How to Take Care of Your Lips When You Have Eczema

Eczema flares can occur anywhere, but experiencing a flare on or around the lips can not only be highly uncomfortable but trickier to treat than other areas — much like the treatment of eczema on the eyelids. While a flare on the arms or legs can be wrapped or covered by appropriate clothing to cause less irritation, that doesn’t always apply to a flare up that’s occurring right in the middle of your face. 

“Eczema of the lips most often occurs as redness, scaliness, tenderness, itchiness and/or swelling,” said Dr. Blair Murphy Rose, a dermatologist and clinical instructor of dermatology at the Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. Any of these symptoms can make something as simple as washing your face, brushing your teeth, and even eating certain foods difficult, especially when managing swelling and tenderness. Ahead, we’ll look at how to prevent and treat eczema flares on the lips.  

How to prevent eczema flares on the lips

When it comes to trying to prevent an eczema flare, it’s best to start with identifying possible triggers. Dr. Rose notes that irritants are a huge cause. In flares around the lips, these irritants are often present in products like lipsticks, lip balms, foods, and even saliva from licking your own lips can all potentially cause or worsen a flare. 

While you might not be able to completely stop a habit like licking your lips, anyone managing eczema can avoid common allergens and skin irritants like fragrance, menthol, camphor, dyes and parabens. 

One of the best ways to “prevent eczema flares on the lips is by keeping lips moist with an occlusive topical,” said Dr. Rose. This is where essential products like hypoallergenic, petroleum-based moisturizers come to good use.

How to care for and treat eczema flares on or around the lips 

There are various types of eczema, which may each present differently on the face. For example, seborrheic dermatitis often presents itself as flaky or oily patches of skin, whereas atopic dermatitis usually presents as dry, itchy skin. However, although 88% of adults with seborrheic dermatitis will experience flares on their face, lesions are most commonly seen on the forehead, eyebrows or around the nose with this type of eczema — not on the lips.¹ 

So, while each type of eczema might cause different issues when it comes to flares, Dr. Rose’s advice for treating flares on or around the lips include “keeping them well moisturized with a hypoallergenic, fragrance-free lip balm.” 

For symptoms like itchiness, swelling and redness she notes that an over-the-counter cortisone cream can help, but advises it’s best to “see a board-certified dermatologist for an evaluation if things are worsening or not improving after a few days.” 

Can eczema on the lips cause long-term issues? 

With proper treatment, you can manage eczema flares on the lip area. However, there are some long-term issues that can arise from constant flares on the lips since flares lead to a compromised skin barrier. “Chronic eczema of the lips can cause post-inflammatory pigmentary changes, textural changes and even scarring,” said Dr. Rose. 

Look for the Seal

To find eczema-friendly skincare products, including moisturizers and cleansers, visit the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance™ Product Directory. Lip care products will be added to the product directory in fall 2024.

References

1. Tucker D, Masood S. Seborrheic Dermatitis. [Updated 2023 Feb 16]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551707/