Angular Cheilitis -What You Need To Know

Are there times when you get what you think is just a cold sore, when a bump or blister shows up on your mouth? Oftentimes, the herpes virus causes this type of sore; a simple cold sore may have you thinking you don’t need to go see your doctor, and you may simply decide to let the “cold sore” heal by itself. However, a condition called angular cheilitis looks very much like a cold sore but in fact is very different. If you have angular cheilitis, you absolutely need to see a doctor, or the outcome may be detrimental to you.

What is the cause of angular cheilitis? Angular cheilitis is also called perleche; it will usually show up as a sore that is inflamed, on your mouth. It can also mimic chapped lips. A lot of things can cause angular cheilitis, including a fungus, malnutrition, and overgrowth of a certain type of yeast called candida albicans, or bacterial infection. If candida overgrowth is the cause, this is also called candidiasis.

If angular cheilitis happens because of malnutrition, most often it’s because you are deficient in riboflavin, zinc and iron. This can often happen because you’re not eating the right foods, but you may also have something called celiac disease. Celiac disease happens when the auto immune system in effect turns on itself and begins to attack the lining of the small intestine; when this happens, you can no longer absorb nutrients.

Angular cheilitis treatment Angular cheilitis is treated based upon what’s causing it in the first place. For example, if you have a bacterial infection, rubbing alcohol or Neosporin applied to the affected area should kill the bacteria in a couple of days.

If you have malnutrition or if your body cannot absorb nutrients properly because you’ve had weight-loss surgery, or you have malabsorption syndrome or celiac disease, you’ll need to go visit your doctor for proper treatment. Most often, you’ll get B12 shots on a regular basis and you may be prescribed vitamins as well. You may also be asked to change your eating habits and to include foods with more iron or more leafy vegetables.

For those suffering from candidiasis, the intolerance to candida albicans which results in a fungal infection, a round of antibiotics and a change in eating habits to include fewer yeast and sugar-filled foods could be the solution.

Natural remedy practitioners promote the use of tea tree oil, petroleum jelly and aloe vera for treatment. These treatments may work, but are only working on the outward evidence of the disease rather than its underlying cause.

No matter which home remedy you use, be sure to consult a physician to find out the cause of your angular cheilitis or perleche since its underlying etiology could wreak havoc in other parts of your body if left untreated.

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