Chapped & Cracked Lips

Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Questions

Occasional cracks at the corners of my mouth

June 2012

For the last few years, I have been getting these strange cracks at the corners of my mouth, periodically. They are not cold sores but just one crack on each side. it gets inflamed for a while, I put lip balm on it, and then it goes away. Has anyone had this happen and have any ideas on prevention or treatment? It's not painful and I don't really want to go to the doctor for it, it's more of an annoyance than anything. I don't have excess saliva or anything and it doesn't correspond to anything I eat! anon

It could be caused by low iron. Or other vitamin deficiencies There is at least one more vitamin or mineral that affects this but I can't remember which one Bobbie Jo

Interesting, I have started to get those too! Read online that it's one of the (many) symptoms of anemia. They eventually went away so I haven't thought about it more than that. Did you get checked for anemia? Would be interested to read responses! cracked lip mama

I know you say it doesn't correspond to anything you eat, but I also get those sometimes and it is when I don't get enough of the right foods. Not necessarily an allergy, but when I am busy and don't eat well, I get the cracks. I am also prone to the cracks when I'm pregnant, and I think it must be that a pregnant body requires more of certain things. I started eating a more Weston A. Price-ish diet a few years ago, and I almost never get the cracks unless I'm stressed out or eating poorly. (For example, the last time I got one was when I was travelling for a stressful family function.)

When I do get them, I find that calendula ointment helps make them go away faster. If it is really bad, I used to put a little bit of antibiotic ointment there too. anon

This condition is called angular cheilitis, and can be managed with a topical anti-fungal/anti-microbial ointment and Vitamin B supplements. NP

I sometimes get those cracks at the corner of my mouth, and my theory is that they are a yeast infection, similar to athlete's foot. I apply athelete's foot medication (or the stuff for vaginal yeast infections--it's basically the same stuff) carefully to the crack (avoiding getting it in my mouth) and it usually clears up in a few days. Yeasty

I have the same problem once in awhile. My doctor gave me a presription for ''nystatin ointment'' which I apply at night when the outbreak occurs. Works well to make it disappear. Roger

That may be a vitamin B deficiency. If so, eating a little meat everyday should clear it up. Anon

i had that same issue a few years ago. i saw a wonderful dermatologist at kaiser oakland (can't remember her name.) she was very persistent and did a lot of tests, because initially she was baffled, too. in the end, it turned out that my plastic nalgene water bottle was the culprit. although i washed it frequently, the dr said that there was a bacteria that was causing the cracking and itching. she said it's important to not let water bottles sit in your car (even for short periods) because the heat could promote bacteria growth. i took antibiotics and made sure to keep my water bottle super clean and out of heat. i tried metal bottles and didn't like them and eventually returned to the same bottle and have never had that problem again. go figure! done with cracks

Extreme cracked lips comes and goes suddenly

June 2010

6 months ago my lips became extremely cracked, peeling and dry to the point that smiling is hard and it is uncomfortable and looks weird with the constant peeling and flakes.

The strange thing is that it comes on very suddenly and then leaves suddenly, my lips can be normal, soft moist and then suddenly completely dry and cracked.

For instance 2 days ago, they were fine, suddenly yesterday midday they began getting dry and within an hour they were extremely peeling and cracked. By evening they were better, almost back to normal but woke up this morning and again they are peeling and cracked. Usually the cycle isn't so fast, generally will stay in the state for 2-4 days.

This just began 6 months ago on a 8 hour plane ride, never had it before. Thought it was just normal dehydration but have not been able to get rid of it. Can't tie it to any food or sleep etc. I drink lots of water, take fish oil etc.

Any ideas?
yucky lips

We had a friend with a similar situation. It started after she ate something spicy and she thought she had burned her lips but it kept returning and she was very sick and lost a lot of weight-could only drink liquids carefully with a straw. It was some kind of self perpetuating immune problem-I think she needed steroids eventually. You better see someone. Also sometimes yeast infections can cause bad cracking on the sides of your mouth but this sounds different. anon

VERY STRANGE to read your post. I've had EXACTLY the same experience with my lips for the last month!!!! I didn't read it in your post, but for me, BEFORE experiencing the dry lip syndrome, I have for years put NANAK's lip smoothie on my lips for a chap stick. (like I've used this non-stop ALL DAY LONG for about 30 years). Recently (like in the last year or so) I've noticed that Nanak chap stick changed to including 10 SPF sunblock. I continued using it, thinking that's a good thing. I gave one to my adult son, and upon researching, he returned it, informing me that it contains PABA for a sunblock. He said that PABA is NOT good for the skin. Strange as it may be, my dry lip syndrome started about a week prior to my son telling me this. I continued to use it but it got worse and worse. At first, I thought maybe my lips were allergic to a particular lip stick (I only use lipstick once in a while for going out, and I may have used an old one or something.) Now, for the last week or so, I have completely stopped ALL lip remedies or lip stick or lip gloss. I went to the health food store and bought 12,000 IU pure Vitamin E oil. I went to Body Time and bought a few small vials. I use the Vitamin E oil on my lips. It's been healing gradually. I don't know when I'll go back to using chap sticks. The oil has been nourishing for my lips but sort of messy to use (and my finger has to be clean every time I put it on. .. ) Other than that, I've been happy with this self-prescribed remedy for my dry lips. They are still dry but not cracked and chapped and rough any more. And I'm needing to apply the oil less and less frequently, which is a good sign. burken

If you are a woman (or a brazen man) I highly recommend Revlon ColorStay Overtime Lipcolor. It comes in a tube with color on one side and a goopy gloss on the other. and costs about 8-10 dollars a tube. Any pharmacy or typical makeup aisle carries it.

I'm not big on cosmetics, but a runner friend told me about it when i was doing a long distance relay in the dessert a few years ago and my lips were cracked and bleeding. I gave it a whirl, and it REALLY WORKS. I use only the color side, not the goopy gloss side and it seems to provide a protective barrier, and stop drying. I wear it every day and it's eliminated the horrid consequequence of dry lips for me-- unsightly coldsores.

I make a POINT to wear it when I'm flying, running a long way, or going to the beach, or someother stenuous thing. After I gave birth to my daughter someone said ''oh you look so put together with your lipstick on!'' I had lasted about 16 hours and did look pretty good and my lips didn't dry out then either, even though my access to water was limited. It comes in lots of nuetral colors and bold colors (something for everyone, and when it dries (about 10 minutes after you put it on, it is much more weightless than regular lipstick.

Unfortunately some cheaper longtime lip colors have the effect of drying out my lips even more, which is why I recommend this particular brand. Chapped No More

If this has been ongoing for more than a couple of months I would see your dermatologist immediately. I am a clinical esthetician and without knowing more details I am often the first line of defense in my client's health in relation to serious skin diseases and disorders. In the winter with forced air heat our skin and particularly the lips can dry out and crack. It could be an ongoing problem with cold sores (herpes)and without a proper diagnosis it is difficult to treat it correctly. Debbie

You should see a dermatologist. I had something similar happening around my eyes. It was a weird rash that also tends to appear at the mouth. A couple of weeks on antibiotics cleared it up. I thought my eye rash was many things before I finally went to the Derm! ex-rashy

I didn't see the original question, so please forgive me if I'm off the mark with my answer... Are you drinking enough water? Cracked lips can indicate dehydration. * Just a thought.

Drinking more water and a dermatology check may be good first steps. If that doesn't help, it may be food sensitivities. My extreme, intermittently cracked lips were due to a wheat sensitivity. Try eliminating major food groups that you're especially dependent on - and see if the symptoms disappear. Then watch what happens when you eat a lot of that food group after being off it for at least 5 days.

An elimination diet can be very informative, but takes work (I cooked separately for myself and my family much of the time). I found my favorite staples - wheat, dairy, corn, sugar - did me in. Years later, diagnosed with pre-diabetes, I easily adjusted to a low glycemic diet. I'd already learned which foods stressed my body; had found substitutes for them (yams instead of potatoes, goat milk products, gluten-free crackers, lots more greens, brown rice pasta, marijuana instead of alcohol, etc.); and had already found brands and recipes that worked for me and even my family.

Some nutritionists, doctors, or applied kinesiologists can help with this, too. Good luck! Anon

My Very Dry lips

March 2010

My lips are constantly chapped and dry. (My mouth is often dry too.) When I use lip balm, it helps for a short time, but then it dries and leaves little white gobs on my lips, which look and feel gross, so I pick them off, and then my lips are dry again. There are a lot of things that have some effect on how bad it is (like whether I drink water, whether I lick my lips, whether I'm nervous, whether it's humid out), but nothing really makes it better. Drinking fruit juice/ smoothies or eating yogurt are the things that seem to help the most.

Can anyone help? Could there be some cause I don't know about? Has anyone found solutions that work for them? I am really self-conscious about this problem and would like to do something about it, but don't know who to ask.

Chapped and embarrassed

You are on the right track with the fluids - your lips can be dry from dehydration - try to get a LOT more water into you - I know mine get dry when I'm not drinking enough - and it's great for your skin too! Good luck! been there

I don't want to be alarmist, but I do think that you should see a doctor about your dry lips and mouth. The reason is probably fairly benign (dry air in home/office, side effect of some drugs, allergies, sun damage to lips, etc.) - but it is possible that this is a symptom of something a bit more serious. My aunt just got diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome (http://www.sjogrens.org/) after years of suffering from first dry lips, then also dry mouth and dry eyes. Whatever it is, it is worth finding out. Anon

Believe or not, honey really works for chappy lips. I got this from my grandma. The only issue is its stickiness, therefore you don't want it while you sleep. Otherwise, it cures in a few days and most of all, sweet, yummy and natural. rie

I have had this problem also, as well as an exzema around the lips. Glad you don't have that! here's what I have learned from 2 dermatologists. The best stuff to use on your lips is either plain old vaseline (considered inert, i.e. it just goes through you) or Aquaphor,which feels alot like vaseline. . Chapstick and the like may have sentitizing agents, and you'll get caught in a rebound thing. Don't use anything with mint, or orange, or eucalyptus, or strawberry-all those''natural'' things that might seem appealing. I am wondering if the foods you mention could actually be making it worse-i.e. feeling soothing initially but may contain the stuff you are sensitive to. of course another whole theory about all of this is that you are being told what foods your gut is not comfortable with. There is always the possibility of eliminating wheat and seeing what happens... good luck Mary

Sometimes excessive dryness can be an indication of other problems or things out of balance in the body. My acupuncturist helps me deal with that sometimes. My body tends to run hot and she really tunes it well. I'm sure other people will recommend effective homeopathic solutions, which could be a good route, too.

Here is my acupuncturist's name and number if you're interested in going that route. She is absolutely the best. I am seeing her for some severe health issues and have made progress I never would have with a western doc. Her name is Bobbie Lewis, 510-540-8528. Her office is on Dwight near MLK in Berkeley.

If I use lip balms (like Burt's Bees, for example), my lips quickly become dry and I tend to lick them more. What I found that works great for me is Lansinoh brand lanolin for breastfeeding mothers. It's in a tube and can be found in the baby bottle area of Target. I just use a tiny amount, and it lasts for a long time on my lips. comfortable now

I also have very dry lips. I actually believe lip balm ultimately causes dry lips by building up an addiction. Most men I know do not use any lip balm but have no problem with dry lips, whereas my women friends all use lip balm and must use it repeatedly throughout the day.

Breathing through your mouth also causes dry lips.

In any case, definitely get rid of lip balms that contain petrolatum which will dry out your lips. Lately I like the 100% natural Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (the one that smells minty, not like honey -- the honey one goes on clumpy). Lately I also like Dr. Bronner's Magic Organic Lip Balm (orange ginger). And one day I sampled a homemade lip balm that contained shea butter -- it went on great, but I don't use anything like that regularly enough to know if it works long-term. I'd like to try making it myself one day.

And you might already know that a good way to slough off the dried lip skin is to rub sugar plus lip balm on your lips. Good luck. Love a good lip balm

I use medicated Carmex lip balm every day. Comes in a yellow tube with red lettering and red cap. Important to get the more liquidy stuff in the tube, not the solid cylindrical stick. Good luck! never miss a day or I get chapped lips

I didn't respond initially because I thought you'd get inundated with what has worked for me. I had both extremely dry skin and lips and got no relief from increased water intake and using various topicals.

What really works for me is adding in daily fish oil. EFAs are needed in order for the body to hold in moisture. Putting oil on top of the body won't do it if there isn't the right proportion of oil INSIDE the body.

I'm battling dry lips , hands and even itchy butt cheeks because I ran out of fish oil and quit taking it for awhile.

Blistex cream is the only thing that helps heal my lips when they get this bad.

Try it and fix it for life.... Eating fish oil fixed my lips!

3-year-old's lips are always chapped

May 2009

My 3 year old son has beautiful lips but are always chapped. I have tried Vaseline but it doesn't seem to work. He drinks lots of water so I don't think he is dehydrated. The only thing is he sucks his thumb to sleep so most of the time his mouth is open when sleeping. Could that be a problem to his chapped lips? Does anyone had similar problem? What helped?

Thanks a lot.
Worried mama.

This is really weird, but the thing that has worked best for my chapped lips is Lansinoh, the nipple cream. Vaseline is very drying, so definitely cut that out. Also good is Burt's Bees and Aquaphor. Melanie

When I was pregnant (and in the early postpartum) I had really bad chapped lips. I used lanolin (Lansinoh) to heal them, and it really worked (whenever I've used anything else, even good stuff like Burt's Bees, it's always just been soothing but never actually healed it). I had to use it multiple times a day at first, and always a good coating at night, and then just at night. Good luck! Ursula

My 5 yr. old has a similar habit of licking his lips and/or the area around mouth. It gets really chapped and especially in the winter. I used to do the same thing when I was a bit older so can relate. I started putting a thick layer of Chapstick on his lips and around his mouth at night after he's asleep. I figure it has all night to do some healing, and it does seem to help a lot. I also try to put it on him during the day, but it doesn't seem to stay on as well. cv

Try aquaphor, which is water-based, as opposed to vaseline or a petroleum based product. A doctor told me that over time vaseline can dry out the skin. My son has chapped lips often too and the aquaphor seems to work well. anon

My daughter has constantly chapped lips (she's also 3) in part because she has a habit of licking her lips! I notice the best improvement in them when we use Aquaphor. I also try to give her a carmex stick in her backpack at school but I doubt she uses it much. Anyway, try Aquaphor, especially at night and see if it helps. laura

Our pediatrician told us to use waxy products like Chapstick for our son's chapped lips because they stay on the lips longer. He said vaseline type products rub off too easily. Although we've found the Chapstick does last longer, it's a struggle to keep his lips moisturized. We've succeeded in teaching him not to lick his lips. Now we're working on getting him to remember to apply the Chapstick himself. But that's not going so well between losing the little tubes and simply finding play much more engaging than anything else. Good luck!

My son (age 11) had a serious problem with chapped lips and his trumpet teacher suggested pure lanolin, which you can get at a health food store. Apparently a lot of trumpet players have trouble with dry lips. She said that most chapsticks have a drying agent in them, so using them is working against yourself. My son and I both used it, and it worked wonders for us. Pat

Our lip balm that works for us (myself, my husband, and our 4 yr old daughter's chapped lips) is $3.50 Crabtree and Everlyn. It comes in a simple package. Either Aloe Vera or Jojoba Oil works the same. Easy to apply and almost no scent. When really bad chapped, apply a few times a day. One intense one before go to bed, I usually see the result the next day.

Good luck! Albany mother of 2

My chapped-lip daughter had chapstick (kid flavor) and later vaseline lip therapy (fewer ingredients and also was less appealing for the licking potential). Many kids that age lick their lips a lot, and it is worse in the winter. At night I sometimes put chapstick or vaseline or lansinoh on her upper lip (warm it up first), especially right after a bath. If your daughter is typical, she'll also get better as she gets older too.

Contrary to what another poster stated, white petrolatum/vaseline does not dry out your skin. In fact, being a lifetime veteran of very dry skin, I can assure you that the only thing that really heals my extremely dry and cracked feet is petrolatum/vaseline, then put my socks on. It's also the best thing for my daughter's excema, other than prescription medication. If I put a teeny amount of petrolatum on the excema after a bath, usually it goes away (sadly, most aloe/vitamin E creams have a bit of alcohol in them, which either stings or itches sensitive skin)

Also contrary to the other poster, who probably would benefit from reading the active ingredients in her Aquaphor, white petrolatum is the main, active ingredient in Aquaphor. Many of us have been unconscious consumers of extremely effective marketing campaign. ''Aquaphor'' sounds ''water-based'' but in fact the ingredients are petrolatum, mineral oil, ceresin and lanolin alcohol. They've found a way to make it less greasy than regular petrolatum, but they also charge you 4-5 times the price of petrolatum. The ingredients in petrolatum (e.g. vaseline) are: petrolatum. Or in the case of my ''shea butter'' petrolatum, it also has shea butter and fragrance (and doesn't smell like vaseline). Doctors tend to tell people to use Aquaphor, but heck, they get free samples. Do you only buy Motrin? Or do you consider ibuprofen?

I think we'd all like to believe that we are doing ''natural'' things, but the fact is that we don't think about it as clearly as we think we do (and many, many people will go into a ''health'' store and buy whatever unregulated product the clerk says will cure their whatever, without even considering whether it's what it purports to be, much less whether it's helping you for the price premium. Sorry for the rant, but I think ''green'' and ''natural'' products CAN be great, but are more often very effective marketing.

I have chronic chapped lips

Sept 2006

I have chronic chapped lips. They itch, burn, get swollen, hurt and peel. The process starts all over again. I have been reading about eczema on the lips and something called Cheilitis. Has anyone had this or heard of it? If so, did they find any relief. This is painful and getting depressing. I seem to be allergic to many ointments as well. It is a matter of being dehydrated. I drink almost a gallon of water a day. This is a definite medical problem. Thanks in advance for any help. I am seeing a dermatologist on Wed

I used to have the same problem, and it improved once I stopped using ointments and balms altogether, though occasionally I use natural oils (olive, vitamin E). I was chatting about this recently with a friend, and she directed me to a very funny website called Lip Balm Anonymous http://www.kevdo.com/lipbalm/ - it's partly facetious and partly useful information (at least based on my experience). If nothing else, it might give you a smile while you struggle with your problem. I hope you find some relief soon former chapped lip sufferer

Have you tried eliminating citrus from your diet? I used to have a similar problem and discovered that if I completely cut citrus (with the exception of a bit of lemon juice in salad dressing), especially fresh citrus as it seems to be related to the oil in the peels, it helped immeasureably... good luck. formerly chapped

You might try: Coconut oil. Vitamin E oil. A homeopathic remedy- research in a book or at vitamin shoppe/ whole foods. Blessings, David

Try Lansinosh Lanolin - the ointment that women used for sore/cracked nipples. I use it for chapped lips! Works great! anon

Painful Rash Around 3-year-old's Lips

Jan 2004

I have a son who just turned 3. He has just recently developed a painful, red rash around his lips. He does use a passifier, but only at night. Oddly enough, he didn't have the rash when he was using the passifier on a more regular basis. I hesitate to put anything on his skin, as he keeps licking the rash as it dries out (of course making it worse!) and I'm afraid he'll ingest whatever I put on his skin. He did just finish up a course of Amoxocyllin for an ear infection. Perhaps this is the culprit? Any ideas on treatment from the wise moms out there? Thanks! kim

The antibiotics may have something to do with it. But have you also thought about certain foods your son was eating recently? Perhaps it is an allergic reaction on the skin from actual contact (contact dermatitis) with a particular food. For example, if I eat mangoes, I will break out in a blister type rash that is terribly itchy all over my lips. Think about other fruit sources, like citrus, bananas (latex allergies), pinapple, and berries. Just a thought. Laurey

Have you taken your child to a dermatologist? My son developed a rash that first began around his mouth and then progressed to covering much of his cheeks. The pediatrician couldn't diagnose it, so she referred us to a dermatologist. She took one look and said ''eczema.'' The lesson I learned is that there really is a reason for specialists. If your pediatrician can't pinpoint the rash, take your child to a dermatologist. Gwynne

One possibility is it could be a yeast infection, maybe from the antibiotics? If you're into alternate health care, I'd like to recommend you take your babe to see Carla Cassler, a lic. acupuncturist. She also does chinese medicine and homeopathy. Carla works LOTS with kids and has a lot of medical background. My family sees her regularly. She's on Solano and Ensenada. Office number is 526- 5256. Good luck. June K

My daughter had a painful red rash around her mouth when she was about three. Her pediatrician said it was contact dermatitis and told us to keep it covered with vaseline or aquaphor at all times. We did that, but it got worse. For several months the pediatrician basically blamed us, saying we weren't adequately diligent about the vaseline, though we kept it on her face constantly. He also blamed it on her pacifier, but when she gave up the pacifier, the rash continued to get worse.

When a huge red rash that looked like a clown mouth had covered almost 1/4 of her face for more than four months, the pediatrician finally sent us to a pediatric dermatologist, Ilona Frieden, at UCSF. I told Dr. Frieden, among other things, that my daughter had been on antibiotics for a series of ear infections and I thought it might be the antibiotics. Dr. Frieden asked whether the ear infections had followed sinus trouble or colds, and whether we'd given her decongestants like Triaminic or kids' Benadryl, to which we answered yes. It turns out that pseudophedrine, the main ingredient in almost all sinus meds, can cause a skin inflammation that many docs mistakenly diagnose as eczema or contact dermatitis.

Dr. Frieden treated it with Desonide, a cortisone *ointment*, because the over-the-counter creams like hydrocortisone aggravate the inflammation. The Desonide worked brilliantly, but it is a steroid and giving it to a child seems kind of drastic to me. The bad news, too, was that my daughter had several more flareups, and the Desonide definitely can't be used for long periods of time.

Eventually, we learned of a remedy called Camocare, which is made of chamomile extract and is available from health food stores. For two years, we put aquaphor on our daughter's face before she ate citrus, catsup, pizza, or anything even slightly acidic. We also learned to avoid soap and use only Neutrogena when we really had to use soap. And every night after her bath we put Camocare on her face where the rash was. We've quit the aquaphor, but still use only Neutrogena and still put on the Camocare daily. Occasionally, we see some sign of a flare up (yes, three years later, it still shows up once in a while). But the chamomile stuff seems to make a world of difference. Apparently, many people use it for a variety of skin conditions -- for us, it's worked quite well. I highly recommend it. Good luck!

Our daughter developed the same thing, and I believe for the same reason. When we stopped allowing the pacifier during the day, she began chewing and sucking on other things (like her shirt sleeve or collar) and also sucking on her lower lip. I think that the increased moisture around her mouth is irritating it. I don't really know what to do about it short of giving her back her pacifier, which we don't want to do. We are just hoping that she'll outgrow the need for it. Would love to hear any other advice! (And also about eventually weaning her of the pacifier at nighttime.) Frances

Cracked corners of my mouth

Dec 2006

I have a recurrent problem with cracked/chapping in the corners of my mouth. Every time I open my mouth to eat/yawn or smile, it feels like the crack opens again. It may be tied to colder weather. Using lots of lip balm but it's not helping. It feels like it will never heal because of the frequency of opening my mouth to drink, eat, smile...If you've dealt with this and have any suggestions, please share them! Thanks

cracked mouth corners

I had that problem for a long time in addition to patches of dermatitis above my eye brows. I started taking Flax Seed capsules twice a day and all my skins problems disappeared. Other solutions are to make sure you get enough Vitamin B and use polysporin on the cracks to help them heal. Good Luck! Jeanne

I've had that--I think it's a yeast infection, similar to a vaginal yeast infection or athlete's foot (which also makes the skin crack). I have successfully treated it with athlete's foot medication. Use it sparingly and don't put any inside your mouth and it should be perfectly safe. Apply 2-3 times a day. The best athlete's foot medication I've found is Lamisil. Lotrimin is also good No more cracked mouth corners

I had this problem, too. It was allergies.

Cracks in the corners of your mouth could be from a deficiency of riboflavin. If you can't consume milk and milk products you could try eating more whole grains and fortified cereals. It just might help. Molly G

Hi there - I had this problem a few years ago too. Turns out it was yeast - that's why it wasn't healing. I have a touch of psoriasis on my scalp and thought it might be that so I saw my doctor. He prescribed a dab of over-the-counter athlete's foot creme (just keep your new tube separate from any others in your house!) mixed with a dab of hydrocortisone cream. I did that twice a day and it was healed in about 2-3 days. Good luck, I know what a pain that can be! BC, Alameda

This is a common symptom of a nutrient deficiency, the body requires more of some nutrients to deal with viruses, cold weather, etc. in winter, so the deficiency is really showing up. It is most likely a deficiency in essential fatty acids. The skin is the body's first line of defense, so for a break-down to be occurring there, you can bet the deficiency has also been registering elsewhere in your body. I had this condition when I was a child and my mother cured it by administering cod liver oil, yeck! Nowadays you can get smell-free capsules, make sure they are double-distilled so that you are not getting mercury contaminated oil. Check with Myhealthstore.com and the Zone brand I think also makes it this way. Don't think you can make up for such a severe deficiency by taking one or two capsules a day, it will probably take 2 capsules every meal for a month or so to repair the damage and get your skin healthy again. This deficiency is very common and is also a known cause of bipolar disorder and senility and brain inefficiency. Good thing you caught the signs relatively early compared to what it could have been. Rosa

My doctor recently asked me if I had this symptom in trying to determine if I was anemic. Have you had your Iron levels checked lately? Just an idea Montclair Mommy

One time I had a similar problem, although all over my lips, and it turned out to be an infection that I contracted after having severely chapped lips. I suffered with it for a month or so, but finally went to a dermatologist who prescribed something and cleared it right up. (btw my primary care physician at the time said it was because I licked my lips and there was nothing to be done. I demanded a referral to the dermatologist who solved the problem.) --Good luck

Dear cracked corners, Are you drinking enough water? Chapped/cracked lips can be a sign of dehydration Joan

I have had this, and it hurts and keeps reopening. The thing I've found that works great is A&D ointment, the kind sold for diaper rash. Just glom it on whenever you don't have to be in public, and use more lightly when you do. But constantly until you are sure the cracks have thoroughly healed. My husband hates the smell, but it is the only thing that works. I've found that as long as I don't stop to early, the cracks do not reappear, at least until the next really cold period. anne

What you have is a recurrent fungal infection called angular chelitis. I am a dentist and see this all the time. Many physicians misdiagnose. It can be easily treated w/a topical antifungal cream. It will be gone in a week! Good Luck! Tooth Dr.

Well I feel for you because I had the same problem for a long time and tried all sorts of things that never worked. Finally, I found a doctor who recognized it for it what it was: a fungal infection.

I developed it because I was drooling at night (yes, this is attractive to admit). I had to breathe through my mouth because my nose was so stuffed up, even though I didn't really realize that was happening at night. The consequence is that you provide a fabulous breeding ground for fungus, and that's why things like lip balm just don't work. I was given some topical cream for it by perscription (I can't remember the name) and it cleared it right up. A dermatologist can help you, if you got to one regularly, or just go to your regular doctor and explain what you need.

Ultimately what will help is not to breathe through your mouth at night, so figure out why that's happening and you'll be a lot better off. Just know that it can be cured with relatively little effort.

Good luck! anon