Dry Lips/Rash on kids?

Fittle

I'm not looking for medical advice, and this issue isn't worth a trip to the doctor for my lad.

He has very dry lips lately and now has what I can only describe as a 'rash' all around his mouth also. I've noticed this type of 'rash' on kids before - particularly when kids would have a soother - but I've seen older kids with it too. It's the first time my lad (9) has had it though.

I've just been using vaseline on the lips (he has a cold too) but this rash thing looks like it's ecezma or similar? It's like the dry lips have spread all around the outside of his mouth (:p not funny I know, but sounds funny when you write it)
Anyone's kid had it and is it worth a trip to the chemist or will I continue with the vaseline??
Thanks

Edit: This is seriously stressing him out lately, as he is definitely getting an eye for the girls, and his mouth looking like this isn't doing him any favours - he's using extra Lynx and hair gel, in the hope they won't spot his lips!!

cynder

My lady gets this with dry lips, i also have chapped lips at the moment (must be the weather).

My boy had a soother till he was 5 but never got a rash, but my eldest when her lips are dry she get the same rash, bring him to the chemist and ask them the best they have on the market, my chemist recommended my lady cymex cream, for both cold sores and dry lips.

Neyite

Its over-licking the lips by the sounds of it, I used to get it, beginning with it looking like lip liner then it would spread to the skin outside the lips. Problem is that it gets dry and cracked and sore so you lick it even more. Viscious circle really.

It stopped when I became old enough to buy and keep some form of lip balm. Thats harder for a boy because a lot of them go shiny so he will not want to look like he has lip gloss, so something that doenst leave a shine - chapstick is one, I'm not sure about any other types, maybe other posters can suggest some. (is there a "man" version of some lip balms?- if there is they should be ok to use without getting slagged from mates)

It does need to be put on regularly though. No good doing it in the morning and then nothing throughout school.

Fittle

Neyite wrote: »

It does need to be put on regularly though. No good doing it in the morning and then nothing throughout school.

Is it really only from over-licking his lips? When I'd see this on other kids (I've a pal who's 9yr old daughter seems to have it constantly), I always assumed it was like a viral or fungal-type thing??

I lather on the vaseline every night and in the morning, but he has it wiped off by the time we get to the school gates of course:mad:

cynder

Fittle wrote: »

Is it really only from over-licking his lips? When I'd see this on other kids (I've a pal who's 9yr old daughter seems to have it constantly), I always assumed it was like a viral or fungal-type thing??

I lather on the vaseline every night and in the morning, but he has it wiped off by the time we get to the school gates of course:mad:

Definitely from over moistening the lips. the dryer they get the more you lick or wet them, the more you wet them the dryer they get. I think the name for it is Lip-licker dermatitis.

this is another one my lady uses and is great stuff carmex


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmex

Acoshla

Vaseline dries your lips out when used longterm, they stop being as naturally moist because it's there, so when you don't use it they feel extra dry. Many lip balms like Labello, Nivea ones, Carmex etc aren't shiny and have better staying power than Vaseline. I use Vaseline myself, totally addicted, I put it on at least once an hour because the dryness drives me mad otherwise, not a good habit to get into!

Fittle

Whatever hope I have of rubbing the vaseline into his lips, I have little hope of getting him to use a lipbalm..I can almost hear him now if I put one near him!

Although I might bring him into a chemist this evening and get the girl behind the counter to tell him it's for medical purposes;)

That carmex looks good grindewald - I might even get that for him, it doesn't look as much like 'make-up' as some of the other lip balms, thanks

Neyite

Fittle wrote: »

Is it really only from over-licking his lips? When I'd see this on other kids (I've a pal who's 9yr old daughter seems to have it constantly), I always assumed it was like a viral or fungal-type thing??

I lather on the vaseline every night and in the morning, but he has it wiped off by the time we get to the school gates of course:mad:

It's is probably fungal but caused by moisture, but mine was deffo caused by over-licking. I didnt even realise I was doing it until the rash would start. I use labello, Nivea, Carmex and Vaseline in order of preference, and have them in the car, handbags, makeup cases etc but they are slightly shiny. You need a matt finish.

I know exactly what you mean when you say he has it wiped off in no time, but any good the vaseline does overnight is wiped out the next day. If the laydees are on his radar, then it might persuade him to persevere with some type of barrier balm to prepare for kissable lips. He might need somthing from the chemist to clear up the rash but for prevention again he needs to wear a balm until he gets out of the habit of licking.

http://www.scform.com/2009/09/lip-balm.html
here are a few Man-Balms that you might get him to wear.

Fittle

Jack Black Lip Balm:eek: Who knew!!!!!

He would definitely use that as he just loves Jack Black..thanks again.

Acoshla

Yeah there are Nivea Men's ones and stuff, very manly and in navy/black packaging and such

Kaylee

Sounds like the same thing that my 4 year old boy had last year. It was a dry scaly sort of rash that went all the way around the mouth - looked terrible. Started with dry lips and a head cold I think, and then because I wasn't putting anything on it (new baby - took eye off ball!) it seemed to spread. He was constantly licking it to try to relieve the dryness which made it worse.

We tried lots of things, went to chemist who suggested a bit of tcp - poor fella it stung like hell and didn't work, sudocream, vaseline, emollients, etc. Nothing worked because it had gone too far.

In the end it disappeared on its own - it seemed to need to run its course.

Now, the minute I see a little bit of dry or pink beween the nose and the mouth I put vaseline on it when he's asleep - so far it's kept it away...

That's all the advice I have! Good luck with it, suppose it's harder when they're older