What causes blisters on the lips?
Mar 17, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Liu Wenmin
Introduction
Long-term irregular eating habits, excessive consumption of spicy and greasy foods, insufficient water intake, and staying up late can easily lead to excessive internal heat (fire) in the body. This may manifest on the mouth, causing blisters to form. At this time, dietary adjustments should be made—for example, consuming more heat-clearing and fire-reducing foods such as bitter melon and mung beans—while also increasing water intake and ensuring adequate sleep. A deficiency of vitamins in the body can affect the normal metabolism of oral mucosa, leading to the formation of blisters on the mouth.
Blisters on the lips may be caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits, vitamin deficiency, lip herpes, angular cheilitis, contact dermatitis, and other factors. Management should be based on the specific situation. It is recommended to visit a hospital promptly and follow medical advice for treatment.
1. Unhealthy lifestyle habits: Long-term irregular eating habits, excessive consumption of spicy or greasy foods, insufficient water intake, and staying up late can easily lead to excessive internal heat (commonly referred to as "fire") in the body. This may manifest on the lips as blistering. At this time, dietary adjustments are recommended, including more heat-clearing and fire-pacifying foods such as bitter melon and mung beans, increased water intake, and ensuring adequate sleep.
2. Vitamin deficiency: A lack of vitamins in the body can affect the normal metabolism of the oral mucosa, leading to blisters on the lips. A balanced diet with more fresh fruits and vegetables, such as oranges, kiwifruit, spinach, and broccoli, should be consumed to supplement various vitamins.
3. Lip herpes: This condition is caused by infection with the herpes simplex virus, often presenting as clusters of small blisters around the lips and lip area, accompanied by sensations of burning and pain. Blisters can easily rupture and become eroded. Patients may use acyclovir cream, penciclovir cream, acyclovir tablets, and other medications under medical guidance to alleviate symptoms.
4. Angular cheilitis: This condition is often triggered by malnutrition, infections, and other factors. It presents as redness, cracking, and blistering of the skin and mucous membranes at the corners of the mouth, accompanied by pain and exudation. Pain worsens when opening the mouth or eating. It is recommended that patients use medications such as erythromycin ointment, vitamin B2 tablets, and kangfuxin solution under medical guidance to relieve discomfort.
5. Contact dermatitis: Allergic reactions may occur when the lips come into contact with allergens such as lipsticks or food additives, resulting in redness, blisters, itching, and swelling of the lips. Patients may use medications such as loratadine tablets, calamine lotion, and hydrocortisone butyrate cream under medical guidance to alleviate symptoms.
In daily life, it is recommended to maintain adequate hydration, use lip balm to keep the lips moisturized, and avoid licking the lips or biting them with teeth to prevent exacerbating dryness.
References:
[1] Wang Jianyun, Yu Qun, Chen Zhanyue. Observation of the effect of acyclovir combined with hemorrhoid ointment in the treatment of lip herpes. Chinese Contemporary Medicine, 2014, 21(17): 184-185.
[2] Wang Xiaoxue, Fan Guanwei, Pu Xiang, et al. Meta-analysis and medication pattern study of oral Chinese medicine for the treatment of allergic contact dermatitis. Journal of Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2025, 26(01): 1-8.
