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Meteoric cheilitis
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
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Meteorological cheilitis is a disease caused by the influence of meteorological factors (high or low humidity, dust in the air, wind, cold).
Men are more likely to suffer from meteorological cheilitis (women protect their lips from external influences with lipstick).
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Symptoms
The entire lip is affected (usually the lower lip). Mild hyperemia and swelling of the lip are characteristic, which is slightly infiltrated and covered with tightly seated scales. The feeling of tightening of the lips and peeling is disturbing. This makes patients lick their lips, which further contributes to their chapping and peeling. Erosions and cracks may appear. The course is chronic. Meteorological cheilitis equally bothers patients in winter and summer, but the clinical symptoms of the disease significantly weaken and even disappear when patients are less outdoors. The process worsens in the autumn and winter.
How to recognize meteorological cheilitis?
Diagnosis is based on clinical and anamnestic data.
Differential diagnostics
Differential diagnostics are carried out with actinic cheilitis (lack of sensitization to sunlight), as well as with the dry form of exfoliative cheilitis (localization of the lesion only to the middle of the red border of the lips) and with allergic contact cheilitis (anamnestic data, acute picture of inflammation spreading to the skin).
Treatment
Treatment of meteorological cheilitis includes:
- protection of the red border of the lips from meteorological influences by using hygienic lipstick, fatty creams (for example, Iricar, Radevit);
- use of sunscreen creams and ointments from the Antigelios series;
- in case of severe inflammatory phenomena, use of glucocorticoid ointments (0.5% prednisolone ointment, aflomethasone (afloderm, etc.) for no more than 7-10 days);
- internally - a course of B vitamins (B2, B6, PP).
What is the prognosis for meteorological cheilitis?
The prognosis is favorable. Patients need dispensary observation, since meteorological cheilitis is classified as a background condition that contributes to the development of precancerous diseases. With a long course, obligate forms of precancer may appear on its basis - Manganotti's cheilitis, limited hyperkeratosis of the red border of the lip.