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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. It is recognised on camera, and a doctor can prescribe the cream that suits the cause.
- What it is: inflammation of the corners of the mouth, with cracks, redness and crusting; also called angular stomatitis or perleche; it is not contagious.
- Common causes: saliva and lip licking, dry lips, dentures, yeast or bacterial infection, and low iron or B vitamins.
- Usual course: it often clears by itself; with treatment it usually improves in a few days and clears within 2 weeks.
- Emergency: angular cheilitis is not an emergency, but call 112 for swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing.
Angular cheilitis is not urgent. Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing, needs 112. A red, hot, spreading swelling of the face with a fever needs prompt in-person care.
Can an online doctor treat angular cheilitis?
Yes. Angular cheilitis is diagnosed by looking at the corners of the mouth and asking about your history, which works well by video. The doctor tells it apart from cold sores and other rashes, finds the likely cause, and prescribes an antifungal, antibiotic or anti-inflammatory cream when it is needed. If it keeps coming back, the doctor can arrange blood tests for low iron or vitamins.
How an online consultation helps with angular cheilitis
- The cause found: Saliva, dentures, thrush, bacteria or low iron: the treatment depends on which.
- The right cream: An antifungal, an antibiotic, or a cream that calms inflammation, rather than guessing.
- Cold sore or not: Cold sores need different treatment, and the doctor tells them apart on camera.
- Fewer repeats: Lip care, denture care and blood tests when it keeps coming back.
What the doctor checks in an online consultation
The doctor asks about:
- The corners of the mouth: cracks, redness, crusting or oozing, on one side or both, and how long it has lasted.
- Habits: lip licking, dribbling at night, and lip balms or lipsticks.
- Your mouth: dentures or a mouthguard, a sore tongue, and white patches that could be oral thrush.
- Your health: diabetes, eczema, bowel problems such as coeliac or Crohn’s disease, and recent weight loss.
- Medicines: steroid inhalers, antibiotics, and acne treatment with isotretinoin.
- Diet: whether you might be low in iron or B vitamins.
Before the call, find good light and remove any lip balm, so the doctor can see the corners of your mouth clearly.
Angular cheilitis symptoms
Angular cheilitis affects the corners of the mouth, usually on both sides. It causes:
- painful cracks or splits that hurt more when you open your mouth wide
- redness, crusting and sometimes oozing
- small blisters or raw areas
- occasional bleeding
On darker skin, it may look subtle at first, or show as paler skin with a darker rim. It can last a few days or keep coming back, depending on the cause.
Angular cheilitis or something else?
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Condition | What points to it |
|---|---|
| Angular cheilitis | Cracks and redness in the corners of the mouth, usually on both sides |
| Cold sores | Tingling, then a cluster of small blisters, usually on one side of the lip |
| Impetigo | Golden, honey-coloured crusts that spread around the mouth or nose |
| Perioral dermatitis | Small red bumps around the mouth, with a clear band next to the lips |
| Contact dermatitis | An itchy rash on the lips after a lip product or toothpaste |
Other conditions can cause sores at the corners of the mouth, including sun damage of the lip (actinic cheilitis), oral lichen planus, syphilis and, rarely, mouth cancer. The cold sore virus can also affect the corners of the mouth. A sore on one side only, or one that does not heal with treatment, needs a closer look, sometimes with a swab.
What causes angular cheilitis?
The corners of the mouth are easily irritated by saliva, which keeps them damp. Dry, chapped lips crack, and the cracks can become infected with yeast (candida) or bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus). Risk factors include:
- licking your lips, and dribbling saliva, for example at night
- dentures or mouthguards that do not fit well
- deep folds at the corners of the mouth, which become more common with age
- oral thrush, which is more likely with diabetes, steroid inhalers, antibiotics or a weakened immune system
- low iron, vitamin B12, folate, riboflavin or zinc
- coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease and Sjögren’s syndrome
- eczema, and acne treatment with isotretinoin or similar retinoids
- braces, and a face mask worn for long hours
- smoking and rapid weight loss
Angular cheilitis is not contagious. Yeast or bacteria are found in 50% to 80% of cases, most often candida yeast and Staphylococcus aureus together.
Who gets angular cheilitis?
In the United States, about 0.7% of people have angular cheilitis, rising to about 11% of older adults and up to 28% of people who wear dentures. It is most common in children and in adults aged 30 to 60, and men get it about twice as often as women, mainly because of dentures and other health problems.
How fast does angular cheilitis go away?
With the right treatment, most people improve within the first few days, and it usually clears within 2 weeks. Many mild cases clear by themselves with lip balm and by stopping lip licking. If it is not better after 2 weeks of treatment, the doctor reviews the cause, and may arrange a swab or blood tests.
It often comes back: one 5-year study found that it returned in 80% of people, especially when the cause, such as dentures or deep folds at the corners of the mouth, stays the same. Left untreated for a long time, it can rarely leave scarring or a change in skin colour, and the infection can spread to the skin nearby as impetigo or a yeast rash. It does not spread to other people.
How to treat angular cheilitis at home
Many cases clear up by themselves. To help it heal:
- Apply an unscented, unflavoured lip balm or a thick emollient often, to stop new cracks forming.
- Try not to lick the corners of your mouth; it dries them out and makes them crack more.
- Drink enough water.
- Keep up good oral and denture hygiene.
- Eat a balanced diet.
- Hold a cool compress on sore corners, and avoid harsh toothpastes, mouthwashes and spicy food while they heal.
- If you dribble in your sleep, put petroleum jelly or a thick ointment on the corners at night.
- Protect your lips from strong sun, cold and wind.
See a doctor if it has not improved after a week or two of care at home, if it keeps coming back, or if it is very sore or spreading.
Which angular cheilitis treatment might the doctor recommend?
Treatment depends on the cause. This is the framework the doctors use, in line with dermatology guidance.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry, cracked corners | Frequent lip balm or emollient, and stopping lip licking | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Signs of yeast, or oral thrush | An antifungal cream, sometimes antifungal treatment for the mouth | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Crusting or oozing from bacteria | An antibiotic or antiseptic cream | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Very inflamed corners | A steroid ointment, often combined with an antifungal or antibiotic | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Keeps coming back | Blood tests for iron and vitamins, and a denture check | Yes, to assess | For blood tests and dental care |
| A sore on one side only, or one that does not heal | A swab, and checking for other causes | Yes, to assess | For swabs and an examination |
Corners of your mouth not healing? A doctor can find the cause and prescribe the right cream in one consultation.
See available times →Treatment options for angular cheilitis
What you can do yourself
- Use a thick lip balm or emollient many times a day.
- Break the habit of lip licking.
- Clean dentures well, and have them checked if they no longer fit.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. The doctor chooses a cream for the cause: an antifungal such as miconazole or nystatin for yeast, usually for about 2 weeks; fusidic acid or mupirocin for bacteria; or a mild steroid such as hydrocortisone for significant inflammation, often in a combined cream. Miconazole may be preferred because it also has some action against bacteria. Antifungal treatment for the mouth is added when there is oral thrush. When blood tests show low iron, vitamin B12 or folate, the doctor may prescribe supplements. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Licking the corners of your mouth, and flavoured or scented lip products, keep it going. A cold sore cream does not treat angular cheilitis.
How to stop angular cheilitis coming back
- Use an emollient or lip balm on the corners of your mouth regularly.
- Replace dentures or mouthguards that do not fit, and keep them clean.
- Rinse your mouth with water after using a steroid inhaler.
- Stop smoking, and keep diabetes well controlled.
- Treat low iron or vitamin levels if tests show them.
Even with good care, it can come back, especially when the cause cannot be changed, such as deep folds at the corners of the mouth. Fillers or botulinum toxin injections are sometimes used to soften deep folds. Throw away out-of-date lip products and cosmetics.
Special situations
Dentures
Dentures that fit poorly let saliva collect in the corners of the mouth, and dentures can harbour yeast. Take them out at night and keep them in a cleaning solution that kills yeast. A dentist can check the fit: new dentures that fit well can also restore the shape of the face and soften the folds at the corners of the mouth.
Acne treatment with isotretinoin
Isotretinoin dries the lips and can cause cracking at the corners. Frequent lip balm helps, and the doctor treating your acne can advise.
Diabetes or a weakened immune system
Yeast infections are more likely, so it can be more stubborn. Good blood sugar control helps.
Winter sports and sunny holidays
Cold, wind and strong sun dry the lips and make cracks more likely. Carry a thick, unscented lip balm, use it often, and protect your lips from the sun and wind.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When angular cheilitis is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: sore, cracked corners of the mouth, antifungal, antibiotic and steroid creams, oral thrush, advice on lip and denture care, and arranging blood tests when it keeps coming back.
In-person care: blood tests, denture fitting, swabs when it does not respond to treatment, and a spreading infection of the face.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing or swallowing
Get medical advice the same day for:
- red, hot, spreading swelling of the face or lips, with a fever
- blisters spreading across the lips and face, with feeling unwell
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about your mouth: show the corners of your mouth on camera in good light, and mention dentures, inhalers and acne treatment.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to use and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s angular cheilitis? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Cold sores can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about angular cheilitis
What is angular cheilitis?
Angular cheilitis is inflammation of the corners of the mouth, causing painful cracks, redness and crusting on one or both sides. It is also called angular stomatitis or perleche, and it starts when saliva keeps the corners damp and the skin splits, letting yeast or bacteria settle in the cracks.
What causes angular cheilitis?
Angular cheilitis is caused by saliva irritating the corners of the mouth, dry lips, lip licking, poorly fitting dentures, yeast or bacterial infection, and low iron or B vitamins are common causes.
Why are the corners of my mouth sore?
The most common reason is angular cheilitis: saliva irritates the corners of the mouth, the skin dries and cracks, and yeast or bacteria can get in. Lip licking, dentures, dry lips and low iron or B vitamins make it more likely. Cold sores can also start there.
Is angular cheilitis contagious?
No. Angular cheilitis is an inflammatory condition, and you cannot catch it or pass it on through kissing, cups or cutlery, even when the cracks are infected with yeast or bacteria, because those organisms already live on most people’s skin and only cause trouble in damp, broken skin.
Can angular cheilitis spread?
Angular cheilitis does not spread to other people. On your own face, a yeast or bacterial infection in the cracks can spread to the skin nearby, causing impetigo or a yeast rash, which is one reason to treat it.
How long does angular cheilitis last?
With treatment angular cheilitis usually improves within a few days and clears within 2 weeks. It can come back, especially if the cause cannot be changed.
How do you get rid of angular cheilitis?
Use a thick lip balm or petroleum jelly often, stop licking your lips, and keep dentures clean. If angular cheilitis does not clear within a week or two, a doctor can prescribe an antifungal, antibiotic or steroid cream for the cause, and it usually clears within 2 weeks of treatment.
What is the best cream for angular cheilitis?
The best cream for angular cheilitis depends on the cause: an antifungal for yeast, an antibiotic for bacteria, or a steroid ointment for inflammation, often combined. A thick lip balm helps in every case.
Is angular cheilitis herpes or a cold sore?
No. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus and start with tingling and a cluster of blisters, usually on one side of the lip. Angular cheilitis causes cracks in the corners of the mouth, often on both sides. The cold sore virus occasionally affects the corners too, so a swab helps when it is unclear.
Is angular cheilitis a vitamin deficiency?
Sometimes. Low iron, vitamin B12, folate, riboflavin, zinc or protein can cause angular cheilitis or make it more likely, so a doctor may suggest blood tests when it keeps coming back. Most cases are caused by saliva, dry lips, dentures or infection.
Can dentures cause angular cheilitis?
Yes. Dentures are a common cause of angular cheilitis: poorly fitting ones let saliva collect in the corners of the mouth, and dentures can carry yeast. Good denture care and a check of the fit help.
Can an online doctor treat angular cheilitis?
Yes, usually. A doctor can recognise angular cheilitis on camera, find the likely cause and prescribe the right cream, and arrange blood tests if it keeps coming back.
- Angular cheilitis, DermNet, New Zealand, 2022.
- Angular cheilitis, Health New Zealand, Te Whatu Ora, accessed 15 October 2026.
- Angular cheilitis (syn. angular stomatitis), Primary Care Dermatology Society (UK), updated 21 November 2021.
- Angular cheilitis, Brizuela M, Daley JO. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf, NIH, updated 30 November 2025.
- Angular cheilitis, Cleveland Clinic, updated 15 June 2021.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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