actinic cheilitis

Actinic cheilitis is a related condition that usually appears on the lower lips.

Both cryosurgery and electrosurgery are effective choices for small areas of actinic cheilitis.

Cryosurgery is the treatment of choice for focal areas of actinic cheilitis.

Actinic cheilitis may evolve into invasive squamous cell carcinoma if not treated.

The lip may become scaly and indurated as actinic cheilitis progresses.

Actinic cheilitis is caused by chronic and excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation in sunlight.

Imiquimod (Aldara) is an immune response modifier that has been studied for the treatment of actinic cheilitis.

However, the dose and duration of therapy, as well as the long-term efficacy, still need to be established in the treatment of actinic cheilitis.

More extensive or recurring areas of actinic cheilitis may be treated with either a shave vermillionectomy or a carbon dioxide laser.

In actinic cheilitis, there is thickening whitish discoloration of the lip at the border of the lip and skin.

The vermilion border is important in dentistry and oral pathology as a marker to detect disease, such as in actinic cheilitis.

Topical 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, Efudex, Carac) has been shown to be an effective therapy for diffuse, but minor actinic cheilitis.

Other common premalignant lesions include oral lichen planus (particularly the erosive type), oral submucous fibrosis and actinic cheilitis.

Picascia DD, Robinson JK: Actinic cheilitis: a review of the etiology, differential diagnosis, and treatment.

Actinic cheilitis (also known as "Actinic cheilosis") is a form of cheilitis which is the counterpart of actinic keratosis of the skin and can develop into squamous cell carcinoma.