What Causes Peeling Skin And Dryness On The Lower Lip?

Posted on Wed, 9 May 2018

Question: Hello doctor
The left side of the lower lips feels sore like the skin is peeled or a pimple is there ( actually last two days the entire lower lips were dry flaky and peeling so I wiped it off with cotton bud applied hydrocortisone cream overnight and then today after lung applied sebamed lip balm . I am so scared doctor please help
Me why is it like that ? Also please tell me if you could see any swelling ? I am very much scared . Actually one of the picture that I took is on flash mode that's why you might feel that bright and redddr than the others

Answered by Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Can't see any swelling, lip appearing normal

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for writing to us at Healthcaremagic
I have gone through your complaints and reviewed the attached photographs.
Your lower lip seems to be normal.
These kind of symptoms ( dry and cracked lips ) could be due to your sensitive skin along with dry and cold weather.
It is nothing to worry about.
Continue using sebamed lip balm more frequently say 5-6 times in a day.
Also avoid direct cold winds, licking your lips and picking the skin on your lips.
I couldn't see any swelling.
Both the lips appear normal.
Regards
Dr Asmeet

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (22 hours later)

Hello doctor
My lower lips feels very dry and sticky and the corners feels all the more dry . Also the right side corner of the lips are very dry and flaky and the same side vermillion border there is small pimple like I don't know really what it is ? Also could please tell me if you could see any swelling today . I am very scared and it's making me more stressful .

Answered by Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (34 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Can't appreciate any swelling, pimple due to lip bite or lip chewing

Detailed Answer:
I have reviewed the attached photographs and can't appreciate any swelling.
The pimple on the vermillion border could be due to lip bite or lip chewing.
For severe dryness and flakiness, you can apply a topical steroid like mometasone furoate cream on the affected lips twice daily along with frequent application of a moisturising cream containing white soft paraffin on the entire lips 3-4 times in a day.
Topical steroids are prescription drugs and you need to see the doctor in person to get them.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (24 hours later)

Hello doctor
On Sunday there was some hurting in the left side of the tongue to which the online dentist said it could be simple mouth ulcer and told me to take becosule and hexigel ointment I did , but I left using the hexigel ointment on Monday itself as after fire application I felt relief today morning there is a small pimple like in that part of the tongue and I have started applying hexigel again . Also now after going out and coming the left side of the lower lip has some redness ( more like red line near the vermillion border I did not touch nor scratch it in fact I had applied sebamed lip balm before going out) why it is like that it is irritating ( more like cut or something but only thing is I am. It able to see any cut but I don't know what to do I am so scared doctor ... so scared of herpes please help me .

Answered by Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Continue hexigel, apply topical antibiotic & steroid on lower lip

Detailed Answer:
I can't appreciate any ulcer on the left side of the tongue but would recommend you to continue applying hexigel for any minute disruption in the mucosa of the tongue.
The feeling of cut and irritation in the lower lip is due to extreme dry and cold weather especially when you go out.
You can apply topical antibiotic like neosporin ointment and hydrocortisone cream on lower lip area twice daily.
Don't worry about herpes as your symptoms donot fit into the clinical presentation of herpes.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (45 hours later)

Hello doctor
I have attached few pics of my lower lips where you could see some dry patch on the left side lower vermillion border of lips , what is that? Also there are some white spots what is that ? I am very scared doctor please help me , also please tell me if you could see any swelling

Answered by Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (40 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Inflammed patch of skin, white spots are sebaceous glands

Detailed Answer:
I have reviewed the newly attached photographs.
The dry patch on the lower lip is a patch of inflammed skin most likely related to your sensitive skin.
The whitish spots seem to be sebaceous glands ( oil glands ) of the lips.
It is a normal physiological variation present in around 50-60 percent of the normal population.
I can't appreciate any swelling.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj