The lips have very thin skin, so they are practically not protected from external influences. Because of this, every person has to deal with various lip diseases at least once in their life. In medicine they have a common name - cheilitis.
. There are about a dozen varieties of this disease.
Reasons why lip diseases develop
Human lips are very vulnerable, which often leads to redness, irritation, dryness, and even the formation of wounds and crusts. Most often, cheilitis develops under the influence of external factors.
: low temperature, wind, sun rays. Under their influence, the skin around the mouth dries out, which in itself is unpleasant. If you don't do anything about it, the problem will only get worse.
The second factor that causes lip diseases is various allergens. The culprit of the pathological reaction can be both food and cosmetics. Problems in the functioning of the internal systems of the body can also affect the face.
Most often, the delicate skin around the mouth suffers due to hormonal imbalances, fungal and viral infections. Vitamin deficiency, indigestion and general deterioration of immunity can aggravate the situation.
There are also less common causes of lip disease. They usually lead to certain types of cheilitis.
Recommendations before the lip contouring procedure
It is better to start preparing before the procedure. The further speed of healing largely depends on this. First of all, you need to make sure there are no contraindications. You can clarify their list during the initial consultation. You should pay attention to the presence of damage in the area of upcoming injections, as well as the presence of herpes. It is recommended to refuse the procedure in case of exacerbation of chronic diseases, infections, etc. Particular attention should be paid to the presence of herpes.
After examining and consulting the patient, the doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs. This is due to the fact that intervention can provoke a recurrence of infections. But starting to take them on your own without first consulting a specialist is highly discouraged. Additionally, before the procedure you should not take blood thinners. They increase the likelihood of bleeding.
The method cannot be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Additionally, drinking alcohol before lip augmentation is prohibited. This increases the likelihood of swelling and bruising. Sports activities and visiting the solarium are also prohibited. If you follow the recommendations correctly, you can significantly reduce the risk of complications.
Types of lip diseases
Cheilitis can be divided into several categories. Here are their names:
- exfoliative;
- glandular;
- meteorological;
- actinic;
- atopic;
- eczematous;
- candida.
In addition, there are other diseases that are not related to cheilitis. Therefore, dryness, peeling, crust formation, and a red border near the lips are causes for serious concern and a reason for examining the entire body.
Atopic cheilitis
Atopic cheilitis is sometimes called allergic because it is caused by various irritants. The cause of the disease can be food or cosmetics. It turns out that the allergen affects the skin of the lips both from the inside and outside.
The disease manifests itself as inflammation of the red border of the lips. The skin becomes dry and peels. Cracks, itching and burning may occur.
Most often, children and adolescents suffer from lip allergies. Often it is the only symptom of neurodermatitis or atopic dermatitis.
Glandular cheilitis
Glandular cheilitis is an inflammation of the salivary glands, which are located on the surface of the mucous membrane of the lips.
The disease is more common in men over 50 years of age and is characterized by the following symptoms:
- noticeable red dots appear on the lower lip;
- copious secretion of saliva from the inflamed glands, the appearance of “dew drops”;
- dryness, cracks and erosion;
- Bacteria can enter the irritated canals, leading to the formation of pus.
There are primary and secondary forms of glandular cheilitis. The primary disease develops due to genetic predisposition. Secondary lip disease can be caused by lupus, oral leukoplakia, or lichen planus.
Meteorological cheilitis
People have to deal with this disease all the time. Standard chapping, which more often appears in winter, is meteorological cheilitis.
The first sign of the disease is a feeling of skin tightness. In advanced cases, it turns red, dries out, and becomes covered with cracks. This lip inflammation can be treated at home. It is enough to isolate yourself from harmful factors, moisturize and nourish the skin until it is completely restored.
Eczematous cheilitis
Eczematous cheilitis is one of the manifestations of eczema - an inflammatory process of a neuroallergic nature, which most often manifests itself on the face or dry areas of the body. Usually the disease is accompanied by constant dryness and redness. In advanced cases, the skin begins to peel off and become covered with blisters.
The disease often affects the tissue around the lips, so the patient may develop a red border, as in the photo on the right. This area of skin is constantly itchy and itchy.
If the disease is chronic, the symptoms are less pronounced. But in this case, seals appear on the skin.
Actinic cheilitis
Many people believe that lips need to be protected only in winter. Therefore, it is at this time of year that people stock up on moisturizing and nourishing balms to relieve dry and itchy lips. However, delicate skin must be protected not only from frost, but also from the burning sun.
With increased sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation and prolonged exposure to open areas, actinic cheilitis forms. His symptoms are standard:
- dryness, flaking;
- redness and swelling;
- compaction of individual areas.
If you do nothing, your lips become crusty. This is how the body tries to somehow protect the vulnerable part of the face. This symptom appears less frequently than others.
In advanced cases, ulcers, erosions and small compactions occur around the oral cavity. This condition is precancerous.
Exfoliative cheilitis
The exfoliative form of the disease occurs due to stress and disturbances in the functioning of the immune system. Genetic predisposition plays a major role. If your parents had this disease, there is a high risk that you will develop it too.
Exfoliative cheilitis on the lips occurs in two forms: exudative and dry. In the first case, you can observe the so-called yellow lips (pictured). A dense crust of this shade forms on the skin.
The yellow crust is easy to tear off; this process does not cause much discomfort. There are no erosions or other damage under the crust.
In the dry form of the disease, a crust also forms on the lips, but not yellow, but a lighter shade. The patient is concerned about dry skin, which explains the name of the disease. There is a desire to lick your teeth, but it is better not to do this: you can cause an infection and provoke more irritation.
Candidal cheilitis
If the lips are red, inflamed and crusted with a cheesy coating of white or yellowish color, it means that the cause of these symptoms is candidiasis. If you clean off the plaque, inflamed areas of skin will be exposed. How such a lip disease manifests itself is shown in the photo.
The disease occurs due to the excessive development of the Candida fungus. The pathogen lives on the human mucous membranes constantly, but the active development of the fungus begins only under favorable conditions, which include:
- decreased immunity due to past illnesses or lack of nutrients;
- long-term use of antibiotics;
- a sharp change in climate to a hotter and more humid one.
Fungal inflammation of the lips begins externally, but can spread to the internal tissues of the oral cavity, thus leading to candidal stomatitis.
Lip cancer
Many of these diseases, if not given proper attention to their treatment, lead to cancer. Perhaps this is the most terrible disease that can affect the lips and oral cavity.
At first, the symptoms of cancer are unremarkable. The lips will turn red and there will be slight inflammation. The skin may become dry and cracked. If the patient moisturizes and nourishes the affected tissues, but the lips remain sore for several weeks, he should sound the alarm and consult a specialist. Later, ulcers and lumps may appear.
Usually, if treatment is started correctly and on time, the cancer recedes completely. Only in rare cases are relapses possible.
There is another disease that is compared to cancer - Manganotti syndrome. The disease manifests itself in the form of a noticeable ulcer on the lip, which is precancerous. However, due to the fact that in most cases the syndrome still develops into a tumor, it is more often classified as oncological diseases.
Massage for volume and juiciness of lips
Try regularly massaging your lips with a soft toothbrush. Slow, careful movements will not damage the skin of the lips, but will serve as an excellent cosmetic massage that activates the natural processes of regeneration and hydration. Ideally, it is better to use a separate toothbrush for massage. For thin lip skin, a brush marked SOFT or for children is perfect.- A good idea is to massage your lips every evening before going to bed. To improve blood circulation and restore the natural brightness of the lip border, wet the brush in cold water before massage. Apply a little vegetable oil (shea, almond, avocado, sasanqua, jojoba) to your lips and gently massage your lips with a brush for one minute. This will provide your lips with softness and shine, without taking up any time, effort or money.
- Ice is one of the most popular methods to help increase lip volume at home. Massage an ice cube onto your lips and then apply a moisturizer or balm. This cryomassage is an excellent express remedy for giving your lips an appetizing swelling before an important date or photo shoot. Short-term exposure to cold has a shock effect to some extent, which activates all metabolic processes, increases tone, and improves oxygen saturation of skin cells. By regularly performing ice massage, you can make your lips not only more attractive, but also more resistant to external influences. And even in cool weather, without using balm, your lips will shine with health and beauty.
Features of cheilitis in children
Lips suffer due to minimal protection. In children it is even weaker, so cheilitis worries them somewhat more often. In addition to children, the risk group includes the elderly and pregnant women.
The main causes of cheilitis in childhood:
- allergic reaction to food;
- use of products for the care of the skin of the lips and around them, not intended for children;
- genetic predisposition;
- infectious and fungal infections;
- weather.
Typically, infantile cheilitis does not develop until critical stages. When children's lips turn red, parents immediately begin to treat them. After all, people pay more attention to the health of the younger generation than to their own. If cheilitis in children still requires treatment, therapy should not be delayed longer than a few weeks. The main thing is to remove all allergens from the children's diet and balance the diet.
Exercises for beautiful lip shape
This set of exercises will not take you much time, but will serve as an excellent prevention of age-related changes in the skin of the lips. You can do it in the morning before applying makeup or in the evening before going to bed.
- Pull your lips out and exhale as if you were blowing out a candle. After exhaling, relax your lips. Repeat 8-10 times.
- As you inhale, puff out your cheeks and begin to exhale - slowly and evenly, starting to push out the air as you exhale. The eye area should be relaxed. Repeat 8-10 times.
- Articulating as expressively as possible, pronounce the vowels A, I, O, U, Y. Repeat 10 times.
- Pull your lips forward as far as possible, opening your mouth slightly. Relax your lips and close your mouth. Repeat 15-20 times.
- Move your lower jaw left and right along with your lips so that the movement begins from the lips. Repeat 20 times.
- Stick your tongue out as far forward as possible, hold at the extreme point for a couple of seconds, then retract your tongue and relax your lips. Repeat 5 times.
How to treat lips with cheilitis
The most important thing in treating cheilitis is to identify its cause, which is difficult to do without professional help. You'll have to contact a specialist. First, it is better to go to a therapist, and he will then refer you to a specialist doctor.
Typically, treatment for diseases of the lips and skin around the mouth is based on eliminating not the symptoms, but the root cause. It includes lifestyle changes, proper nutrition, and medication.
If the cause of inflammation is an infectious or fungal infection, local drugs are included in the therapy. Typically, patients are prescribed various medicinal ointments for external use, which must be applied to damaged skin several times a day:
- anti-inflammatory – Tetracycline, Erythromycin;
- antifungal – Clotrimazole;
- hormonal – Prednisolone.
To cure lips, you need to influence them not only from the outside, but also from the inside. The skin around the mouth often suffers from a lack of B vitamins, so they are often prescribed in the treatment of lips.
Regular nutrition for youth and health
By making nourishing lip masks at least a couple of times a week, you can be sure that dullness, loss of volume, vertical wrinkles and other signs of aging will not affect you for many years. You can simply apply a thick layer of rich nourishing cream and blot off the residue with a napkin after 10-15 minutes. Or you can prepare special lip masks with your own hands.
Mix honey with vegetable oil (almond, jojoba, castor, argan, rose hip, avocado, shea) in 1:1 proportions. Apply a thick layer on your lips and leave for a while.- Mix honey with vegetable oil and enrich this composition with a couple of drops of essential oils. Lavender, myrrh, sandalwood, rose, carrot seeds, chamomile - for damage and inflammation. Mint, ginger, cinnamon, lemon balm, lemon - to stimulate blood circulation and give lips brightness and volume. Apply for 10-15 minutes, then remove with a napkin. To enhance the effect, pre-massage your lips with a toothbrush.
- Candied honey, applied to the lips with massaging movements, amazingly refreshes the skin of the lips and makes them smooth, shiny and brighter.
- Prepare a wonderful mask - a lip scrub with an intoxicating fruity aroma. Mix a quarter teaspoon of unrefined coconut oil with fine brown sugar and add 1 drop of sweet orange essential oil. Apply a thick layer onto your lips, lightly massaging and leave for 15 minutes.
- Want to get a natural pink lip color? Pomegranate seeds will help you. Grind the pomegranate seeds and mix them with the heavy cream. Apply the resulting paste to your lips every evening, before going to bed for 15 minutes. Like most natural remedies, this composition works gradually, do not expect instant results. But your patience will be rewarded: you will like the results.
- A popular Ayurvedic recipe for adding brightness and volume to lips based on red henna. Brew a pinch of red henna with hot water and mix with coconut oil. Add 1 drop of cinnamon essential oil to the mixture. Gently apply to lips using a brush for 15-20 minutes. The mask slightly stains the lips in a reddish-brick tint, so when applying it, do not go beyond the contour of the lips.
How to get rid of unpleasant symptoms at home
It is not worth treating at home without seeing a doctor. However, there are ways that you can resort to to reduce discomfort:
- If your lips become inflamed due to the sun or cold, it is advisable that they are always covered with a protective layer of balm.
- For severe itching and burning, which occur in almost all forms of cheilitis, cold compresses will help. Before applying them, the skin is covered with a layer of balm so that the lips are treated simultaneously with the reduction of pain.
- If your lips are red and covered with cracks, sores or any other open wounds, you need to make sure that bacteria do not get into them. The surrounding skin and teeth should be treated with a cotton pad soaked in hydrogen peroxide or Miramistin. Special antiseptic ointments will have the best effect.
- If pain and itching are unbearable, painkillers can be used. Ointments with a cooling effect will have the same effect.
All methods of folk treatment for cheilitis will be useless if you resort to them thoughtlessly - without consulting a doctor. In most cases, inflammation, redness and itching of the lips are harmless. Such symptoms can go away even without therapy, but sometimes they indicate dangerous diseases, so medical help should not be neglected.
Contraindications after lip augmentation
Lip contouring is considered a safe procedure. After it, you can almost immediately return to your normal lifestyle. The need for care and healing is still present. Although the doctor uses anesthesia, the procedure may be painful. Unpleasant sensations persist in the future. They can follow the patient for up to 3 days. In order not to worsen the condition, it is important to follow a number of recommendations. Thus, the following contraindications apply:
- It is recommended not to eat food for 3 hours. The greatest number of restrictions concerns hot dishes. It is better not to eat them during the day. Otherwise, there is a risk of spoiling the result, as well as injuring the treated area. Therefore, it is recommended to give preference to products at room temperature. Hot and spicy dishes should be excluded from the menu. Eating such food is fraught with inflammation and swelling. It is advisable to cut the food into small pieces. It's better not to open your mouth wide. This increases soreness. On the first day after the procedure, it is highly recommended not to touch the treatment area. This is fraught with infection. It needs some time to heal.
- While your lips are healing, it is better not to use decorative cosmetics. The use of lipsticks, lip pencils, balms, and glosses is prohibited. Their use is fraught with the occurrence of infections.
- Overheating must be avoided. Otherwise, restructuring of hyaluronic acid is possible. It is also better not to use cooling compresses too often. Otherwise, the skin will become excessively dry and microcracks may appear.
- It is recommended to limit physical activity. Also, doctors do not recommend showing facial activity.
- Tanning is banned for one to two weeks. During this period, it is also not recommended to be in the open sun. The above procedures lead to excessive sweating, which increases the risk of infection. Additionally, the development of hyperpigmentation and swelling is possible. All warming procedures are also prohibited. They can lead to the breakdown of hyaluronic acid.
Answers to popular questions
To study the situation in more detail, we recommend that you read the answers to popular questions. Additionally, you can contact your doctor and clarify with him the nuances of interest. Our specialists provide comprehensive support. They work with patients both before and after the procedure. The cosmetologist ensures that the patient receives care. He clarifies all the details. As a result, the occurrence of effects is reduced.
How long does it take for lips to heal after augmentation?
Recovery takes 1 to 2 weeks. However, everything is individual. The speed of recovery is affected by proper care. If the patient uses healing and soothing ointments, discomfort will decrease, swelling will subside faster, and the recovery procedure will take less time. However, the funds can be selected together with your doctor. Specialists will find out which drugs can be used in a particular case, and then prescribe the appropriate medication.
Is it possible to drink alcohol after lip augmentation?
Drinking alcohol during the entire healing period is strictly prohibited. This is due to the fact that it has a thinning effect on the blood. As a result, extensive hematomas may appear that do not look very aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, there is a risk of developing other negative reactions. Because of this, it is recommended to refrain from drinking alcohol.
Kissing after lip augmentation
The pain persists for the first few days. Therefore, kissing can bring physical discomfort. It's better to avoid them. When the swelling subsides and the discomfort disappears, they are acceptable. However, it is best to refrain from excessive activity until healing is completely complete.
Is it possible to play sports after lip augmentation?
Physical activity increases sweating and increases blood pressure. All this negatively affects the healing process. As a result, the likelihood of infections and side effects increases. Therefore, it is not recommended to exercise for at least one week. It is better to postpone going to the gym until healing is complete.
Is it possible to smoke after lip augmentation?
Smoking is also included in the list of prohibited activities. In the first days, holding a cigarette with your lips will be uncomfortable. This will significantly increase discomfort and also slow down healing. The risk of side effects will also increase significantly. Therefore, during the recovery period after lip augmentation, smoking is prohibited.
Lip care after augmentation
You need to take good care of your lips. This will speed up healing and also minimize the risk of negative consequences. Care includes the following activities:
- Using moisturizing balms or hygienic lipsticks. They will saturate the area with liquid and prevent cracking.
- Minimizing physical activity. It is better not to go to the gym for about 2 weeks. Visiting him is fraught with increased blood pressure, which is extremely undesirable.
- To relieve swelling, it is recommended to use special ointments. The doctor will prescribe them.
- If inflammation or herpes appears, you must inform a specialist. He will examine the area and then suggest treatment.
In general, the healing process proceeds quite quickly. The injected gel will saturate the skin with hyaluronate, and the area will take the required shape. To quickly relieve swelling and redness, you can apply a cold compress. It is not recommended to perform them too often. Extreme cooling can lead to dryness, resulting in a risk of chapped lips. This is fraught with the appearance of new wounds and an increase in healing time.
