Are you having a problem with red rings around the lips?

Redness around the lips can be caused by habits like constantly licking the lips, medication side effects, or infection.

Persistent lip licking and certain medications can contribute to red rings. Pinpointing the trigger helps in adopting targeted strategies for relief.

Understanding these factors provides informed steps toward restoring the natural health of your lips.

1. Perioral Dermatitis

This is a condition of red rashes around the mouth that look like acne but are not. It is a condition that leaves the lips swollen, itchy, painful, dry, and flaky.

Topical steroid creams, face creams, cosmetics, sunscreen, toothpaste, and chewing gums can cause skin irritation and be the reason behind perioral dermatitis.

It is always advised to visit a dermatologist when the conditions worsen. Mild fragrance-free products can help keep dermatitis from time to time.

1.1. Types and Locations

There are typical and granulomatous forms of perioral dermatitis, with prepubertal children more prone to the latter. The rash commonly occurs around the mouth but can affect eyelids, eyes, nose, and occasionally, other areas like genitals, ears, neck, scalp, trunk, and extremities.

1.2. Risk Factors and Causes

Most at risk are women aged 25-45 using topical steroids. However, children and men can also develop it. Other potential causes include hormonal changes, fluoride toothpaste and allergies to dental fillings.

The cause is also often linked to oral contraceptives and topical steroid overuse, with theories involving candida albicans or bacterial factors.

1.3. Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis involves a visual examination, occasionally supported by a skin biopsy. Treatment requires discontinuing products causing the condition, including steroids and face creams.

Medications like erythromycin, clindamycin avoiding triggers, zinc supplements, and oral antibiotics are prescribed. Seeing a dermatologist may be helpful as well. Remissions are possible, but no known cure exists, and relapses might occur.

2. Lip Dermatitis

Lip dermatitis, known as eczema on the lips or eczematous cheilitis, is a condition where the skin around the lips appears red and cracked, which results in itching & pain. The constant licking of lips causes it to get rid of dry and chapped lips, a problem of Lip licker’s Dermatitis.

Lip dermatitis may also occur due to an allergic reaction to toothpaste, medicines, cosmetics, etc. People also tend to lick their lips when they are anxious or stressed.

Both home remedies and medical treatments can offer relief.

2.1. Types and Symptoms of Lip Dermatitis

Lip dermatitis encompasses various types, such as irritants and allergic contact cheilitis. Symptoms may include a rash, dryness, flakiness, itching, burning, and pain. Unlike dry lips, lip eczema often involves severe chapping, inflammation, and scaliness.

2.2. Triggers and Causes

Environmental factors, including irritating substances in lip products, contribute to lip dermatitis. Genetic factors may play a role, and some cases arise from contact with allergens. Angular cheilitis, associated with infection, is common in individuals with diabetes.

2.3. Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosing lip dermatitis involves a skin exam, occasionally complemented by a skin biopsy. Treatment options include medicated creams, moisturizing, lip balms, and antifungal creams for specific cases like angular cheilitis. Natural remedies such as coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, and acupuncture may also provide relief.

2.4. Prevention

Preventing lip dermatitis involves identifying and avoiding triggers, conducting patch tests for new products, and managing stress. Lip dermatitis is not contagious, healing time varies, and accurate diagnosis by a doctor is crucial.

Other conditions like cold sores or chapped lips may resemble eczema, highlighting the importance of consulting a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.

2.5. Treatment of Lip Dermatitis

Lip dermatitis can be cured by making a few changes in routine habits like;

• Use aloe vera gel and lip balm with sun protection.
• Avoid licking the lips for instant hydration.
• Use natural moisturizers like coconut oil, Shea butter, olive oil and l, and sunflower seed oil.
• Exfoliating dry skin from time to time with a homemade scrub
• Avoid smoking
• Take extra care during the winter season.
• Keep your body hydrated.

3. Some Simple Ways to Prevent Red Rings Around Lips

Licking lips is mainly practiced to get instant relief from dry and flaky lips, but licking worsens the condition as saliva tends to leave the lips dry.

Human saliva contains digestive matter that, over time, gets settled in the delicate skin of the lips, leading to worse conditions of dryness, which may result in bleeding due to breaking skin.

Maintaining soft, nourished lips is a common goal, yet the emergence of red rings around the lips can be a persistent concern. There are practical strategies to prevent and alleviate this issue.

3.1. Using Lip Balm with Sun Protection

Using a good quality lip balm with sun protection regularly is beneficial to keep the lip nourished and moisturized throughout the day.

Applying moisturizing lip balm in the correct proportion is essential. Never overdo it; it can cause reverse effects by leaving the lips dry. Apply a thin layer of lip balm at a time and reapply when required. It will help to fight dry and chapped lips.

3.2. Using natural nourishing oil and butter

It helps keep the lips moisturized without harmful chemical-based lip balms and moisturizers. Natural properties in coconut oil and Shea butter keep the lips hydrated for a long and do not leave them dry. They also help keep the skin around the lips healthy and avoid skin breaking up.

Coconut oil has nourishing properties that keep the lip moisturized and help heal dry and chapped lips from within as it absorbs deep into the skin.

3.3. Exfoliating Lips Timely

That is why it is advised to exfoliate the skin on & around the lips; our lips are exposed to heat, dirt & dust most of the time, which can lead to breaking and cutting openings in the skin.

Also, exfoliating the form occasionally helps remove the dead skin on the lips. It is essential to remove the dead skin as it is one of the significant reasons the lips are dry and chapped.

Homemade scrubs like mixing honey with sugar, coffee powder and honey, and coconut oil. These homemade scruples remove the dead skin without leaving the lips dry, as nourishing properties in honey and coconut oil keep the lips moisturized.

3.4. Avoid smoking

Smoking exposes the skin to nicotine and heat produced by smoking cigarettes, leaving the lips dry and causing hyperpigmentation. The harsh chemicals in the cigarette damage collagen and el, Astin causing wrinkling and sagging of lips.

3.5. Extra care during the  Winter Season

In the winter season, in the cold atmosphere, our skin requires extra nourishment and care. The skin on our lips is sensitive and can require a bit more care than the rest of our skin on the body.

Dry lips are majorly caused in winter. You must have noticed bleeding lips if they are not moisturized and cared for.

The skin on our lips does not have sebaceous oil glands like the rest of our skin; this is the reason that exposes the lips to dryness, especially in cold weather conditions.

3.6. Keeping the Body Hydrated

Since our lips do not contain any oil, keeping the body hydrated is a way of keeping our lips nourished and not drying out quickly; it is also essential to avoid licking the lips, as explained earlier.

3.7. Chewing gums in case of Anxiety and Stress

People are widely observed biting and licking their lips when anxious, stressed, or thinking deeply. Still, input in any condition, these habits of licking and biting lips can damage the lips immensely, so it is advised to chew gums, which is the best way to stop licking and biting lips as the saliva hurts the lips and leaves them; lips licking repeatedly can cause severe long-term damages.

4. The Takeaway

Whether caused by perioral or lip dermatitis, red rings around the lips can be effectively addressed through home remedies and professional care.

Identifying triggers and adopting preventive measures, such as using lip balm with sun protection, natural oils, and regular exfoliation, contributes to maintaining long-term lip health.

While home remedies are beneficial, persistent or severe cases may require dermatological consultation, emphasizing the importance of seeking professional advice for prolonged conditions.

Considering weather conditions and lip requirements, a proactive approach helps alleviate and prevent red rings, ensuring nourished and healthy lips year-round.

Last Updated on January 3, 2024 by Michael98