Lips in the corners of the lips: causes and treatment
What some people just don’t do to get rid of sores in the mouth: they smear them with tobacco ash, onion juice, honey. The most desperate apply earwax to the wound. And it is not familiar to them, the sufferers, that such exotic therapy can result in complications and frequent relapses. After all the only reason that there are seizures in the corners of the mouth is the activation of pathogenic microbes, and their treatment with folk remedies does not take.
Moreover, along with earwax an additional portion of bacteria gets on the sore. Onion juice and ashes dry the skin, which accelerates the appearance of cracks. Honey is sweet and it’s “to your taste” fungi. The conclusion is obvious: if you are tortured by jamming, you need to run to the clinic and eliminate the cause of the activation of microbes, and not become an experimenter.
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How a little sore turns into a crack
Angulitis, that's what dermatologists call wounds in the corners of the lips, is inflammation of the skin. Anyone can get sick with such ailment. She does not select victims by age, gender and cleanliness. At one annoying moment, a sore suddenly pops up, and a bubble appears on the once well-groomed skin. Over time, it bursts and crusts. And a person begins to feel pain and burning.
If treatment is not started, the infection will reach the level of the lymph nodes. From the wound, fluid begins to be released, which will spread to the surrounding epidermis. It will dry out, lose elasticity and crack.
If you continue to ignore the sore, the inflammation will cover neighboring areas, and new cracks will arise, which will merge with the previous ones and form one large wound. As a result, ulcers may appear. But such an eerie scenario does not threaten everyone.
Why do jams appear in the mouth
The direct culprits of angulitis are microorganisms. Moreover, of all the representatives of the microbial world, only two can cause this disease: bacterial and fungal microbes. The most active pathogens are streptococci and fungi of the genus Candida. They are capable of provoking local inflammation of the upper layers of the epidermis.
Both types of microorganisms are conditionally pathogenic and make up the natural microflora of the skin. When a person is healthy, they do not cause him trouble. In order for microbes to activate, a push is needed. And the severity of the disease depends on the reason that served as such an impetus.
Violation of the integrity of the skin
If the epidermis is damaged and weakened, it is not able to withstand microbes and therefore becomes inflamed. Adverse effects on the skin are:
- Hard water, soap, wet wipes.
- The habit of pulling dirty objects into your mouth.
- Too spicy, salty, sour food.
- Long kisses, especially in the cold.
- The habit of biting your nails.
- Smoking, snapping seeds.
- Poor hygiene lipstick.
- Unsuitable lip balm.
It’s easy to cure such a jam: enough ointment therapy. Often it passes on its own as soon as the damaged epidermis is restored. But keep in mind that the ailment can go into a chronic form if you do not get rid of the irritating factor.
Decreased immunity
When the protective functions of the body are weakened, staphylococci and fungi, which have always been on the upper layers of the skin, begin to multiply actively. Still would! After all, now no one controls them, and they can finally replenish their population.
Microorganisms are good, but not very good for humans, since this whole scenario leads to a deplorable result: the epidermis in the corners of the mouth becomes inflamed and crusty. It will not be possible to get rid of a cosmetic defect without medications, it is just right to gather the will into a fist and switch to heavy artillery: antifungal or antibacterial drugs. And so that the sores do not appear again - to strengthen the immune system.
Internal diseases
70% of schoolchildren and almost every adult have chronic pathologies that can cause jamming in the corners of the mouth. Acute viral, bacterial or infectious diseases are no exception, since any internal ailment can lead to a decrease in immunity and, as a result, an active growth of conditionally pathogenic microflora.
Often sores are formed with such pathologies:
Gastric ulcer, gastritis, liver disease.- Violation of the intestinal microflora.
- Anemia and other blood diseases.
- Atopic or allergic dermatitis.
- Diabetes mellitus, anorexia.
- Renal failure.
- Acute viral infections.
- Avitaminosis. Especially lack of vitamin E, group B.
- HIV, AIDS and other immunodeficiencies.
- Candidiasis stomatitis, glossitis.
To rid the corners of the mouth from jamming once and for all, you need to identify the cause of their appearance and take a course of complex therapy: eliminate both a skin defect and the pathology due to which it was formed. Otherwise, the ailment will return and go into a chronic form.
Types of angulitis or what are also called zaedy
Seizures are unilateral and bilateral. Acute and chronic. And they are also divided into three types, each of which develops through the fault of a specific pathogen:
- Streptococcal.
- Candidamycotic or fungal.
- Mixed etiology.
At the appointment with a dentist, therapist or dermatologist, you can hear other names for ailments: angular stomatitis or cheilitis, slit-like impetigo, angular stomatitis. They should not give rise to violent fantasies about the criticality of his condition. Such “scary" words conceal the same inflammatory process.
Diagnosis at home: photos and symptoms
Each type of angulitis is characterized by different external manifestations. At the initial stage of streptococcal seizures, single vesicles appear in the corners of the patient's lips. They are small in size - with the eye of a needle, flaccid walls. Filled with purulent contents and quickly opened.
When the bubbles burst, wet cracks form in their place, which merge with each other and turn into a continuous wound. Literally two hours later, it dries and becomes covered with yellowish crusts. If you tear them off, they will instantly recover.
Attention! Streptococcal zadu is easy to confuse with herpes. With it, bubbles also appear, but they have large sizes and strained walls. Even before the rashes, overall health worsens: body temperature rises, weakness attacks.
Photo: streptococcal jam
At the initial stage of candidal seizure, red erosion appears in the corners of the mouth. Their characteristic difference is the varnish surface. Yes, and the fringing of pale color is hard not to notice.
Photo: Candidamycotic angulitis
Over time, the skin around the focus of inflammation becomes covered with a white curd coating. And a little later deep cracks form. Infection can affect not only the edges, but also other parts of the lips. As well as the epidermis around the mouth, tongue and mucous membrane.
Diagnostics in a medical facility
If you want to know which microbe is “active” in the corners of your mouth, do not do self-diagnostics - go to the clinic. The doctor will identify the pathogen with 100% accuracy.And the simplest method will help him in this - microbiological examination of a smear from the focus of inflammation. In the same way, he will determine the susceptibility of the infection to drugs and prescribe effective therapeutic agents.
In order to identify the pathology that caused the formation of jamming in the corners of the lips, a number of additional examinations are necessary. They are assigned individually. First, the doctor will examine, listen to complaints, and then make a list of necessary tests. It may include:
- General blood analysis.
- General urine analysis.
- Blood chemistry.
- Hepatic tests.
- Blood test for sugar.
- ELISA blood test for HIV.
Someone will need to do an ultrasound of the abdominal organs. And someone will have to consult a dentist, endocrinologist or other specialists.
Getting Rid of Angulitis: Traditional Therapy
Small streptococcal seizures can pass without medical treatment. It is only necessary to remove from the diet too sour, salty, spicy and sweet food. Stop biting your nails, quit smoking or get rid of another bad habit, which irritates the skin at the corners of the mouth and is the reason for the development of angulitis.
Conditionally full recovery should occur on the 5-7th day. If the jams do not go away for a long time, there is every reason to visit the clinic. Remember that not being treated can cause ulcers.
Antiseptic products from seizure for adults
Antiseptics are prescribed to almost all patients with angulitis. They have a local effect: they prevent the growth of microbes and prevent the infection from spreading to healthy areas of the skin.
When choosing a product, pay attention to the composition. In him there should be no alcohol, since it irritates the already damaged epidermis and can accelerate the formation of cracks. Safe in this regard:
- Miramistin solution.
- Stomatidine.
- Chlorhexidine.
- Hydrogen peroxide.
- Solution furatsilina.
It is enough just to smear the antiseptic on the corners of the mouth, but you can cure the seizure much faster if you make lotions and apply them to problem areas for at least 15 minutes. And in fact, and in another case, the sore must be lubricated at least three times a day.
Ointment therapy for adults
The active substances of ointments also affect the pathogen jammed on the lips, but penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin. And they do not interfere with the reproduction of microbes, but contribute to their death.
Depending on the type of infection, antibacterial, antifungal or combination agents are used.
| Type of angulitis | The list of effective ointments | Application rules |
|---|---|---|
| Streptococcal |
Important! Levomekol can not handle lips. |
Ointment from the jam can be spread on the corners of the mouth and adjacent areas of the skin. But it is better to apply on a sterile napkin and apply to the inflamed area all night. This will speed up the healing process.
With the help of antibacterial ointments, you only need to fight streptococcal seizure. Against fungi, they are powerless and even able to aggravate the course of the disease. |
| Candidamycotic |
|
Only the corners of the mouth can be smeared with antifungal ointment from the jam. With solutions, they also treat inflamed skin and areas near it. |
| Mixed etiology |
|
They are used only as directed by a doctor. |
If treatment with ointments does not help get rid of angulitis, the doctor will prescribe general-action drugs: penicillins, tetracyclines, medications for fungi in the form of tablets or capsules. All funds must be used as directed by a doctor!
The fight against jamming in children
Angulitis affects not only adults, but also kids. Their skin in the mouth also does not become inflamed for no reason. Most often this happens due to weak immunity and the presence of a large number of microbes. Therefore, treatment of seizure in children should begin with the use of vitamin complexes and improve the microflora of the oral cavity.In parallel with vitamins, external medications must be used.
Attention! Ointments and antiseptics for the child should be prescribed by a doctor. All drugs have a lot of contraindications. For example, the instructions for the same tetracycline ointment indicate that it can not be prescribed to children under 8 years of age. Solutions of stomatodyne and miramistin can cause an allergic reaction in a child up to three years. And vinylin, due to possible toxicity, is unsafe even for adolescents. Do not experiment on the health of the baby - consult a doctor.
How to Replenish Vitamin Supply
Immunity can decrease with any deficiency, but most often with seizures there are not enough B vitamins. Especially riboflavin - B2. Therefore, it is extremely important to include in the food products that contain it in sufficient quantities:
- Green vegetables: cabbage, cucumbers.
- Beef and chicken liver.
- Flour and buckwheat.
- Peanuts and Almonds.
- Eggs and milk.
Vitamins can also be used in the form of synthetic complexes. But if you want to get rid of the jam quickly and for a long time, it is advisable to make up for the shortage naturally. Natural vitamins are better absorbed and bring much more benefits.
How to be treated at home
You can treat corners of the mouth from jam with home remedies. Here you need to observe only one condition - do not aggravate inflammation. Therefore, all the dubious advice from the people: lubricate the wound with earwax, tobacco ash, honey - skip past the ears and use only those household products that will help the skin recover and not harm.
You can anoint the jam:
- Sea buckthorn, linseed, corn, olive oil.
- A decoction of chamomile, calendula, sage, string.
- Tea tree oil or rose hips.
You can speed up the treatment of jam in the corners of the lips with lotions with aloe juice or compresses with green tea. But all these methods will not work if you ignore drug therapy and do not eliminate the cause of the disease. Therefore, those who tortured angulitis, first need to run to the doctor, and only then go to traditional medicine.
