Dear Doctor
In the picture you can see I have a dark area on top of my upper lip looking like a mustache very embarrassing…
I have eczema on other parts of my body but I don’t know if that’s part of the eczema of if that’s from me licking that area a lot where the dark spot is..
Please help me!
Dear Patient
This condition is known as Lip Licker’s Dermatitis and as the name suggests the dark areas around the mouth are caused by licking them.
Lip licker’s dermatitis is actually a type of irritant contact dermatitis caused by saliva.
Lip Licker’s Dermatitis Treatment
The treatment involves:
1. Stop licking the lips
2. Applying a bland emollient like Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. This may need to be applied hourly to keep the area well moisturized.
3. Mild steroid creams like 1% hydrocortisone can be used if the inflammation is significant.
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