Lip lick dermatitis

What is the lip treatment? dermatitis?

Lip licker's dermatitis is a reaction of the lips (eczematous cheilitis) and surrounding skin (irritating contact dermatitis) due to contact with an irritating substance, in this case, saliva from the patient's tongue [1,2].

Other names for lip licking dermatitis are lickable cheilitis, irritant contact cheilitis due to lip licking, lip licking eczema, saliva-induced contact dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis due to saliva.

How do you get lip licker dermatitis?

Lick lip dermatitis is commonly seen in school-age children, although it can present at any age [2,3]. In some patients, difficulty with impulse. control or cognitive impairment contributes to compulsive licking lips [4.5].

How does licking lips cause dermatitis?

Lip licking can begin with or without an initial stimulus, such as chapping in cold, dry weather.

• The patient is constantly engaged in licking his lips, often unconsciously, moistening the skin with saliva.
• The constant wet-dry cycle of saliva due to repeated lip licking disrupts the normal function of the skin barrier and causes inflammation.
• Continued inflammation drives further lip licking, perpetuating the cycle [1,3].

What are the clinical features of lip licker dermatitis?

licking lips creates chronic generalized redness, dryness and climbing of lips and surrounding skin typically in a distribution that corresponds to the reach of the patient's tongue.

• The area of inflammation frequently crosses the vermilion border of the lip.
• Symptoms may worsen during winter.
• The patient often complains of burning and dryness. [1–3].

What are the complications of lip licker's dermatitis?

Although lip licking may seem like a benign habit, there are potentially significant complications.

• Skin breakdown can lead to a secondary bacterial skin infection (usually Staphylococcus aureus) or yeast infection (Candida albicans)
• Chronic inflammation can cause long-term post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation [4].

How is lip licker's dermatitis diagnosed?

Lip licker's dermatitis is usually diagnosed clinically, based on the characteristic appearance. Lip licking may be observed during evaluation, but direct observation is not required.

Skin biopsy it is generally not indicated [3].

Which is the differential diagnosis for lip licker dermatitis?

Conditions that are often confused with lip licker's dermatitis include:

• Allergic contact cheilitis and allergic contact dermatitis: a hypersensitivity reaction after contact with a allergen often occurs intermittently; this is often located and variable in appearance

• Periorificial dermatitis: this does not involve the vermilion of the lip or the skin immediately adjacent to the lip and usually causes papules.

What is the treatment for lip licker's dermatitis?

Behavior modification to reduce lip licking is essential. Treatment may include:

• Emollient lipstick
• Mild to moderate resistance current corticosteroids (eg, hydrocortisone ointment) [5]
• A topical calcineurin inhibitor (tacrolimus ointment or pimecrolimus cream)

What is the likely outcome of lip lick dermatitis?

Lip licking dermatitis often resolves with appropriate treatment, but may recur or require long-term treatment if lip licking behavior cannot be corrected [5].