Lips are a very sensitive area. They contain a large number of nerve endings that quickly respond to any negative effects of both exogenous and endogenous nature. If the lips are burning, the cause may be banal weathering. But serious diseases cannot be ruled out. The main causes and treatment are described below.
Lips burn after a burn
Very often, tissues are injured due to exposure to high temperatures, sunlight or chemical compounds. The severity of symptoms and treatment depend on the cause.
Lips and tongue burn with a first degree burn. External damage is minor or imperceptible. Such a burn does not pose a health hazard, it is enough to timely treat the skin of the lips with a cream or ointment based on dexpanthenol.
Symptoms
- redness;
- small swelling;
- burning sensation;
- painful sensations that intensify during a conversation or eating food.
Thus, if the lips are red and burning, the cause is often a mild thermal burn. Its symptoms quickly disappear after topical application of ointments containing dexpanthenol. Alternatively, you can use honey, chamomile broth or aloe juice. They must be impregnated with a piece of cotton cloth and applied to the lips.
If lips burn, the cause may be a sunburn. It is characterized not only by burning, but also by a feeling of tightness. The treatment of sunburn involves the application of tissue dampened with water to the skin. After 20 minutes, it is necessary to treat the affected area with any cream containing pantothenic acid.
Weathering
Contrary to popular belief, this condition can occur at any time of the year. Weathered lips may result from:
- strong wind;
- insufficient humidity;
- sudden changes in temperature indicators;
- heat
- ultraviolet exposure;
- frost
- dry air.
Other causes of weathering:
- Use of poor quality cosmetics.
- The use of toothpaste, which contains fluoride.
- The habit of breathing through the mouth, biting and licking lips.
Weatheredness is manifested by dryness, burning, coarsening of the skin, peeling. In severe cases, the lips become covered with painful cracks.
Light weathering can be eliminated in 1–2 days. It is enough to lubricate the lips with petroleum jelly or a cream based on dexpanthenol. With severe damage, the duration of treatment increases on average to 7 days. In advanced cases, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist.
Diabetes
If the lips dry and burn, this disease may be the cause. Diabetes mellitus is a pathology that is accompanied by a large number of symptoms and complications. Burning mouth syndrome is one of them. This condition does not pose a danger to life, but significantly worsens its quality.
Burning mouth syndrome is not a specific symptom of diabetes, which is why doctors are not interested in patients regarding its presence. In addition, the mechanism of the onset of this condition is currently not well understood.
Clinical manifestations of the syndrome:
- Dry skin of the lips, while their integrity is not broken.
- Burning sensation and slight tingling sensation. Sometimes the lips go numb.
- Change in taste. It seems to man that food is bitter. Sometimes food, according to the patient, gives a metallic taste.
If the lips and the tip of the tongue are burning, diabetes is the cause in 80% of cases. The burning of the front of the palate speaks in favor of this disease. This feeling sometimes occurs on the side of the tongue.
Treatment of burning mouth syndrome in diabetics consists in taking Clonazepam and pain medication. After 2 weeks, you additionally need to start using anesthetics. The choice of drugs should be carried out exclusively by a doctor.
Allergic reaction
When the lips turn red and burn, the cause may be hiding in the contact of sensitive tissue and any irritant. The most commonly used allergens are:
- Bad weather conditions (strong wind, frost, ultraviolet rays).
- Chemical components, usually included in lipsticks, toothpastes, prostheses.
- Food.
- Cosmetics of poor quality.
Signs of an allergy can be both mild and pronounced. In the first case, the lips swell a little and burn. The cause should be sought as soon as possible to prevent further contact of the allergen with sensitive tissue. In severe cases, an undesirable reaction is manifested not only by burning and swelling, but also by dry crusts and a rash. In this situation, you need to contact a dermatologist. Only a specialist can provide information on why lips burn. The reason in this case is determined on the basis of complaints, medical history and laboratory tests.
Allergy treatment consists of taking antihistamines and topical application of hormonal ointments, as well as creams that promote healing.
Cheilitis
This term refers to the inflammatory process, the course of which is accompanied by damage to the skin of the lips and their rims, as well as the mucous membrane. As a rule, the disease is prolonged in nature with frequent relapses. In young people, the prognosis is usually favorable, even self-healing is not ruled out. Elderly people have a much higher risk of transferring the disease to malignant pathologies.
The main reasons for the development of cheilitis:
- Erythematosis.
- Tuberculosis.
- Syphilis.
- Lichen planus.
- Psoriasis.
- Long-term exposure to the skin of the wind or sunlight. This is especially true for people working outdoors.
- Atopic dermatitis.
- Contact of tissue with chemical compounds.
The clinical manifestations of cheilitis directly depend on the form of the disease. There are several of them, but the following symptoms are characteristic of each:
- itching
- redness;
- edema;
- rashes;
- lips are burning.
The cause of the ailment should be determined by the dentist. It is to him that one should turn when the first alarming symptoms occur. The diagnosis is made on the basis of patient complaints, examination and histological examination of the affected tissue.
The treatment of pathology is long. It involves the use of glucocorticosteroids and the passage of a course of physiotherapy. Other medicines are prescribed only after the doctor determines the root cause of cheilitis.
Vitamin deficiency
Burning in the lips often occurs for this reason. Against the background of vitamin deficiency, the skin becomes thinner, becomes dry, often cracks form on it. To fix this problem, just adjust the diet.
Vitamins A, E and those that belong to group B must be present on the menu. According to statistics, their deficiency occurs most often in the winter. In this regard, doctors recommend stocking vegetables, fruits and berries in the summer. It is enough to cut them into portioned pieces and freeze.
Stomatitis
This disease, an early stage of which is characterized by burning in the lips. Over time, severe pain and sores appear. The latter have a round shape and clear contours with a red trim. In addition, their surface is covered with a gray film.
Causes of stomatitis:
- lip skin damage;
- thermal or chemical burns;
- weathering.
The dentist is involved in the treatment of the disease. The treatment regimen includes the administration and topical use of painkillers, anti-inflammatory, antihistamines and immunostimulating drugs. In addition, for the purpose of speedy healing, doctors prescribe the treatment of foci of pathology with vitamins A and E, as well as sea buckthorn oil.
Herpes
The causative agent of the disease is the virus. The first sign of his active life is a burning sensation and tingling sensation in the lips. Reproduction of the virus is a consequence of the weakening of the body's defenses. The peculiarity of the pathogen is that it is introduced into the genetic apparatus, and therefore it is impossible to get rid of it. All therapeutic measures are aimed at the transition of the virus from the active phase to the sleeping one.
Clinical manifestations occur gradually. At first, a person feels that his lips are burning. After some time, itchy vesicles filled with pathological fluid appear on them. After a few days, they burst, forming a wet surface. Subsequently, they dry out, and the skin begins to take on its original appearance.
Herpes treatment consists in taking immunostimulating and antiviral drugs, as well as in the local use of antiseptic ointments.
Other possible reasons
Sometimes uncomfortable sensations may result from:
- Mechanical damage to tissues. However, their integrity may be compromised by defective teeth or improperly installed prostheses.
- Prolonged depression. Mental disorders negatively affect both the quantity and composition of the secretion produced by the salivary glands.
- Unrest. Against the background of overexcitation of the central nervous system, metabolism and blood circulation in the face are accelerated. As a result, nerve endings are irritated by fluid connective tissue.
- Dry mouth. Saliva is a kind of protector of the oral cavity from pathogenic microorganisms. It also wets tissues while maintaining optimal moisture levels. If saliva is not produced enough, lips become dry and seem to burn.
If the unpleasant sensation persists for a long time, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
Finally
If the lips burn, the cause can be both banal weathering and a serious pathology. Preservation of discomfort for a long time is an occasion for an early appeal to a medical institution.