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Home » Topics A–Z » Angular cheilitis
Author: Dr Amanda Oakley, Dermatologist, Hamilton, New Zealand, 2010.
Angular cheilitis is a common inflammatory condition affecting the corners of the mouth or oral commissures. Depending on underlying causes, it may last a few days or persist indefinitely. It is also called angular stomatitis, cheilosis and perleche (perlèche).
Angular cheilitis
See more images of angular cheilitis.
Angular cheilitis is due to one or more of the following factors:
Angular cheilitis is common and affects children and adults, especially when they are in poor health. Predisposing factors include:
It is made worse by licking the lips.
Angular cheilitis may result in the following symptoms and signs at the corners of the mouth:
It may progress to more widespread impetigo or candidiasis on the adjacent skin and elsewhere.
The culture of swabs taken from the corners of the mouth may reveal:
Skin biopsy is not usually necessary.
In many cases, no treatment is needed and angular cheilitis resolves by itself. Depending on the specific cause, the following treatments may be useful:
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