Having cracked lip corners can make day to day things like talking painful and embarrassing. Known in the medical field as Angular Cheilitis, this is an irritation of the skin on the sides of the mouth. There is an abundance of cracked corners of mouth treatment options, as it's a common condition that usually goes away on its own with the help of home remedies. However, it can be caused by underlying conditions and may need medical treatment. This article will give you all the information you need to sooth and get rid of these painful sores for good.

How to Get Rid of Cracked Lip Corners

Cracked corners of the lips are a symptom of another underlying problem. How to heal a cut in the corner of your mouth will be determined by the cause of the wound, so while it's not a serious problem, it's always best to talk to your doctor, or even better, a dermatologist, about what the best remedy will be for your particular case. Taking this into consideration, home remedies are often very effective when treating cracked corners of the mouth that aren't the cause of an infection or illness. For these, you can give home treatments a try for a while to see if they help you before getting a doctor's appointment. Here are some useful and effective cracked corners of mouth treatment options.

1. Drinking enough water

Drinking plenty of water is essential for the hydration of your skin. Drinking around eight to ten glasses consistently throughout the day is recommended for everyone. You'll notice the change in your lips immediately.

2. Applying oil frequently

Many kinds of oils have healing, protective and moisturizing effects when rubbed on the lips a few times a day. Nut and seed oils made from coconut, almonds, jojoba, and olives are nature's lip balm. Castor oil and tea tree oil are also good as they have anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antibacterial properties, and diminish the pain in the wounded lips.

3. Adding more vitamins to your diet

Iron, zinc or vitamin B supplements may be just what you need to get rid of cracked corners of the mouth permanently. You can also try adding foods rich in these components, like leafy greens, whole grain products, eggs, seafood, beef, and beans, to your diet to get the nutrition you need to keep your lips healthy.

4. Lip balm

Applying lip balm regularly, or in case you don't have any, petroleum jelly prevents and heals chapped lips as it protects the skin from saliva and moisturizes it. A lip balm containing sunscreen can be particularly effective when sun damage is a problem.

5. Topical antiseptic ointments

This kind of ointments can be easily acquired at pharmacies without the need for a prescription and will keep the affected area clean of any bacteria to avoid further infection.

6. Plain, white yogurt

The active cultures found in yogurt will nourish your skin and restore its former health. Putting some yogurt on your lips and the surrounding area and then a spoonful in your mouth to swish around and swallow can be an effective treatment.

7. Aloe vera gel

Often used in the treatment of sunburns, Aloe Vera gel has healed, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Applying some to the corner of the lips for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing it off can help speed up the healing of the cracked corners.

The Common Causes of Cracked Lip Corners

This condition can have many different causes and you should treat it with the according to the method. Some common ones are:

• Environment

Environmental conditions make it worse. Cold, hot, dry or windy weather can damage the sensitive skin of the lips, contributing to their chapping and cracking in the corners. You can also get sunburn on your lips, which are very vulnerable to UV rays that will damage them.

• Dietary problems

This is usually associated with something missing from your diet, like low levels of vitamin B (especially B12), iron and zinc, but spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, and some dairy products can also have an irritating effect on the corners of the mouth.

• Dehydration

Dehydration is a frequent cause. Even mild dehydration can cause dry and cracked lips, which make you prone to cracked corners of the mouth. The main cause of this is not drinking enough water. Sugary foods, alc, hot and caffeine can also contribute to dehydration and slow down the healing process of already present wounds.

• Mouth breathing

Mouth breathing is a bad habit. Commonly associated with nasal congestion, the continuous flow of air passing through your mouth has a drying effect on the lips. Mouth breathing can also be caused by a bad habit and might only happen while sleeping, making these cases very hard to control.

• Infections

Fungal infections, like yeast infections, are one of the most common causes of this problem, but it can also be caused by viral infections like cold sores, or bacterial infections like impetigo. When saliva builds up in the corners of the mouth, it creates the perfect environment for fungus. Fungal infections can combine with other kinds of infection aggravating your symptoms.

• Allergic reactions

You should be aware of allergic reactions. Some substances found in cosmetics, foods or medications, like lipstick and toothpaste, can cause an adverse reaction from your immune system that manifests in the form of dermatitis. These can irritate the area leading to cracked corners of the lips.

Common symptoms of Angular Cheilitis are pain, red, itchy and scaly patches near the mouth, swelling, bleeding from the affected area, blisters or open sores in mouth corners, a burning sensation on the lips, bad taste in the mouth, dry and cracked lip corner and difficulty in eating and moving your lips.

To Conclude

While not a serious ailment, Angular Cheilitis can be painful and make your life more complicated. Luckily, it's not hard to treat, and home remedies often do the trick. Many of these treatments can also help speed up the healing process and diminish pain and discomfort when combined with what your doctor may have prescribed.