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Itchy Lips And Allergy Treatment: What Is Reason Of My Itchy Lips
By
Patricia | December 16, 2009
Itchy lips is a condition when the lips appear cracked and swollen. A dry lip line also causes itchy lips. Itchy lips may bleed, have a burning sensation, or simply be a bit itchy. Itchy lips are more common than you can imagine, with both adults as well as children suffering from this problem at one time or the other in their lives. In this article, we will in a nutshell discuss the causes of itchy lips, the symptoms as well as treatment options that include home remedies.
Causes:
- Allergies: Allergies to certain food or chemical compounds, resulting in hives and angiodema (which is a hives-like reaction under the skin) can cause itchy lips. Food stuff that commonly cause allergic reactions like itchy lips are peanuts, milk products, corn, nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and eggs.
- Reactions: Reactions to certain chemicals found in cosmetic products such as lipsticks, chap sticks, lip gloss and lip liners can also cause itchy lips. A reaction to insect bites can also result in itchy lips.
- Infections: Upper respiratory tract infections such as Kawasaki syndrome and herpes simplex stomatitis (cold sores) also cause itchy lips.
- Sun poisoning: Exposure to sunlight or what is known as sun poisoning can cause lips to feel itchy and cracked. Sunlight can sometimes cause an allergic reaction on the lips, resulting in chapped, dry and itchy lips. This usually affects the lower lip more than the upper lip.
- Dry weather conditions: Cold and dry weather can lead to itchy lips. In this case, it is the lack of sufficient moisturizing that can result in dryness and itchiness of lips.
- Vitamin deficiency: Vitamin deficiency is also known to cause itchy lips. Celitis, which results in redness and itchiness of the lips, is caused by a deficiency in vitamin B12 in diet.
- Vitamin A toxicity: Vitamin A toxicity also leads to itchy, cracking lips. However, the thickening is not restricted to the lips alone; the entire skin is usually affected. This can be a result of chronic vitamin A toxicity or overdose of vitamin A.
- Physical trauma: Itchy lips can also be a result of major or minor trauma to the area. For instance, one of the most common reasons for itchy lips is the irritation caused by using dentures.
- Cancer: Oral cancer may also cause itchy lips. However, in case of cancer, there will be other symptoms along with the itching such as sores, redness, and bleeding. Generally, an itchy lip on its own without other symptoms is not an indicator of oral cancer.
Symptom and Signs:
- Itchy or scaly lips
- Dryness of lips
- Swelling of lips
- Redness of lips
- Hives on the lips
- Hives on the underside of the lips
Itchiness due to allergies occurs about 2 to 4 hours immediately after eating something that you are allergic to. In some cases, itchy lips are the initial reaction of an infection such as the herpes simplex infection. Itchy lips due to infections occur about 6 to 48 hours before the infection appears in the form of cold sores.
Treatment:
- If the itchy lips are because of infections, the infection is treated with antibiotics and antimicrobial creams.
- If the reason for the itchiness is allergies, staying away from foods that cause allergies is usually recommended. If the allergy is severe, antihistamines and anti-allergy medications are usually administered. This is the case for insect bites as well.
- Itchy lips caused by vitamin B deficiency are treated by vitamin B supplements as well as including foods that are rich in vitamin B.
- Itchy lips that are a result of reactions to certain cosmetic products can be rectified by simply avoiding the use of such products.
- Itchy lips due to dry harsh weather can be easily rectified by using petroleum jelly on the lips. Petroleum jelly is a terrific moisturizer that can take care of the worst conditions of dry and itchy lips.
- If itchy lips are a result of sun poisoning, using a sunscreen on the lips is a good idea as it will help reduce the amount of exposure to the sun to a great extent.
Itchy lips are an uncomfortable, yet not very serious problem, for it is possible to cure itchy lips easily without much trouble. If you experience itchy lips, which are not due to dry weather, it is a good idea to check with a doctor as he/she will be able to recommend the best possible treatment plan for your problem.