Lip licker's dermatitis(irritant dermatitis)

Diagnosis: Lip licker's dermatitis(irritant dermatitis)

Irritant contact dermatitis on and around the lips caused by habitual lip licking.

Clinical Presentation

Irritant contact dermatitis on and around the lips caused by habitual lip licking.

Clinical History

Submitted by Alaa Saad. Originally posted October 11, 2010.

Treatment

See case discussion.

Differential Diagnosis

• Perioral dermatitis • Contact dermatitis (allergic) • Atopic dermatitis • Angular cheilitis • Actinic cheilitis • Impetigo (perioral)

Key Learnings

• Irritant contact dermatitis from habitual lip licking — common in children • Sharp, well-demarcated border corresponding to area reached by tongue • Saliva's digestive enzymes damage the lip and perioral skin barrier • Results in dryness, erythema, scaling, and sometimes fissuring • Lip balm/emollient use and behavior modification are key treatments • Rule out atopic dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis (fragrance in lip balm)

Tags: lip, licker039s, dermatitisirritant, dermatitis, alaa saad