Sore lips (pic attached)

[MinecraftMum40]

I’ve uploaded a photo but can can anyone recommend what I can do or what could be causing this. My lips have been so sore for weeks now. I use face wash, moisturise and use lip balm but all makes them sting when applied and make no difference to it, it’s also the surrounding around that stings I I don’t really want to bother the doctor but it’s so painful and uncomfortable and unsightly. I do take iron tablets as I’m often anemic but have been on and off for years. My skin all over my body in general has recently got more itchy and dry-think its peri menopause. Please help, it stings pretty much all the time.

You need to get your Iron, vitB12 and folate checked, particularly the folate. Don’t accept GP saying your blood results are normal, get copies an check for anything near the lower end of the range

Ask your pharmacist; it looks like it could be an infection.

It could be the start of Impetigo

Have you had your thyroid tested? That can cause dry itchy skin.

Is that not a cold sore? I've never had one, so I'm not sure.

I get a lot of soreness at the corners of my mouth. I have found that I can't eat anything with vinegar in it or it sets them off dreadfully. In my case it's because I dribble at night and this makes my lips sore - have you tried putting Sudocreme around your mouth OP? Sounds weird, but it works for me to a) heal the sores and b) stops me dribbling. I also make sure I take vitamin tablets as I'm aware my diet is lacking.

I've been struggling with something similar on and off lately - I've found Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream (fragrance free), which is really like vaseline in consistency, helped.
I sympathise though, it was really painful and got me down.

okeeffes lip balm. it’s in an orange coloured tube, not too expensive so worth a try.

I think it could be angular chenitis which is a fungal infection.

Either Daktarin if they have it in stock or I used a mix of Canestan and hydrocortisone as I couldn't get Daktarin

The Blisteze cream is good for this as well (the little metal tube) and was out of stock for ages but now back.

OP, do you wear dentures by any chance? There’s a condition called angular chelitis that affects denture wearers. Possible to develop without a plate too.

www.oralb.co.uk/en-gb/oral-health/conditions/other-oral-health-conditions/how-do-i-get-rid-of-cracked-corner-of-mouth

I was also going to say it looks like this, I've had it before and starts as a small cut at the corner of the mouth

This looks like cellulitis of the lips/ angular chenitis to me. I have had it before due to inflammatory bowel disease. I had to see the GP for steroids ….they initially prior to the appointment were really dismissive and just said it’s dry lips and then they saw me In person and apologised.

anyway you really need to see a medical professional

By all means go to the doctors if you're worried about it but when you say lip balm do you mean the sticks and things or vaseline/petroleum jelly? I got sore skin in the corners of my lips and eyes and covering them in plain vaseline several times a day (very generously) works for me. The sticks like the nivea lip balms on the other hand actually dry them out and make them much worse.

I get this when I use mint toothpaste. I think it was someone on a thread like this who suggested that might be what was causing mine. I swapped, initially to kids strawberry toothpaste and now to hi life.

Agree with PP re angular chelitis. I am also anaemic and get this plus perioral dermititis. Daktacort (anti fungal, plus hydrocortisone) works best and is available OTC - although don't tell them you're using it on your face as they can't sell it to you (but GPs will prescribe for use on face).

No, don’t have dentures-thanks though.

Thanks everyone. I’ll try to get to a pharmacy tomorrow.

I can’t tell from the picture if they are really dry/cracked or if it’s impetigo or something as suggested above but I swear by the Elizabeth Arden lip balm, it is a miracle cure for my lips and my sons lips get really crack & blister in the sun and when it’s really cold and I had tried all sorts over the years including things from the pharmacy until one year a friend put some of the Elizabeth Arden on his lips and it was the only thing that ever helped, we both use it all the time now

I can't speak to the medical conditions but re. lip balms, use Lansinoh nipple cream. Game changer.