Angular Cheilitis

This potentially isn’t psoriasis-related, but I like having all my health research in one place. After experiencing what I assumed was another cold sore- but one that was particularly unpleasant- I decided to do some web searches.

A quick summary of cold sores:

-Caused by Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) for which there is said to be no cure.

-Once infected with HSV-1, it remains in the body for life, lying dormant in sensory nerve cells.

-Triggers include illness and sun exposure.

-Cold sores should clear up on their own within 10 days.

The below search, however, led me down a different path:

“Cold sore breaks when I open my mouth”

I came upon an article suggesting that I was instead experiencing angular cheilitis. This is an inflammatory skin condition that causes sores/swelling/ blistering/cracking/bleeding only in the corners of the mouth (cold sores can appear anywhere on the lips). Unlike the latter, it is not contagious.

The location of these symptoms causes the pain/difficulty to fully open one’s mouth; this is what I experienced in spades. Even smiling hurt! Images further convinced me that I may not be dealing with a cold sore, after all. It may be associated with psoriasis, but I couldn’t find anything definitive…so that’s where the pso link ends.

Bacterial (Staphylococcus & Streptococcus) and fungal (Candida) infections are believed to cause angular cheilitis, possibly due to the corners of the mouth staying too moist for too long. Candida seems to be accepted as the main culprit.

Treatments include antifungal creams, antibiotics, lip balm and petroleum jelly- applied frequently to combat dryness. Drinking plenty and chewing gum is said to help, too. Though aloe vera is a natural antifungal, I applied to gel to the area without success.