Sores on Lips

Sores on lips are described as small red blisters that often ooze out fluid and scabs after a couple of days. They are painful, itchy, and are mostly accompanied with a burning sensation.

This condition is uncomfortable and is potent enough to spoil your day. It generally occurs after you recover from a disease or are suffering from poor immunity. There can be innumerable causative factors for this problem. A few major ones are mentioned here.

Sores on lips are not caused by factors that lead to sores anywhere else on the body. Some of the skin disorders that show sores on the lip as their symptoms are mentioned ahead.

• Aphthous ulcer is a painful, sensitive, ulcer that is often found to arise on the lining of the mouth. This is called canker sore.
• A small sore that is accompanied with pain, itching, and a stinging sensation and is usually found to be located on the face, especially on lip demarcation is referred to as cold sore. It bursts and crusts over.

• Sores on lips may be caused by impetigo, which is an infection caused by bacteria like Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. The symptoms are reddening, itching, and formation of pus-filled blisters that crust over later on.

• Dermatitis may give rise to sores. It occurs either by direct contact with an irritating substance or as a part of allergic reaction produced by the body.

• Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by Candida albicans. It may be a cause of sores on lips and tongue in people who either have a weak immune system or are on some kind of antibiotic medication.
• Dietary deficiency of zinc may lead to the formation of these sores.

• Presence of itchy, pink, or purple spots on the lining of the lips may be caused by a skin disorder called Lichen planus. The exact causative factor is unknown, but it is found to be triggered by the usage of drugs like thiazide diuretics, antimalarials, and phenothiazines.

• Cancerous growth of the lip tissues may appear as sores. Medical diagnosis is necessary to determine the presence of lip cancer.

• Behcet's syndrome is a chronic inflammatory disorder. It involves the small blood vessels and is characterized by ulcer on the lips.
• Fever blisters show red eruptions, often filled with fluids. It is caused by herpes zoster virus (HSV). It results in cold sores.

Lysine: Lysine is one of the essential amino acids. It means that you need to take it from external sources, most commonly from foods. The foods rich in lysine are milk, red meat, eggs, wheat germ, cheese, fish, and brewer's yeast. Another amino acid, arginine, hinders the absorption of lysine.

Therefore, you should restrict the intake of foods that contains arginine. These are chocolate, almonds, and peanuts. You may take in lysine with lysine supplements available in the market. The recommendable dosage is 1,000 mg of lysine three times a day.

Acidophilus: Acidophilus will restore the balance of harmful and useful microbes in the mouth. You can get it in capsule form easily from a chemist's store. Take 2 - 3 acidophilus capsules with milk for 3 - 4 times a day.

Continue taking it for about 2 - 3 days. If taken within 3 - 4 hours after the onset of itching and burning sensation, it will prevent further development of sores on lips. To be on the safer side, you should consult a doctor for its suitability in your case and proper usage directions.

Aloe vera: Aloe vera is known to have antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal properties. Therefore, it is near perfect to be used as a natural remedy for sores on lips.

Slit a leaf of aloe vera and take out some pulp. Place the pulp on the lip sore. Allow it to stay there for about an hour and then wash it off with water. Do it 3 - 4 times a day in an interval of 4 hours. Improvement in your condition is almost guaranteed.

Ice: Take an ice cube and rub it on the sores for about 15 - 20 seconds. Do it for 5 - 6 times a day. This will bring down the pain in the sore. To add to this, it will prevent the migration of the virus from the nerves nodes to the skin.

Amla: Amla or Indian gooseberry is a common rich source of vitamin C. This is the vitamin that is extremely necessary for the immune system of your body. A strong immune system will fight against the causative micro-organisms and will assist the body in restoring back the normal state.

Thus, try to increase the intake of amla in your diet. If possible, drink a cup of amla juice once a day. This will not only treat the sores fast, but will also prevent its occurrence in future.

Apart from these suggested natural treatments, you should try to keep your body well-hydrated, especially the lips. Drink plenty of water (about 8 - 10 glasses a day), sleep in a well ventilated room, and spend a good amount of time in fresh air.

Disclaimer: This post is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.