The Lips
November 26th, 2019
Overview
Examination of the lips may provide valuable insights into a patient's nutritional and immune status. Localised pathology may also be picked up by examining the lips.
Angular Cheilitis
Look For
- Inflammation of the lips that radiates from the corners of the mouth.
Causes of Angular Cheilitis
- Infection - Candida, Staph aureus
- Contact / atopic dermatitis
- Nutritional deficiency
- Anaemia
- Dry skin
Lip Ulceration
Look For
- Ulcerated lesions of the upper or lower lip.
Causes of Lip Ulceration
- Tumour - squamous cell carcinoma
- Infection - herpes simplex (cold sore), primary syphilis, TB
Lip Pigmentation
Look For
- Hyperpigmented spots or confluent areas of hyperpigmentation of the mucosal surfaces.
Causes of Lip Pigmentation
- Physiological
- Tobacco staining
- Contact cheilitis
- Familial intestinal polyposis (Peutz-Jeghers)
- Addison's disease
Perioral Telangiectasias
Look For
- Visible dilated blood vessels on the mucous membranes of the lips.
Causes of Perioral Telangiectasias
- Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia
- Ataxia-telangiectasia
- Cushing's syndrome
- Discoid lupus erythematosus
- Sun damage
- Basal cell carcinoma
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