Angular Cheilitis

[JaneWhoLovesRain]

Does anyone else have this?  It has been about 3 years off and on for me.  I thought it was because I was deficient in vitamin B so I started taking supplements.  It finally cleared after a few months.  Everytime i stopped the vitamin B, even for a week, it would come back.  I asked my doctor and he said it looks like rosecea (stupid response, it does NOT look like rosecea, I have cracks on the corners of my lips not a bumpy red rash on my face).  Finally I stayed on the vitamin B and it went away.

 

Then my yearly phyiscal was coming up and I did something stupid, I stopped the vitamin B about a month before my appt hoping it would come back so I could tell my PCP and insist he find why I have this.  Well, this time it didn't come back and I never even mentioned it to the doctor thinking it was gone for good.  I stayed off the B supplements.   Then about a month after my appt it came back.  This was in June and it is still here.  I started again on the vitamin B and it has lessened but has never gone away 100%.

 

It hurts, itches and looks awful.  And I'm scared as to why I can't get rid of it.  Obvious answer probably is to go to to the doctor but when he looks at me and says it roseca I feel like I am fighting a losing battle.

 

So I wondering if a anyone else has this and if so do you know why and how did you get it to go away?

 

Jane

[mamaw]

I  think  this  may sound weird  but  I got  this  when a  prescription  did not  agree  with  me.  SO  it  could be   a food  or  drug  issue....

[cyclinglady]

What kind of vitamin B complex are you taking? Is it already methylated? From what I read, some folks are not good at this process. For example, the best Vitamin B-12 is methycobalamin instead of the more common colbalamin that is found in vitamins and added to processed foods.

[GF Lover]

There are many possible reasons you have this including Candida Yeast Infections, excessive saliva etc.  Look for other things and not just vitamin b as the cause.

 

Good Luck,  Colleen

[JaneWhoLovesRain]

What kind of vitamin B complex are you taking? Is it already methylated? From what I read, some folks are not good at this process. For example, the best Vitamin B-12 is methycobalamin instead of the more common colbalamin that is found in vitamins and added to processed foods.

I have no idea if my vitamin B complex is methylated or not, and I honestly never even heard of this.  It is a CVS brand, buy one, get one free, so I would assume it probably is the more common kind.  I don't see anything on the label that has either of these words (but it is gluten-free).  Vitamin B12 isn't even part of this pill.  But I did buy another separate B12 pill when I realized this one didn't have it.  However I stopped taking the B12 because I found it had mannitol and I am very sensitive to that.

[JaneWhoLovesRain]

There are many possible reasons you have this including Candida Yeast Infections, excessive saliva etc.  Look for other things and not just vitamin b as the cause.

 

Good Luck,  Colleen

I kind of assumed it was a vitamin B issue and probably B6, but now after researching some more I see it can  be yeast or bacterial.  I have used bacitracin, cortisol and a couple of other things with no improvement.  I decided to pick up some anti-fungal medication at the store yesterday but all they had was stuff to stop jock-itch.  The only thing that went through my mind when I thought of putting that on my lips was ewwww.

 

I read somewhere else that a couple people found relief with Vicks Vap-O-Rub so I tried that and I do think it is getting better.

 

Jane

[JaneWhoLovesRain]

I  think  this  may sound weird  but  I got  this  when a  prescription  did not  agree  with  me.  SO  it  could be   a food  or  drug  issue....

It doesn't sound weird at all, but unfortunately I don't think I've had any new foods or prescriptions though it is hard to say cause it's been going on a couple years now and I can't remember what if anything changed two years ago.  My two prescriptions haven't unless the inactive ingredients have changed.

[cyclinglady]

Colleen is right about the other possibilities. Like Rosaea, they really do not know the cause.

You could ask your doctor for Nystatin (anti-fungal). You need a prescription for it though, it is very safe to I jest. It is typically used for thrush.

OTC? It is a long shot, but what about garlic? A few smears may even keep vampires at bay!

[LauraTX]

I get eczema and scaly skin in place on my face where it may be rubbed/irritated.  A random old acne spot, etc.  I constantly use chapstick to prevent my lips from flaring up, and when I googled angular cheilitis, the corners of my mouth look exactly like a moderate case.   I also have lupus, which is an inflammatory disease, so my body tends to take any source of inflammation and run to the deep end with it.  After brushing my teeth or washing my face, sometimes more often, I apply a dimethicone based lotion to the spots.  I have never had the spots turn into sores, but I assume that is because I am really on top of taking care of it.  I try to be mindful when wiping my mouth that I dab at the corners instead of roughly wipe them, and that seems to help with the severity.  The corners of my mouth manifest in a different way than my eczema, though, so this is one of many things I discover I probably have but won't label myself with it, since I already have so much going on, lol.  I just chalk it all up to being secondary to my lupus.

 

Since the problem is inflammatory, there really could be a number of causes.  Cyclinglady's recommendation of asking your doctor for some things to try is a good idea.  Maybe have them write a few scripts or give some samples, and just do a good try on each to see what helps.  Definitely be mindful that it is going on the lips so it may get into your mouth.  (Jock itch cream, gross!  lol) Topical steroid creams like hydrocortisone (and other RX ones that can work better for the face) can help inflammatory skin conditions, so that may be something to tone it down and get it under control, but they are not ideal to use long term because of side effects like thinning of the skin.  Hopefully you are able to figure out how to keep in under control.  

[Catalina15]

On 1/1/2015 at 9:40 AM, JaneWhoLovesRain said:

Does anyone else have this?  It has been about 3 years off and on for me.  I thought it was because I was deficient in vitamin B so I started taking supplements.  It finally cleared after a few months.  Everytime i stopped the vitamin B, even for a week, it would come back.  I asked my doctor and he said it looks like rosecea (stupid response, it does NOT look like rosecea, I have cracks on the corners of my lips not a bumpy red rash on my face).  Finally I stayed on the vitamin B and it went away.

 

Then my yearly phyiscal was coming up and I did something stupid, I stopped the vitamin B about a month before my appt hoping it would come back so I could tell my PCP and insist he find why I have this.  Well, this time it didn't come back and I never even mentioned it to the doctor thinking it was gone for good.  I stayed off the B supplements.   Then about a month after my appt it came back.  This was in June and it is still here.  I started again on the vitamin B and it has lessened but has never gone away 100%.

 

It hurts, itches and looks awful.  And I'm scared as to why I can't get rid of it.  Obvious answer probably is to go to to the doctor but when he looks at me and says it roseca I feel like I am fighting a losing battle.

 

So I wondering if a anyone else has this and if so do you know why and how did you get it to go away?

 

Jane

This same thing happens to me and I can't figure it out! My doctors also don't seem to care that it happens so frequently... I guess it remains a mystery. 

I use coconut oil and tea tree oil as well as any drug store antifungle cream. This helps a lot especially with the swelling and itching. 

Good Luck

- Cat

[Judy3]

I have this as well.   My dentist diagnosed it first 7 yrs ago and said you know this can be a sign of Celiac.   This is how I got on the correct road to diagnosis when I told my doctor what she said and showed him the cream she prescribed.  He said that's when the light bulb went off for him and he sent me to a gastro doc.    Blood tests and endoscope proved she was right.  Celiac and now I've been gluten free for almost 7 yrs and never felt better.      I take  B12 supplements and an antifungal cream on the corners of my mouth.   It comes and goes now.   I don't take B12 regularly anymore but when it flairs up I take it for a few days and use the Nystatin that the dentist gave me and in 24 -48 hours it's gone.    Don't know what triggers it ,no one really does.   So when it flairs up I use what's worked in the past.    I love my dentist!!   If it hadn't been for her the 2.5 yrs of misery before diagnosis could have been a lot longer because my doctor didn't have a clue... 

[Posterboy]

On 1/1/2015 at 9:40 AM, JaneWhoLovesRain said:

Does anyone else have this?  It has been about 3 years off and on for me.  I thought it was because I was deficient in vitamin B so I started taking supplements.  It finally cleared after a few months.  Everytime i stopped the vitamin B, even for a week, it would come back.  I asked my doctor and he said it looks like rosecea (stupid response, it does NOT look like rosecea, I have cracks on the corners of my lips not a bumpy red rash on my face).  Finally I stayed on the vitamin B and it went away.

 

Then my yearly phyiscal was coming up and I did something stupid, I stopped the vitamin B about a month before my appt hoping it would come back so I could tell my PCP and insist he find why I have this.  Well, this time it didn't come back and I never even mentioned it to the doctor thinking it was gone for good.  I stayed off the B supplements.   Then about a month after my appt it came back.  This was in June and it is still here.  I started again on the vitamin B and it has lessened but has never gone away 100%.

 

It hurts, itches and looks awful.  And I'm scared as to why I can't get rid of it.  Obvious answer probably is to go to to the doctor but when he looks at me and says it roseca I feel like I am fighting a losing battle.

 

So I wondering if a anyone else has this and if so do you know why and how did you get it to go away?

 

Jane

Janewholovesrain,

Have you tried B-2 aka Riboflavin.

Taking B-2 worked for me.

Most B-Vitamins need to be taking 2 to 3 times daily for best effect.

You did not say how often you were taking your B-complex.

Taken with each meal of a good B-complex mix of say a B-50 or B-100 should help your Angular Cheilits in two to three months.

But you can take B-2 alone though it best to take B's in a complex like you were doing so your B's don't get out of balance.

Once your urine turns bright yellow your kidneys are bypassing excess Riboflavin and your dose or frequency can be cut back.

This is easy enough to see.  The brighter (they call it neon urine) the urine the more B-2 your body is bypassing.

The color of your urine will go clear a couple days to a week max after you stop the B-2.

Usually it takes about 3 months to take enough B-2 Riboflavin to get rid of most Angular Cheilitis.

I know had the same problem as you described.  I could get rid of it but couldn't keep it away.

When I began taking the Riboflavin 3/day my Angular Cheilitis went away for good.

I hope this is helpful.

**** this is not medical advice only my person experience with Angular Cheilitis and taking B-2 to help this condition after suffering for years with it.

2 Timothy 2:7 "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" this  included.

posterboy by the grace of God,

 

 

[ccrew99]

Yes. It's awful!!!  It was when I was deficient in b-12 but what I found out was that its not actually a symptom of b-12 deficiency but more so it's that your immune system can't fight off the natural bacteria in and around your mouth. I'm a dental hygienist and that made perfect sense to me. So I actually put neosporin on the corners of my mouth (very little amounts) until I got my b's up. Now I'm not a doctor and that may be really bad for you but it worked like a charm for me. At that point I was desperate for relief and it can take time to get your immune system going again. 

I had also read it can be yeast infection but anti fungal didn't work like the anti bacterials.