Cheilitis
Pronunciation: kye-LY-tis
Inflammation of the lips, which may be acute or chronic, and can result from diverse aetiologies including infection, allergy, sun damage, or nutritional deficiency.
Full Definition
Cheilitis is a collective clinical term for any inflammatory condition of the lip mucosa and vermilion border. It encompasses a broad spectrum of presentations, including contact allergic cheilitis, exfoliative cheilitis, plasma cell cheilitis, and drug-induced cheilitis, among others. Aetiological factors range from Candida infection and atopic dermatitis to iron or B-vitamin deficiency and retinoid therapy. Editors should be aware that 'cheilitis' is the umbrella term, while specific subtypes (e.g., angular cheilitis, actinic cheilitis, cheilitis granulomatosa) are distinct entries with their own diagnostic and management implications. The term is sometimes misspelt as 'chelitis'.
Usage
Usage note: Do not use 'cheilitis' as a synonym for any specific subtype; always qualify with the appropriate descriptor unless referring to the condition generically.
In Context
- "The differential diagnosis for recurrent cheilitis in this patient included contact allergy and nutritional deficiency." — Oral medicine case report
- "Editors should verify that 'cheilitis' is not used interchangeably with the more specific 'angular cheilitis' in the manuscript." — Editorial style guide