What Is Lip Licking Dermatitis? Prevention, Treatment & More

Lip licking dermatitis is a condition that can cause pain, discomfort, and embarrassment. Learn about the causes and treatments at My Skin Treatment.

Intro

Everyone has experienced the uncomfortable sensation of dry, chapped lips. Lip licking dermatitis, however, can cause sore, red, broken, or flaky skin around the lips and mouth to reach extreme levels.¹

Fortunately, if you are prone to this condition, you can take many preventative steps to reduce symptoms, and there are a few treatments available to give you soothing relief.

Understanding whether you have the condition and what causes it are the first steps back to soft, healthy skin.

What is Lip Licking Dermatitis?

Lip licking dermatitis is a condition in which your lips and the skin around your mouth can become dry, red, cracked, and flaky due to excessive licking.

Dry, chapped lips are a common problem. Both frigid, dry weather and natural and synthetic irritants can dry the skin. When your lips feel dry, you may be tempted to moisten them with saliva. However, the digestive enzymes in your saliva can harm the thin skin around your lips and mouth.²

As this residual salvia dries, it only exacerbates any damage already present. This, in turn, causes a repetitive cycle in which you may lick your lips repeatedly to get relief, leading to painful, damaged skin.³

What Are the Symptoms of Lip Licking Dermatitis?

Lip licking dermatitis symptoms include red, irritated, and sore skin around the lips and unusually severe dry, flakey, cracked, or bleeding lips.

Lip licking dermatitis can lead to:⁴

Cheilitis simplex — chapped lips
Angular cheilitis — sore, dry patches at the corners of your mouth⁵
Eczematous cheilitis — inflammation of the lips
Exfoliative cheilitis — persistent peeling of the lips
Factitial cheilitis — crusting and ulceration of the lips
Secondary infections

Remember that the above complications can be caused by various other medical conditions, such as contact with an allergen.⁶

Who is Most Likely to Suffer From Lip Licking Dermatitis?

Excessive lip licking is a common habit, but you may be susceptible if you suffer from nervousness or anxious feelings. You may be tempted to engage in repetitive behaviors to calm your nerves — including repetitive lip licking.⁷

Alternatively, many lip licking dermatitis causes stem from a tendency toward dry skin. For example, some medications can cause dehydrated skin, which may, in turn, lead to lip licking. Chemotherapy drugs, medicines containing high levels of vitamin A, and diuretics are all common culprits.⁸

Breathing out of your mouth rather than your nose can also cause your lips to dry out more frequently. Nasal congestion can make you more susceptible to lip licking dermatitis.⁹

When Should I See a Doctor?

If your lips become painful, scaly, inflamed, or conditions do not improve with at-home treatment, you may suffer from a more severe condition and should see your healthcare provider.¹⁰

How Can You Prevent Lip Licking Dermatitis?

Applying a layer of lip balm throughout the day and before bedtime can help prevent damage to your lips caused by lip licking and harsh weather.¹¹

Read lip balm ingredient lists before use, as many products contain irritants such as menthol, peppermint, and a range of dyes and preservatives. On the other hand, balms with some UV protection are a good choice and can safeguard your lips from extreme weather conditions.¹²

Extreme wind, cold, and heat can all cause chapped lips. Protect your face with a scarf in cold weather or a humidifier in dry weather to help your skin retain moisture. Additionally, drinking plenty of fluids contributes to keeping your skin healthy and hydrated.¹³

Lip Licking Dermatitis Treatment Options

What Kind of Products Would Help Lip Licking Dermatitis?

Lip licking dermatitis treatments may include lip balms and petroleum jellies. Lip balm can keep skin moist and break the negative cycle of chronic lip licking. ¹⁴

Treatments are aimed at improving symptoms and preventing complications.¹⁵

What Should You Do if Your Lip Licking is a Nervous Habit?

Consider replacing the lip licking with applying your lip balm. This has the added benefit of providing relief to lips while helping avoid long-lasting consequences from lip licking. Consult your healthcare provider first for evaluation and treatment options as this can be a sign of other conditions.¹⁶

What Should You Avoid if You Have Lip Licking Dermatitis?

If lips are painful and damaged, it is best not to pick at the dead skin. This irritates the lips and could make your symptoms worse. Please contact your healthcare provider if chronic picking is present, as certain evaluations and treatments may be needed.¹⁷

Find Relief and Prevent a Relapse

With most skin conditions, prevention is better than cure. Regular measures to protect your skin can help avoid multiple medical problems, including lip licking dermatitis. Alternatively, there are many products available that can give relief from the painful symptoms of this habit.

SOURCES:

DermNetNZ: Lip Licker’s Dermatitis
Sciencedirect: Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis
DermNetNZ: Lip Licker’s Dermatitis
Sciencedirec: Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis
DermNetNZ: Angular cheilitis
DermNetNZ: Lip Licker’s Dermatitis
Sciencedirect: Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis
Sciencedirect: Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis
Sciencedirect: Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis
Cleveland Clinic: Actinic Cheilitis
Sciencedirect: Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis
Sciencedirect: Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis
NHS: Sore or Dry Lips
Sciencedirect: Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis
Sciencedirect: Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis
Sciencedirect: Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis
Sciencedirect: Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis

Table of Content