The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Posted by Sheila (Md) on 07/05/2015
★★★★★
Angular Cheilitis is CURED by B2. This is why they add riboflavin to our milk, fortified cereals, bread, etc. Took me years to figure out, but in hours I feel better & cracks in the corner of my mouth heal within a day.
Castor Oil and Boric Acid
Posted by Grammie4u (British Columbia, Canada) on 06/04/2015
★★★★★
I have had Angular Cheilitis off and on for several yrs. Finally I have found something that really works. You must use Castor Oil which is Food Safe and not used for medicinal purposes but for topical use. You can buy a large bottle in Canada for $12.00. Put a 1/8 tsp. of Boric Acid....not Borax and a few drops of Castor Oil in the palm of your hand and make a paste out it, apply before bed and in the morning you will see results.
Avoid Fish Oil
Posted by K In La (Los Angels, Ca) on 03/28/2015
After about two weeks, the infection came back, worse than before. I tried everything I could but could not find a completely natural remedy. I had to buy an over the counter miconazole yeast infection cream and put it on at night. Then I'd wake up and put a glob of medicated lip ointment which was mostly allantoin, camphor and menthol until I got to work, when I'd wipe it down. As soon as I left work, I'd glob it on again until I went to bed with the cream.
I also started taking vitamin E and drinking more water to help hydrate my lips and skin.
Within a week or so it healed. For another week I would sometimes feel it starting again and it reminded me to keep going for one more week even if it appeared healed. Once that round was done it ended. After three months it hasn't returned.
Tea Tree Oil, Vitamin E
Posted by Lisa (Pa., US) on 02/27/2015
★★★★★
Its working! Tea tree oil, Vitamin E and vaseline mixed together. Amazing!!!
Bee Propolis
Posted by Gc (Belgium) on 12/08/2014
★★★★★
Propolis Balm for lips (5% of Propolis, 20% of Butter shea) cured my angular cheilitis in 2 days.
The problem was due to drooling during sleep, so if you happen to have the same problem, just put some balm for lips at night and you're done :-)
Anyway, I also have seborrheic dermatitis on the face for which current evidence demonstrates that it results from a nonspecific immune response to Malassezia yeasts.
***Complete paper --> Malassezia Yeasts Implicated in Atopic Dermatitis
Research on Propolis already shown results on Malassezia for dogs who had dermatitis.
*** Complete paper --> The Antimycotic Effectt of Some Bee Products and Vegetal Extracts on Genus Malassezia Fungi
I'm actually testing Propolis' supplements (3 caps / day), I'll let you know if I have results.
I hope this will help you, Feel free to let me know if you have any question.
Best regards,
Avoid Fish Oil
Posted by K. In La (Los Angeles, Ca) on 11/27/2014
★★★★★
NO FISH OIL - To treat another condition I had been taking Cod Liver Oil (CLO 1500mg) and occasionally coconut oil (1000mg). Reading about Krill Oil I then added that (2000mg) and took the other two more regularly. My skin became a bit dryer but I thought it was from my heater being on overnight due to fall/winter weather. Then I developed the cracked corner lips and thinking I was just dehydrated expected them to heal with extra water over a day or two. A week later it hadn't healed and I knew something was wrong.
Thinking it was an infection, I tried tea tree oil or grapeseed oil, along with castor oil and then Listerine before bed. It would help overnight but return by the end of the next day.
I then thought about my diet. The only significant change I had to my diet was the addition of the Krill oil, and increase in CLO and Coconut oil. Doing research on Angular Cheilitis I found this:
"In general, dietary intake of natural, vitamin A rich sources like fish oils and cod liver oil increases the risk of developing angular cheilitis."
I immediately stopped all the other oils and started a Primrose Oil (1000mg to reduce inflammation) along with a B-50 complex twice a day. I would also poke a Vitamin E capsule and squeeze the contents onto my lips like a lip gloss. In the morning and evenings I'd drink a great Detox tea with dandelion root, licorice root, burdock, and other great liver supporting elements.
The condition began healing overnight. It took 3-4 days to completely exfoliate and renew the skin, but it's healed completely.
If your diet or location has changed in the past few months your system may be out of balance from changes in food and/or water sources. If you're taking supplements, optional medications, or beverages you may want to stop, detox and go vegan/green for a few weeks. And be patient. Healing from the outside in takes time; and the more out of balance your system, the longer the wait.
Hydrogen Peroxide, Baking Soda
Posted by Marty (Vancouver, Canada) on 11/23/2014
★★★★★
I recently came down with angular cheilitis, I tried different home remedies after getting 40 dollar bottle of cream from doctor (waste of cash and time). Truth is that it wouldn't clear up until I sanitized my mouth first (flush for one min with 3%hydrogen peroxide) and yes it stung, especially where the bacteria or fungus or whatever it was had been proliferating. It stings, however as I gargled and flushed, the size and number of spots disappeared quite fast, but I continued even after the stinging stopped, just reduced from 4 times a day down to 2 times a day. All the while I would wash the cracks and surrounding area with hydrogen peroxide, dry off and then apply damp baking soda to the entire site, and yes that stung but I found that the baking soda reversed the spread literally in 24 hrs and yes the first time I went to sleep with the baking soda on my face. It was on approx 6 to 8 hrs while I slept. Signs of spread and redness were clearly evident.
During the times I did not have the baking soda on, I washed my lips and affected areas with the hydrogen peroxide and left it for a minute or so and then I applied a product called correctx(my wife is a rep for essential oils and she gave that to me) basically I kept water and or moisture from getting into cracks this way. Don't confuse water in hydrogen peroxide as regular water. I flushed regularly with the peroxide and did half hour stints during day when not working using baking soda, then washed area with hydrogen peroxide and applied something to keep water from saliva and drinking water out. 4 days later it is almost completely gone. But remember it will sting at first, the less it stings indicates progress. Just for those who say they have a high pain threshold, if u cant handle this don't say u have a high pain threshold but couldn't hack it
Tea Tree Oil, Coconut Oil
Posted by Ernini (Santa Cruz, California) on 08/11/2014
★★★★★
Several times a day, dab a drop of tea tree oil for antiseptic and healing qualities and coconut oil to moisturize and lessen cracking of the new scab that is trying to heal. Took a few days and focus while eating so as not to open my mouth too wide and break the scab again. Tis healed and gone!
Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Tried It All (St. Paul ) on 07/18/2014
★★★★★
I wanted to add my comments as I too have tried many of the normal suggestions with little result for angular chelitis. I actually stumbled on Milk of Magnesia by accident. I tried it one day when I noticed the cracks returning-yet-again.
Milk of Magnesia works!! Any time I feel that dry/tingly feeling like the corner of my mouth is about to crack again- I do the following and have had great results nipping it in the bud before it actually becomes red or inflamed.
1. Wash area with dish soap and let air dry.
2. I take a dab of Milk of Magnesia (plain only) and well saturate the crack/corner of mouth. Let air dry.
**I think the main way this works is that it gets deep into the cracks and dries- keeping that area dry and unable to sustain yeast or bacteria.
3. After about a half hour I rinse it off and put a thin coat of plain aloe gel. Let dry.
I have found that doing this before bed is a huge help. Normally when I wake up, it is gone or in the process of healing. I like to keep the aloe handy and reapply before eating (this seems to help it from tearing when taking big bites or chewing).
I hope that this helps someone! I was really surprised how well Milk of Magnesia worked for this. On a side note- MoM can also be used as a deodorant. It works really well for stinky armpit sweat. Apply after shower- let dry completely (I stand in front of a fan :) and off you go. No pit stains, no smell and no residue on your shirts.
Vaseline
Posted by Samdi (Ontario) on 05/07/2014
★★★★★
Hi I have that nagging Angular Cheilitis for years you name it I use it and finally out from unexpected source I got cure remedy for now and for the 50 coming years. it's so simpel and so effective and may be it's in your bath room right now go and search for VASELINE. YES, PLAIN VASELINE! put it on side of your mouth in 2 days Angular Cheilitis will be history. Good luck for all
Castor Oil and Baking Soda
Posted by She (Virginia, United States) on 01/23/2014
Oregano oil is very very strong!! It is a good anti fungal, but it needs to be diluted with a carrier oil. You could use coconut oil or castor oil. I think that's what I'm going to try. I'm pretty sure I have the angular chelitis. Bad sores on both sides of my mouth and now little bumps forming around the lip line. Ughhhhhh!! Thank you for all your advice Earth Clinic!!
Yogurt
Posted by Dan (Columbia, Sc) on 09/02/2013
★★★★★
I had a moderate sized sore/crack on one corner of my mouth (Angular Chelitis). I wasn't familiar with Angular Chelitis, so I initially used my two "go-to" remedies - Raw Honey and Tumeric - on the sore with little to no result. After seeing the yogurt recommendation on EarthClinic, I gave it a try. I covered the sore in yogurt, and within minutes I felt it was working. Sure enough, within about 4 or 5 hours the cracked sore was gone.
There was still some residual tumeric on the sore when I applied the yogurt; not sure if that helped speed up the healing process. But generally speaking, I was both suprised and thrilled with the results/effectiveness of applying yogurt to Angular Chelitis. I would strongly recommend trying this remedy first if you come down with a bout of AC.
Dan
Folic Acid
Posted by Dolly (Cherry Hill, Nj) on 08/12/2013
★★★★★
Folic Acid supplements works for Angular Chelitis.
Over The Counter
Posted by Ldsrenee (Honolulu, Hi) on 08/10/2013
★★★★★
I read forums over several days when my lips became severely chapped and the corners began to split. I had used Carmex which did nothing and symptoms worsened. I tried pure coconut oil--nothing. I tried Ketoconizole--still nothing. Zero improvement and much more pain. I couldn't eat without pain or wear my favorite lipglosses and it started to look bad too. What I did after a week of these trial remedies was I kind of combined several options together. I went to the local drugstore and straight to the First Aid isle. I purchased a tube of Polysporin (which has antiseptic properties and contains zinc) and a tube of A+D ointment (which has lanolin to increase cellular production and white petroletum for creating a protective barrier to seal those medications in. And that's exactly what happened. I used the Polysporin first (very liberally with a clean Q-tip) and then sealed it with the A+D (also liberally)--careful not to mix them or smear the Polysporin away. By morning, my lips and the painful stinging cracks were 60% healed. I could open my mouth enough to eat without it hurting and the swelling/redness went away. The whole next day and night, I did the same thing. By morning of the 3rd day my lips were 99% healed. One more day and night and my lips feel conditioned and healthy, with no sign they were ever sore.
I hope this helps someone out there!!
Vitamin B Complex
Posted by Bamasnowgirl72 (Gadsden, Alabama, Usa) on 02/19/2013
★★★★★
I had those horrible cracks appear in the corners of my mouth years ago & tried different items like lip balms, creams, & oils. A friend reccomended taking a vitamin B complex. She had a bottle on hand & gave me one pill. In less than 24 hours my mouth was almost completely cured! I took one more the next day, about the same time, & by the next morning, I was totally healed! For good measure, I kept taking them for over a month. Now, when I have any symptoms beginning to appear, I immediately take a vitamin B complex & within hours, I always notice a difference. Try it! You have nothing to lose except the sore corners of your mouth. ;)
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Posted by Kevo (Asheville, Nc) on 02/14/2013
★★★★★
Vitamin B2 cured me of angular chelitis. I had these sores in the corners of my mouth all through high school, when I used to eat tons of sugar. Turns out, refined sugar robs the body of B vitamins. (When refined, all of sugar's natural vitamin B is removed as molasses, so the sugar actually absorbs it from your body as you digest it, leaving you deficient. ) Anyway, at the time I didn't realize WHY I was deficient; I just read online (back in the 28K modem days) that B2 would solve the problem. Within 1 week of taking B2, the sores went away. I had them return a few times over the next few years, and every time, I would just start popping the vitamin B again until they disappeared. B Complex works too; chances are, if you are deficient in B2, you may need other B vitamins also.
Finally, I quit eating refined sugars and now I don't have to take any vitamins; I haven't had the sores come back for years.
However, just recently, I had to take antibiotics for over a month following a serious throat infection and surgical removal of an infected abscess. After a few weeks on the antibiotics, I was so surprised to see the angular chelitis flare up in the corners of my mouth after all this time. A little research turned up the fact that some antibiotics cause vitamin B deficiency with long-term use (and in return, B vitamins can actually interfere with the absorption of the antibiotics). So it is NOT recommended to take B Vitamins while taking these antibiotics. Instead, start popping B complex after you are done with the drugs.
Finally, a great source of B vitamins worth trying is Nutritional Yeast flakes. They are commonly found in the bulk sections of health food stores. 2 Tablespoons contain from 35 to 100 percent of your daily value of every B vitamin. You can safely eat tons of it. It is really tasty sprinkled on popcorn or cooked veggies. The advantage of Nutritional Yeast is that it is a natural source instead of a synthetic (lab made) source. So instead of eating Vitamin B made out of petrochemicals, you are just eating dead, dried yeast cells (sounds yummy, eh?) that were grown on vitamin B-rich molasses, which was removed from (guess what) sugar! Coming full circle now. Some say that vitamins from whole foods are much easier to absorb. At any rate, either natural or synthetic will work. Good luck.
MSM
Posted by Suan (Portsmouth, NH) on 01/26/2013
msm is sulphur, a safe mineral supplement.
Over The Counter
Posted by Dan (Aurora, Il, Usa ) on 11/02/2012
★★★★★
I have dealt with angular cheilitis for years now so I will share what works the best and the fastest for me.
When I get the cuts in the corner of my mouth I wash the cuts with liquid dish soap. (Not the kind you put in the dish washer. ) This cleans and dries out the cuts. Keeping the cuts or sores dry and clean is the number one concern here. I then apply hydrocortisone cream maximum strength with water resistance to the cuts or sores. I do this three times a day.
At night I put on an antibacterial cream. The hydro cortisone and the antibacterial cream also seems to relieve some of the pain. That is it! This usually works in 24-72 hours if you catch it early. Treating this doesn't have to be complicated.
Don't touch the cuts or lick the sores. This will make the cuts irritated and prolong the healing. Keep the cuts dry besides applying the cream. Avoid acidic beverages and alcohol.
It's has been the fastest and most convenient remedy I have found. God luck and stay well. I hope this helps!
Sincerely, Dan
Tea Tree Oil, Vitamin E
Posted by Vonnie In Ireland (Wicklow) on 09/19/2012
★★★★★
I found a really good remedy for angular cheilitis on another website. In a small jar or tupperware tub, something with a sealable lid: Mix 2 tablespoons tea tree oil, 1 tablespoon vitamin E oil and and mix with 1 and a half tablespoons vaseline. (I didn't have any vitamin E oil to hand so I took 4-5 vitamin E capsules and squeezed the oil out of them) Mix it up really well to combine the oils with vaseline. Gently rub into the cracks regularly (about 4-5 times a day). Try not to get it actually inside your mouth as the tea tree tastes pretty nasty and tends to make everything else you eat and drink taste nasty too! Within 10 mins of first using this the stinging had gone from the cracks at the corners of my mouth. By the next day the cracks seemed to be "healing" and by the third day the cracks were gone and so was the pain. Miracle! Keep this ointment in the fridge for use when needed. The above recipe makes quite a bit and you only need to use a small smear at a time. Also taking a multivitamin with vitamin Bs in can help prevent recurrence of the problem.
MSM
Posted by John (Manchester, Uk) on 08/28/2012
I agree totally. After several years of trying everything I think this might be the cure.
