Dear doctor;

The middle of my lower lip keeps getting deep cuts from time to time for no apparent reason even when I am not sick. Why does this keep happening?

Ron K, Nyarugenge.

Dear Ron,

Is the cut on lower lips present throughout the year or it occurs with dry season or exposure to dust as in travelling? Is the site affected same or it changes? Is the cut  superficial or deep? Is there any problem with upper lip? Generally, cutting of lips occurs most commonly due to dryness. It can be due to the climate or after exposure to dust. Allergy to something consumed or used locally can cause cutting. Dry and cut lips are sequel to dehydration or drinking much less water. Deficiency of iron and or essential fatty acids, vitamin B. complex has dryness and cutting of lips as one of the manifestations. Infections, mostly viral or due to anerobic bacteria, cause cut lips. Infection by herpes virus manifests as recurrent sores and cut on lips. People with reduced immunity as with diabetes, HIV positive individuals, chronic renal failure, cancer, are more susceptible to these infections and recurrent cuts on lips. 

But local cutting of lips mostly occurs as sequel to trauma. At times, the trauma may pass unnoticed (as in involuntarily biting lip by teeth), but may cause a cut lip. As such the lips are highly vascular and cuts heal spontaneously, but repeated  trauma does not allow it to heal. If the cut is deep it may not heal by itself. In case of infections, use of suitable antibiotics cures the condition.

Drinking at least eight to 10 glasses of water is a good strategy to avoid dryness of lips and cutting. Diet should contain adequate amount of iron, vitamin B.complex and essential fatty acids. Use of protective lip balms and lubricants like coconut oil, almond oil, petroleum jelly, among others, is also useful. Dabbing lips with wet cotton or a wet cloth, chewing pieces of ice, are other measures that help in preventing dryness, cracking and cut of lips.

It is also important to maintain good hygiene of lips around cut, otherwise microbes can enter and cause infections.