If you have persistent lesions or split like skin at the corner of your mouth you may have a condition called angular cheilitis (or chelitis) Angular cheilitis is an infection that affects over 4% of the nations population at one time or another. If is not a life threatening illness, however it can still at times be debilitating in terms of visual appearance and also the pain and discomfort that comes with having a flare up.
The condition often begins as simply cracked, dry or split lips that is usually associated with wind burn or in cold weather. It can develop in later stages into these split corners of the mouth, almost like paper cuts. The sufferer has difficulty opening their mouth and also go through embarrassment socially.
The splits make the surrounding skin turn a whitish hue and the entire area becomes red and sensitive and sore. People associate this condition with the flue or the common cold because it typically comes about in cold weather. However, what is really happening is that this is a fungal infection and the bacteria are always there. The immune system suppresses the bacteria but cannot fully kill them. When the body is exposed to cold, like for example not expecting a cold night and sleeping with a lowered body temperature, the body’s immune system becomes weakened, allowing the bacteria to thrive and causing a break out.
This condition can be frustrating and amazingly annoying for sufferer, so getting assistance to remove the bacteria completely is of prime importance.
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