cheilitis simplex, angular cheilitis, factitial cheilitis, secondary infections, and exfoliative cheilitis can arise. Given the high prevalence of lip-licking and subsequent dermatitis, it is important to counsel patients on interventions to prevent associated dermatitis and treatment methods to alleviate symptoms. Practical interventions in a daily routine should include application of a bland lip balm with ultraviolet protection, adequate hydration, protection of the lips from harsh weather conditions, and recognizing when dermatitis is present and further dermatologic care is indicated.
ISSN:2352-6475
2352-6475
DOI:10.1016/j.ijwd.2020.06.001