My husband has had a red ring around his lips for over a year, while trying a number of meds & eliminating spicy foods, citrus, yeast, changed toothpaste, shaving cream, soap, etc. He has seen a doctor, taken oral & cream antibiotics, anti-fungal cream, Vaseline, lip protectors with high sunscreen. He works outdoors on high electrical lines and sometimes would get cracks & bleeding in the corners of his mouth. He is currently using Nystatin Cream, stopped shaving around his lips, and is very, very careful with his diet, using baking soda to brush his teeth & ivory soap to wash his face, and uses chap stick with high sunscreen when working - also uses Vaseline to keep moisture in his lips. The redness has calmed down considerably, but is still there - especially after eating. I have read so many things and am very concerned about the possibilities indicated. Please help! Thank you so much!!!
Red Ring Around Lips?
Question posted by shelia95250 on 15 May 2013
Last updated on 23 July 2014
Answers
Hi Sheila, it sounds like I have the same thing as your husband. My lips contantly have a red ring around them, that gets worse when eating food, or if they're irritated by anything else. Excessive heat, or sweating does it for me.
I think it's related to sun exposure. I've worked on golf courses for the past 10 years, and I didn't have this issue before then.
I'd be curious to know if you guys have found a cure or treatment that has helped. I've been to several dermatologists and none of them seem to know the answer.
Thanks,
Phil
Hi Phil... Thanks so much for reaching out regarding this seemingly very common problem! I wish I had positive news for you, but... we are actually waiting for yet another Dermatologist appointment right now! It seems like possibly spicy foods or shaving or hot showers could irritate the problem. However, when I finished reading your comment I found an advertisement at the bottom of the page on "Prevaclear". I read it and it makes sense. See what you think,,, Please let me know if you find a solution and I will do the same! Blessings, Shelia and Dave <><
Hi Sheila, I'll look into the prevaclear, and I'd love to hear what you guys find out. 2 out of 4 dermatologists I've seen think it's sun related but I'm not completely convinced.
Here's a few other things that trigger the inflammation for me:
Coffee, alcohol, sugar, salty foods, sweat, spicy foods, hot showers, chewing. I use neutragina with SPF 30 every morning and eucerin calming lotion before I go to bed. I also use bag balm (similar to Vaseline) before bed and that's helped a lot.
Pleases keep me posted on what you guys find out. I am so over this!
Thanks again,
Phil
It is most likely from licking his lips when he is high up and working on those electrical lines. The wind and saliva can be drying and many people tend to stick out their tongue when they are very focused on a task. He needs to try to be aware if he is licking his lips frequently and to always keep petroleum jelly or the Chap Stik with sunscreens. Avoid any lip balms that have peppermint additives as these can actually dry the skin out more even though they are soothing when you first put them on. Another thing to consider is allergies. It could be a contact allergy to something he is eating. You might try a food diary noting what he has eaten and if his lips got red after the meal and how red. After a while, you may notice a pattern and be able to eliminate whatever is irritating his lips. A red ring like this just indicates there is some kind of irritation. Saliva is usually the worst offender. Licking the lips dries out any natural oils and the lips dont have much in the way of oil glands so they can dry out easily. I would almost bet he licks his lips when he is working. Have you ever noticed that he is one of those people who when focused on a task has his tongue out? If he does this, he needs to try to make a conscious effort to stop. It sounds like he is doing everything he can to stop irritating the area. He just needs to keep at it and try to eliminate anything that is irritating.
Oh, I want to add. He may want to avoid chewing gum especially when working and especially ones with mint or worse yet, cinnamon. This redness can persist for a long time even after the irritation clears. It is almost like scarring. This will clear up in time but it can persist for months.
Has he been to an allergist? It may help to see an allergist. The Nystatin should help if the area is infected with a fungus (which can happen)
Wow! I really appreciate your comment! He is keeping a food diary and it is definitely helping! Also, the "mint" in certain items is a good indication of something possibly irritating. We have noticed this. And, you may have hit on something with the "licking of his lips and not realizing it". Will try to get him to focus on that. We have opted out of the "allergist" for the time being because I am familiar with the millions of things he COULD be allergic to! He saw the doc again this morn and they seem to think it is better and put him back on another script of "Dicloxacillin" antibiotic and told him to continue the "Nystatin Cream". Thanks again - really appreciate you!
There is a name for it. Lip lickers's dermatitis, which is a form of contact dermatitis. It is really pretty common. Hopefully he has a handle on it now and it will continue to get better. You might try looking at the website for the American Academy of Dermatology for more info. Another thing I wondered about-does he ever hold any metal objects between his lips when he works? Metals can be a source for contact dermatitis. You see it on occasion in children who are beginning to learn and instrument. They may have an allergy to the metal or to reed instrument reeds. Just another thought.
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