'Lip-licking' eczema (or Lip-licker’s Dermatitis) is a form of chronic atopic eczema that affects the lips and surrounding area as the result of habitual licking of the lips. The skin around the mouth looks red and dry with cracks and fissures and it can become thickened - lichenified - in the area between the nose and upper lip and over the lips themselves.

When the lips are exposed to very cold or very hot weather or particularly dry and irritable winds, they become very dry and flaky or chapped. Licking to ease the dryness leads to a vicious circle of lip licking, dryness, redness, and chapping since the moisture from the saliva dries out the lips even further which one thinks is a moistening act.

So you can get further dryness, chapping, and scaling which can extend beyond the lip area to all around the mouth. The redness and skin irritation can keep on spreading, leading to fungal or bacterial infection. Lip licking commonly occurs in those with a depressive or anxiety problem. It is particularly frequent among children and it can be difficult to break what becomes a lip licking habit.

Aggravating stress can make the habit increase making it all the more tough to give it a break. Sometimes lip-licking is combined with habitual rubbing above the upper lip with the side of an index finger. Lip-licking eczema also be caused by excessive thumbsucking and may also be linked to irritation from, or allergy to, toothpaste. Chronic rhinitis, associated with hayfever, may also be part of the problem, causing a runny nose

Treatment of Lip-licking Eczema

The good news is that, given the opportunity, skin around the mouth and lips heals quite quickly. The bad news is that lip-licking and rubbing is a habit and there are no short cuts. You must embark on a programme of habit-reversal, combined with effective topical treatment.

If you can leave the skin free from habitual licking and/or rubbing long enough - at least 4 weeks - then your skin will heal itself quickly. Combining this with an optimal use of creams will clear the problem.

If you can get to London, the specialist to consult is psychodermatologist Dr Christopher Bridgett at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital. Habitual behaviour is largely unconscious so the first step is to develop an awareness of the licking or rubbing. The excellent habit-reversal techniques (for all types of eczema scratching, not just lip-licking) devised by Dr Bridgett and Consultant Dermatologist Richard Staughton are second to none and work for everyone. 

For rubbing with a finger: Clench the fist and hold for 30 seconds to counteract the urge to rub.

For lip-licking: To begin with, apply a thin strip of hydrocolloidal gel dressing to the thickened skin between the upper lip and the nose to increase awareness of the habit. Then replace the lip-licking with a positive behaviour by holding the lips still and firmly closed together for 30 seconds to combat the urge to lick. This is the equivalent of making a fist, and you may create other safe behaviours to help.
In conjunction with the habit-reversal techniques apply a topical steroid like Eumovate twice a day.

Cover this with a light, gentle smear of Vaseline or the wonderfully soothing Syrinx Za Derma Protector Balm without rubbing or massaging, several times an hour. Cosmetic lip creams and balms can be used to moisturise and protect the lips but make sure you use an unfragranced type or one that does not contain chemical irritants.

The information AllergyBestBuys provides should not be considered medical advice, nor is it intended to replace consultation with a qualified physician.