Some make the mistake and see the marks or blemishes and think that Angular Cheilitis would need the same treatments as other, similar appearing skin conditions. Some mistakenly treat the cheilitis the same way as they would do with common cold sores. But this would only cause the skin to become more sore and the lesions and blemishes to become deeper and more apparent.

Why should you not use such creams and ointments if you have Angular Cheilitis?

Cold sore treatments usually come in the form of lotions or creams. The problem now is that Cheilitis is caused by fungus or bacteria which needs moisture so survive. The bacteria like and live in the moist environment. Without moisture they cannot survive.

Those common skin  treatments like cold sore ointments now simply add even more moisture to the affected areas, while the right way to treat it would actually to dry out the infected areas.

Without moisture the bacteria cannot survive and the angular cheilitis would usually reside after some time. This is the reason why the better angular cheilitis treatments always use some way to dry out skin and not to moisturize it.

The problem is, that at first glance it would make sense to apply ointments since this is what you would usually use when you have cracks and lesions on your skin. This certainly works for some other causes of skin irritations, but not for Cheilitis.

It is therefore important to understand the reason what causes Cheilitis (fungus or bacteria) and not put this condition into the same category as cold sores, some skin rash or maybe cracks caused by cold weather.

Once you have a proper diagnosis by a doctor you can start with the right treatment.

You should also know that for Cheilitis there are certain preventive ways to avoid it. One main reason for its appearance could be a bad nutrition which is missing certain vitamins, mainly B vitamins and iron.

You see, Angular Cheilitis needs a much deeper approach of treatment and simply applying creams or ointments would not help and actually worsen the condition.

(c) 2010 www.angularcheilitisweb.com

Here is our advice: Don’t do it!

One of the worst things you can do is picking and scratching the scabs and white flakes around your mouth. Not only is the chance of re-infection very high due to the constant touching of the affected area, it would also hinder the healing process quite a bit.

No matter what Angular Cheilitis treatment you are using, it is important that you leave the scabs and flakes alone. Try not to scratch or pick in a panic or because you are embarrassed and want them to go away quickly. If you pick the condition would get worse.

Use the treatment, stay calm..and most importantly, be patient.

Conventional Treatments for Angular Cheilitis

Cheilitis is a painful condition which can cause discomfort on many levels. First, there is the pain causes by the sores and lesions. Needless to say you want to get rid of it as fast possible. The second factor which we simply cannot ignore is of course that this condition can be quite embarrassing which just adds to the problems.

Here is a list of conventional Angular Cheilitis Treatments. As always, make sure to consult your doctor or physician before any such treatment is attempted.

There are several causes for Angular Cheilitis:

The condition can be caused by bacteria (which would make it a bacterial infection), but it can also be caused by yeast (similar to a candida infection).

For this reason it is always  advised to visit a dermatologist which can do a proper diagnosis for the actual cause of the infection. There are further factors which can be responsible for the condition. One of the reasons is bad nutrition with a lack of certain vitamins in the diet. The doctor might then recommend vitamin supplements helping with the healing process. It is always a good idea to eat healthy foods rich in vitamins, and Cheilitis is no exception.

Angular Cheilitis caused by candida fungus

For this kind of infection we can use anti fungal medication and steroids. Mycolog II Cream is common as well as Mycostatin. Those medications act both as an anti fungal and steroid combined where the anti fungal component gets rid of the candida/yeast and the steroid component is calming the swelling and sores around the mouth.

Needless to say that caution is advised since steroids can have side-effects when swallowed by mistake.

Treatment for Angular Cheilitis caused by bacteria

The doctor might prescribe antibiotics, either internally or externally. In case of bacterial infection it might be a good idea to look over your diet since bad nutrition can often weaken the immune system. With a better, healthier diet the immune system can be strengthened and the chances for infections can be reduced.

Further tips:

If you wear dentures, make sure the dentures fit right. If they dont fit right they might be causing pockets in the corners of the mouth which are a breeding grounds for bacteria. It is also crucial to keep the dentures always clean and disinfected. Use available cleaning solutions to get rid of the bacteria and fungus on the dentures. You can also soak the dentures in one part bleach and 10 parts water over night to get rid of bacteria.

Use lip balm if you think you are licking your lips too often. The saliva is bad because the moisture can provide another breeding ground for bacteria.

Angular Stomatitis is another term for Angular Cheilitis.

Is is caused either by the candida albicans fungus or by certain bacteria.

Root cause for Stomatitis is an abundance of moisture in the corners of the mouth,mainly caused by saliva buildups. This moisture is an ideal breeding ground for yeast fungus (candida) or bacteria which might trigger the condition.

Reasons for an abundance of saliva in the corners of the mouth could be drooling during sleep hours where the patient wouldn’t even notice. Another cause is frequent licking of the lips or dentures which don’t fit properly

Dentures

If dentures wont fit properly they cause a misalignment of the mouth and corners of the mouth, creating small pockets or folds where saliva can accumulate easily.

Otherwise, the same precautions and root causes for Angular Stomatitis apply as for Angular Cheilitis: Improper nutrition, namely lack of certain B vitamins in the diet, like a lack of vitamins B2, B3, B6 and B12 is one factor.

For proper treatment it is important that your doctor makes a diagnosis whether bacteria is causing the stomatitis or yeast (candida albicans). The reason is that both  causes of the stomatitis need a different approach and different medication.

If it turns out it is coming from a bacterial infection the doctor might prescribe antibiotics,while for the condition caused by yeast he might prescribe anti fungal medication instead.

(c) 2010 www.angularcheilitisweb.com

What are some root causes of this, and most importantly, how can you treat and prevent it from occurring?

You need to know that proper nutrition and vitamin levels can also play a big role.

It has been shown that a lack of certain B vitamins plays a role in the development of Angular Cheilitis.Vitamins B2, B12 and Iron are often used to treat the condition, so its not a bad idea to get supplements with B2, B12 and Iron. Those vitamins can help and speed up the healing process.

Milk is occasionally mentioned as beneficial also, due to enzymes in milk which are said to be good in fighting bacteria. Vitamin E is another vitamin which helps with the healing, it is easy obtainable, for example in the form of vitamin E capsules. Lip balm which contains vitamin E and which can be directly applied to the affected parts around the mouth can help too.

If you are affected by those painful lesions you might want to avoid spicy foods and drinks because they will only aggravate and irritate more. You should even avoid orange juice, it is very high in acid and would irritate the condition, causing more pain and slowing down the healing process.

Needless to say that a good oral hygiene will help with cheilitis too. This especially applies if you wear dentures. You want to make sure that the dentures itself are not becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. Keep them clean if you can. You can soak them in one part bleach and ten parts water over night to get rid of fungus or bacteria.

(c) 2010 www.angularcheilitisweb.com

However,  it is not necessarily that a vitamin deficiency causes Cheilitis, rather that it can slow down the healing process or make healing  impossible.

When our immune systems works on healing ourselves, this uses up many
bodily resources, and we  need to keep replenishing vitamins to maintain a certain level of strength and vitality.

The following vitamins play a role in this connection between Angular Cheilitis and vitamin deficiency:

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamine)
Iron

May the lack of those vitamins certainly not be the root cause of Angular Cheilitis,but it is reported that those who already have a deficiency in these vitamins before contracting Angular Cheilitis are more prone to suffering from it more seriously, with quicker advancements of the condition.

We have to know about this relationship between Cheilitis and a lack of vitamins, need to look at the data. We need to be aware of our vitamin intake, maintain it either through healthy nutrion supplements or with the help of vitamin supplements.

Those who suffer from this condition should eat foods or drink juices that are rich with these vitamins. This will strengthen the immune system in the fight against this condition, and any further treatments can then do their work in an unhindered environment with the best chance for a quick healing.

It starts with cracked lips and then develops into angular cheilitis. It is a swelling of the corners of your mouth causing pain and discomfort. Although it is by no means life threatening it is painful and can hit the self esteem hard. No one wants to look in the mirror and wonder what is wrong with their mouth.

The mouth is one of the most prominent features on the face. When it is covered in a rash, surrounded by cracks, and dotted with sores it is hard to find beauty in it. Your self esteem can suffer while you have this condition which in turn means angular cheilitis also effects your job and social life. When you don’t feel presentable enough to approach people being social becomes difficult and being at work seems unbearable.

Noticing the signs of cracked lips, swelling, bleeding etc early can be a real benefit because most time angular cheilitis doesn’t go away on its own. If you can begin treatment early then symptoms reduce more quickly and become less noticeable with each passing day. Don’t be afraid to apply lip balm when your lips are chapped you don’t know what exactly you are preventing. Or if you know your diet is deficient in a particular vitamin or mineral make and effort to incorporate that into your meals. You won’t be the only one before too long that can see your deficiency.

When someone licks their lips it creates the perfect environment for fungus and yeast to grow at the corners of the mouth causing this painful condition.
Here are some symptoms to watch for:

-Sores anywhere on your lips and/or corners of your mouth.
-Bleeding when the mouth is opened wide
-Spilting on the corners or inside of the mouth that are very painful

With symptoms as noticeable as that it is pretty easy to see why someone would be self conscious about their condition. When angular cheilitis appears it is important that you treat it immediately. As the symptoms grow worse not only do they get more painful but they also get more unappealing.

Make-ups and things used to conceal the repercussions of angular cheilitis can be only more damaging because they lock in the fungus and yeast. So not only are they noticeable side effects but they can not be covered up. If angular cheilitis goes untreated then the condition worsens and becomes more painful and noticeable.

No one wants to look in the mirror and see cracks, sores, and fissures staring back at them. It is a depressing and painful sight. There are ways to treat this condition but the longer you wait the longer it will take for those treatments to help. Angular cheilitis can be healed if just takes some time and the right array of resources.

Don’t be fooled though that if it heals on its own that you are out of trouble. If your condition does heal on its own then the chances are extremely high that it will come back again in the next few months. If you don’t treat it it will continually come back over and over. Watch for the symptoms, treat it immediately and be consistent in your treatment. You don’t have to suffer with the pain and low self esteem that comes with Angular Cheilitis, so don’t.

What is angular chelitis?

Angular chelitis is defined as an inflammation at labial commissures ( which means at the corners of the mouth ). Though the condition is not life threatening it can leave you in pain for many days. In fact there are cases of real life people whose condition continued for months together and in one case that I read, the person had it for almost five years. So this means that the condition can cause trouble to you for a good time if you don’t start the angular cheilitis treatment early.

Various causes for the formation of angular chelitis

The reasons behind this condition have not been found exactly till now. But some proposed reasons according to studies are iron deficiency, candidiasis, malnutrition, Glucagonoma etc. People who have diseases like diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism are also at the risk of developing angular chelitis. Some other causes include

1) accumulation of saliva at the corners of mouth which help fungus and yeast to grow

2) licking of the corners of mouth

3) fixing the dentures in a wrong manner

Symptoms of angular chelitis

If you have angular chelitis you can observe some of the symptoms like

1)cracks at the corners of the mouth which will hurt depending upon severity

2)splitting due to wide opened mouth which may result in bleeding

3)bumps are also observed sometimes

4)the skin gives a dry and flaky appearance

Angular chelitis is not harmful but it may give you sleepless nights, embarrassment in public because of the way they look at you and may continue for a long time. Many times people give you names which hurt you but do not take those things seriously. This may result in stress and tension which will affect your health.