Angular Chelitis

Excerpt

Angular cheilitis (AC) is a descriptive diagnosis for an inflammatory skin process of varied etiology occurring at the labial commissure – the angle of the mouth. "Angular," or commissural, refers to a localized lip inflammation (i.e., “cheilitis,” from the Greek chilos or “lips”) that is distinguishable from the more generalized cheilitides that have different causes. The angles of the mouth are points of interface for the squamous epithelium of the face and oral mucosa. They are also mechanically dynamic hinges for the oral aperture that endure more motion and tensile forces than the rest of the lips. Thus, the commissures are especially susceptible to certain stresses. See Image. Angular Cheilitis.

Diffuse cheilitides may be a function of environmental, chemical, or infectious exposures. They may also reflect an internal condition, deficiency, or derangement. They include eczematous cheilitis, contact cheilitis, drug-induced cheilitis, infective cheilitis, actinic cheilitis, glandular cheilitis, granulomatous cheilitis, exfoliative cheilitis, plasma cell cheilitis, and nutritional cheilitis. Diffuse cheilitides will not be discussed here.

Angular cheilitis is also called angular cheilosis, angular stomatitis, commissural stomatitis, rhagades, or perleche (from the French for “through licking”). Rhagades is a general term for fissuring of the skin in areas of motion, especially the labial commissures and nose.