Angular cheilitis

3 min read

Angular cheilitis is a common inflammatory condition that affects the corners of the mouth. It is also called angular stomatitis, cheilosis or perleche. It can come on suddenly and last a short time, or it can be an ongoing condition.

In this article

What causes angular cheilitis?

Angular cheilitis has several causes, including:

  • excessive moisture from saliva
  • a fungal, bacterial or viral infection
  • an overhanging upper lip that creates deep furrows in the corners of the mouth (marionette lines)
  • dry, chapped lips

Licking your lips a lot can make angular cheilitis worse, and certain factors can make you more likely to develop the skin condition. These include:

  • oral thrush
  • sensitive skin, especially atopic eczema
  • wearing dentures, especially if they do not fit well or you have receding gums
  • nutritional deficiencies e.g. if you have coeliac disease or low levels of iron or vitamin B2
  • certain illnesses or conditions e.g.
    inflammatory bowel disease
    or
    Down’s syndrome
  • retinoid medication e.g. isotretinoin for acne or acitretin for psoriasis

What are the symptoms of angular cheilitis?

Angular cheilitis usually causes skin changes at the corners of the mouth. These changes include:

  • painful cracks
  • redness
  • oozing and crusting
  • blisters
  • bleeding

In some cases, angular cheilitis may lead to an infection, such as

impetigo
or
thrush
in the skin surrounding your mouth and elsewhere.

How is angular cheilitis diagnosed?

A doctor will usually diagnose angular cheilitis based on your symptoms, medical history and an examination of your mouth. In some cases, they may also swab the corners of your mouth (and sometimes the inside of your mouth) to check for bacteria, fungi or viruses that may be causing your symptoms.

What is the treatment for cheilitis?

Angular cheilitis often needs no treatment and gets better on its own in time.

If there is an infection, it will usually be treated with an antifungal, antiseptic or antibiotic cream or ointment, depending on the type of infection.

This is typically followed by treatment with a barrier (waterproof) cream or petrolatum, which should be applied often (especially at night) to help protect the skin from moisture.

Other treatments that may be useful include:

  • steroid ointments
  • botox injections to smooth out the lines around your mouth
  • nutritional supplements - if you have low levels of specific nutrients
  • implants or injections with fillers to build up the corners of your mouth

It is common for angular cheilitis to recur.

Did you find this useful?

Article information

Last reviewed:
16 June 2020
Next review:
16 June 2023

We include references at the end of every article, so you know where we get our facts. We only ever take evidence from medically-recognised sources, approved by the UK National Health Service's The Information Standard, or certified by Health On the Net (HON). When we talk about popular health trends or claims, we'll always tell you if there's very little or no evidence to back them up. Our medical team also checks our sources, making sure they're appropriate and that we've interpreted the science correctly.

Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.