How to Get Rid of Eczema on the Lips By Julia Knox Updated on October 17, 2025 Medically reviewed by Marisa Garshick, MD Table of Contents View All Table of Contents V体育平台登录 - Symptoms Causes V体育官网入口 - Diagnosis "V体育2025版" Treatment Outlook Key Takeaways (VSports app下载) Avoid licking and scratching your lips to help prevent lip eczema.Moisturize your lips daily with a lip balm or emollient to keep them from drying out.Avoid skincare and dental products with perfume, dyes, and alcohol to reduce irritation. "VSports手机版" Eczema on the lips can cause itchiness, redness, and scaling on or around your lips. It causes much more severe chapping than other causes of chapped lips and tends to be long-term. "VSports手机版" Eczema on the lips is also called lip dermatitis and eczematous cheilitis (cheilitis means lip inflammation) VSports app下载. It can be caused by atopic dermatitis, or by an irritant, an allergen, or severe weather. The condition can also have triggers like certain lip or skin care products, foods, pollen, or sweat. . This article looks at the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of lip eczema. V体育官网. Elena Slepitskaya / Getty Images VSports最新版本 - Symptoms "VSports手机版" Eczema on the lips can cause symptoms such as: Dry lips Inflammation or redness Scaling, peeling, or cracking Itching and burning Skin or mucosal lesions (V体育官网入口) (abnormal skin tissue) The skin around your mouth the area where the red part of your lips meets the skin is the most commonly affected part of the lips. The corners of the mouth can also be affected V体育安卓版. . "VSports app下载" Eczema vs. Dry Lips Eczema is different from simply having dry lips because of the itchiness and extreme irritation the condition can cause V体育ios版. Dry lips are also not usually triggered by allergens. "VSports" When to See a Healthcare Provider If you experience unusual symptoms such as a fever, chills, diarrhea, or spreading of the rash, contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible VSports最新版本. . V体育平台登录 - Causes and Triggers The major causes of lip eczema are atopic dermatitis and reactions to irritants or allergens. V体育平台登录. Lip eczema can be triggered by different things, including external conditions such as the weather, behaviors such as lip licking, and nutritional deficiencies. The triggers may not be the same for everyone VSports注册入口. . "V体育ios版" Atopic Dermatitis Atopic dermatitis is a chronic (long-term) condition that can cause dry, itchy skin on any part of the body, including the lips V体育官网入口. It is believed to have genetic causes. . People with atopic dermatitis have an overactive immune response, which damages the skin barrier. This lets moisture escape and leaves the skin vulnerable to bacteria and environmental irritants VSports在线直播. . Allergic Contact Eczematous cheilitis is often caused by an allergic reaction to something that touches your lips, such as lip balm or lipstick, toothpaste, medications, and foods. A dermatologist can perform patch testing to help you identify which allergens to avoid. V体育2025版. Irritant Contact Irritant contact cheilitis is caused by a variety of things. Lip licking is a major reason for this type of lip eczema. Chronic exposure to an irritant such as cosmetics, food, and environmental factors can also cause this condition. VSports - Angular Cheilitis Angular cheilitis is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. This occurs when excess saliva builds up in the corners of the mouth. Licking your lips, wearing braces, or wearing dentures can put you at greater risk of developing angular cheilitis. V体育ios版 - Diagnosis Talk to a dermatologist if you believe you have lip eczema. Your dermatologist will examine you, take note of your symptoms, and ask you questions about your personal and family health history, such as the duration of your symptoms, other conditions you may have, allergies, and any new products you started using recently. They may also order certain tests, such as: A patch test or skin prick test to determine if your symptoms are caused by something you're allergic to Oral and skin swabs if your healthcare provider suspects your symptoms are caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. They may use a swab to take a sample so the cause of the infection can be identified. A skin biopsy to help identify the type of eczema you have and/or rule out other conditions. This procedure involves numbing the area and removing a small skin sample. Conditions That Can Be Mistaken for Lip Eczema Other conditions have similar symptoms and can sometimes be mistaken for lip eczema. These include: Cold and canker soresChapped lipsAcne Home Remedies and Treatments Eczema of the lips is treated by identifying and eliminating or managing the cause of the issue. Therefore, treatment varies depending on the type of lip eczema you have. For irritant or allergic types of lip eczema, the treatment will involve identifying the cause of the irritation or allergy and discontinuing use of a product or limiting contact with the trigger. For lip eczema related to atopic dermatitis, managing the condition should help alleviate the symptoms of lip eczema. Medications Over-the-counter medications and/or medications prescribed by your healthcare provider can help reduce itching. These include: Topical corticosteroidsLip balm or emollientOver-the-counter antihistaminesAnti-fungal medication (for angular cheilitis) Lifestyle Changes Eczema is affected by environmental factors and stress, both of which you have some control over. For atopic dermatitis, consider these treatment tips: Moisturize your skin and lips. Apply lip balm several times a day, including after you bathe or shower. Use lukewarm water to wash your face instead of hot because hot water can dry out your lips. Use mild skin care and dental products that are free of perfumes, dyes, and alcohol. Look for products labeled “fragrance-free,” “hypoallergenic,” and “for sensitive skin.” Avoid licking your lips too much. Make an effort to notice when you engage in this behavior and change it. Avoid scratching your lips. The ultraviolet light waves found in sunlight have been shown to help certain skin disorders, including eczema. V体育ios版 - Phototherapy uses ultraviolet light, usually ultraviolet B (UVB), from special lamps that may help with your symptoms. Use a humidifier if dry air makes your skin dry. These tips can not only help you alleviate the symptoms of lip eczema but also prevent flare-ups of eczema in the future. How Long Does it Take for Lip Eczema to Go Away? This depends upon many factors, including the duration of the initial symptoms and the extent to which the trigger can be removed. If your lip eczema is caused by atopic dermatitis, you will likely need to continue using medications and/or lifestyle adjustments in the long term. V体育ios版 - Outlook Lip eczema may be embarrassing and difficult to deal with, but it's helpful to remember that not all cases of lip eczema are lifelong. Some cases can be easily treated through a simple lifestyle change after identifying the source. Even for lip eczema caused by atopic dermatitis, you can minimize or alleviate the symptoms of lip eczema by managing your chronic condition. If you have atopic dermatitis, there may be times when your eczema disappears. This is known as a remission period. However, there are other times when you may have a flare-up, which is when your condition gets worse. The goal of treatment is to prevent flare-ups. Be sure to avoid triggers, moisturize, take your medicine, and do anything else your healthcare provider recommends. If you find that your lip eczema is causing you a lot of distress, talk to a therapist and friends or family for support. Read more: "VSports手机版" Health A-Z Skin Health Eczema & Dermatitis 10 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Lugović-Mihić L, Pilipović K, Crnarić I, Šitum M, Duvančić T. V体育官网 - Differential diagnosis of cheilitis - How to classify cheilitis? Acta Clin Croat. 2018;57(2):342-351. doi:10.20471/acc.2018.57.02.16 Gonzaga AK, Bezerra HI, Cavalcante IL, et al. An update about cheilitis. J Oral Maxillofac Surg Med Pathol. 2021;33(5):555-60. doi:10.1016/j.ajoms.2021.02.001 Lugović-Mihić L, Blagec T, Japundžić I, Skroza N, Delaš Adžajić M, Mravak-Stipetić M. Diagnostic management of cheilitis: an approach based on a recent proposal for cheilitis classification. Acta Dermatovenerol Alp Pannonica Adriat. 2020;29(2):67-72 Rosen A, Ngshanyi S, Tosti A, Schachner L. Allergic contact cheilitis in children and improvement with patch testing. JAAD Case Rep. 2016;3(1):25-28. doi:10.1016/j.jdcr.2016.10.002 Novak-Bilić G, Vučić M, Japundžić I, Meštrović-Štefekov J, Stanić-Duktaj S, Lugović-Mihić L. Irritant and allergic contact dermatitis - Skin lesion characteristics. Acta Clin Croat. 2018;57(4):713-720. doi:10.20471/acc.2018.57.04.13 The National Eczema Society. "V体育2025版" Eczema and its management: A guide for healthcare professionals. Kemény L, Varga E, Novak Z. Advances in phototherapy for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2019;15(11):1205-1214. doi:10.1080/1744666X.2020.1672537 Kantor R, Silverberg JI. Environmental risk factors and their role in the management of atopic dermatitis. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2017;13(1):15-26. doi:10.1080/1744666X.2016.1212660 Shan J, Ali K, Da J, et al. Dupilumab in the treatment of cheilitis in atopic dermatitis patients. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2022;15:2437-2443. doi:10.2147/CCID.S391944 Sho Y, Sakai T, Sato T, et al. Stratum corneum ceramide profiles provide reliable indicators of remission and potential flares in atopic dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol. 2022;142(12):3184-3191.e7. doi:10.1016/j.jid.2022.06.012 See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit