Angular cheilitis

Angular cheilitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the corners of the mouth. 

What causes angular cheilitis?

What are the symptoms of angular cheilitis?

How is angular cheilitis diagnosed?

What is the treatment for cheilitis?



## 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](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/eczema-atopic)
- 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](/health-library/conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease) or [Down’s syndrome](/health-library/conditions/downs-syndrome)
- retinoid medication e.g. isotretinoin for acne or acitretin for psoriasis


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## 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](/health-library/conditions/impetigo) or [thrush](/health-library/conditions/oral-thrush-adults) in the skin surrounding your mouth and elsewhere.


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## 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.


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## 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.


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References

Article information

All of Healthily's articles undergo medical safety checks to verify that the information is medically safe. View more details in our <a href="/safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">safety page</a>, or read our <a href="/legal/editorial-policy-principles" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">editorial policy</a>.

Angular cheilitis is a common inflammatory condition that affects the corners of the mouth. It can come on suddenly and has several causes.