Why are cracks in the corners of the lips so painful?It turns out that the lips are a hundred times more nerve endings than at the tips of the fingers. Lips mother measures the temperature of the child and feels the slightest increase in her. The skin there is very tender. That is why it requires special care.
If you start inflammation, it takeschronic and harder to cure. Despite the fact that there are many popular methods of treatment, it is impossible to determine by eye the nature of the lesion and its cause. The result can only give a laboratory analysis. Especially since such a inflammation can hide a serious illness that has such symptoms.
Lip skin structure
The skin on the lips smoothly passes into the mucousshell. The place of transition is called the red border because of the multitude of capillaries that appear through four layers of epithelium, which is thinner than the rest in this area. This is a very vulnerable spot: with the smallest violation of the integrity of the upper layer of cells, the gates of infection open.
In the junction of the lips, the so-called commissure(from the Latin commissura - “connect”), all three types of tissues are present - skin, intermediate tissue and mucous. Therefore, here, as in the skin, there are glands and hair follicles. In adverse conditions, they are infected, and diseases develop.
The red border has no hair follicles andsweat glands, but the sebaceous glands, secreting Eleidin, there is. Cracks in the corners of the lips are formed from inflammation of one or all three types of tissue. In addition, a mouth infection (stomatitis) can spread to this area. Due to the structure of the commissure, wide opening of the mouth can lead to cracks. On the skin in these places there are natural folds, very small. So they crack in the first place.
Why there are cracks in the corners of the lips: causes
Doctors joke that if all the reasons for whichcracks are formed, always worked one hundred percent, people would constantly go with inflamed lips. Fortunately, for the occurrence of pathology it is necessary that three conditions coincide:
- Weakened immunity.
- Skin breakdown
- The presence of infection.
Factors that contribute to the development of cracks:
- Dry lips caused by weather conditions (sun, wind, cold).
- Degreasing by means of hygiene (alcohol-containing lotions, hard water and soap).
- Insufficient oral hygiene, lack of habit of washing hands, touching them to the face.
- Irritation of the lips after some food, clicking the seeds.
- Dental problems.
- Poor quality lipstick.
- Yawning, vocal, recitation.
Lip disease is called cheilitis andcharacterized by damage to all tissues - and the mucous membrane, and the epidermis. They are divided into several types, there are acute and chronic, infectious and non-infectious. For successful treatment requires proper diagnosis.
When cracks occur in children
Children are more prone to microbial attack.because of dirty hands, toys, habits to keep a pen or pencil in your mouth. Experts believe that mostly cracks in the corners of the lips of a child are accompanied by the addition of streptococcal infection.
There are mycotic angulitis, the causewhich is a reduced immunity. In this case, the disease becomes chronic. Usually joins stomatitis and glossitis because of the defeat of the oral mucosa.
What is a crack
When the skin is dry, it will crack.Until the deeper layers of the epidermis are affected, a skin defect may not be noticed. Later on, a weeping wound appears at the site of the crack. The nodule released from it causes even more dryness of the affected area, which leads to hyperkeratosis and loss of the ability of the skin to stretch.
From now on, any stretching of the skin easily injures her,deepening the existing wounds. Bleeding areas appear that are irritated by food. Inflammation passes to the mucous tissue. If untreated, a chronic course of the disease develops.
Diagnostics
Establishing the causes and treatment of cracks in the cornerslip is a doctor dentist. He takes a swab and sends it to the lab. Sowing of flora is done there and microbiological analysis is performed. So identify the infection and establish its resistance to antibiotics.
In addition, a detailed study is conducted.blood and urine, and if necessary, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. If necessary, clarify the cause of the disease among specialists (ENT, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist). The appearance of crusts in the corners of the mouth is similar with the defeat of herpes and streptococcus. They differ only in the size and content of the bubbles.
Secondary syphilis has one of the symptomscracks in the corners of the lips. With AIDS, there are also cracks in the corners of the mouth. The treatment is always chosen individually, and the patient's condition is traced in dynamics, since there are often several causes of this disease.
Catarrhal cheilitis
Many people often crack during the winterlips Dry frosty air dehydrates them, involuntary licking begins, which leads to further dehydration. The skin cracks and wounds are formed, through which bacteria and viruses easily penetrate. All this in general can lead to permanent damage to the corners of the lips, especially with a general reduced immunity.
To break this vicious circle, it is necessaryuse hygienic lipstick. Of course, this is a subject of personal hygiene, and it is not allowed to use someone else's lipstick. In the case when a person uses Vaseline, it is taken from a jar with a clean cotton swab. When doing this with your fingers, it is possible to transfer pathogenic microflora in a jar. Subsequently, in the presence of microcracks that occur on dry lips, infection occurs, and cheilitis becomes infectious.
Chronic Lips Cracks
This state is determined by longtransverse cracks on the red border. Manifested chronic inflammation of the crack due to metabolic disorders on the background of diseases of the liver, intestines, and allergies. Fabrics at the same time are edematous, elasticity is reduced. The process of attaching infections (papillomavirus) and tissue hyperkeratosis is aggravated.
Cracks in the corners of the lips in adults become chronic under the influence of various factors:
- Professional (dust, allergens).
- Weather (dry, cold).
- Bad habits.
- Hypovitaminosis.
The disease develops gradually.Small cracks under the influence of irritating factors deepen, thicken and inflame. Erosions appear, the ability to heal is lost. The fabric is thickened and deformed.
Hypovitaminosis cheilitis
Errors in diet and bad habits can alsocause cracks in the corners of the lips in an adult. Alcohol and tobacco contribute to the violation of vitamin balance. The abundance of raw fish leads to splitting B1. Intestinal problems cause a deficiency in the body B12. If a person refuses black bread, he will have deficiency B1 and B6. If sugar is abused - deficiency B2. With anemia, there will be a lack of iron.
Cracks that are formed due to lack ofvitamins, easy to cure, restoring a balanced diet. Sometimes it is helpful to check for parasitic invasions. The abundance of fruits and vegetables, seafood and olive oil, black bread, cereals - these products should be on the table constantly. Of course, you can resort to a medical substitution, but it has been proven that synthetic vitamins can lead to a state of microelementosis. Their abundance leads to the same signs as the lack of natural vitamins.
Angoulite
Infectious cheilitis affects the mucous membrane and is called angulitis. It is caused by either yeast-like pathogens and is treated with fungicides, like candidiasis, or with streptococci and treated with antibiotics.
To know exactly how to treat cracks in the cornerslips, find out etymology. To start exclude herpes and syphilis. Then differentiate streptococcus and candidiasis. Maybe the mixed nature of the disease.
Fungicides do not act on streptococcalcracks and antibiotics aggravate the development of candidiasis. Therefore, use of combined drugs that can cope with both pathogens: "Triderm", "Trimistin".
How to treat cracks in the corners of the lips
Newly formed shallow cracks can passwithout treatment. Irritating factors are eliminated in the form of sour and spicy foods, control of bad habits is taken. A week later, recovery begins. Untreated cracks become chronic.
Usually the doctor prescribes a conservative treatment.The corners of the mouth are treated with antiseptics (furatsilin, hydrogen peroxide) four times a day and treated with antibacterial ointments. Before going outside, lips are smeared with Vaseline. The menu consists of products that exclude allergens. Forbidden chocolate, citrus, chips, soda, alcohol. Food should be as soft and liquid as possible.
It is necessary to take vitamin preparations, especially group B. Food should be balanced in trace elements.
If there is no recovery in five or sevendays, you should consult your doctor to identify possible comorbidities, as this may be a symptom of internal diseases. The treatment is selected individually.
Prevention
There are a number of recommendations to prevent the appearance of cracks in the corners of the lips:
- It is necessary to leave bad habits (biting nails, holding a pencil in your mouth or licking your lips).
- A visit to the dental office should be regular for the rehabilitation of the oral cavity and removal of tartar.
- In addition to lipstick, you should use a scrub, which can make the coffee grounds. It contains oil that nourishes the epidermis.
- Proper nutrition will provide a balance of vitamins and minerals in the body, increase resistance to infections.
- Personal hygiene.
- Disinfection of children's toys.
Observing these simple requirements, you can save health and beauty.
