Dry weather
Yeast or bacterial overgrowth
Ill-fitting dentures
Nutrient deficiencies (iron, B-vitamins)
Angular cheilitis often cracks, bleeds, and forms a crust, especially when you open your mouth.
3. Impetigo
Impetigo is a bacterial infection more common in children but can affect adults too.
What it looks like
Honey-colored crust
Red, raw skin underneath
May spread or ooze
This typically requires prescription treatment, especially if it’s spreading or not healing.
4. Allergic or Irritant Reaction
Sometimes a “mysterious sore” is actually a reaction to something that touched the lips:
New lip balm or lipstick
Toothpaste
Spicy or acidic foods
Sunscreens
Metal instruments (e.g., musical instruments)
Reactions can cause peeling, cracking, and a persistent crusty patch.
Discover more
garlic
cheese
Tomato
French cuisine
tomatoes
Cake
dough
Groceries
Capirotada
Italian cuisine
5. Actinic Cheilitis (Sun Damage)
For people who spend a lot of time outdoors, especially without lip sunscreen, prolonged UV exposure can cause:
A dry, scaly, crusty patch on the lip
Typically on the lower lip
Often slow to heal
This condition needs medical evaluation because it can be a precursor to skin cancer.
6. A Persistent Sore That Doesn’t Heal
This is less common, but sores that remain for more than 2–3 weeks, bleed easily, or keep crusting over without improvement can sometimes indicate a more serious condition, including a precancerous or cancerous lesion.
Again—this is not the most likely explanation, but it’s important not to ignore a non-healing sore.
So What Should You Do If You Can’t Get an Appointment?
Even when appointments are hard to secure, you still have options:
1. Try an urgent care or walk-in clinic
Many can evaluate lip lesions and start treatment if needed.
2. Use telemedicine
A video visit with a doctor or nurse practitioner can often narrow down the possibilities or prescribe medications if appropriate.
3. Take a clear photo and monitor changes
Track:
Size
Color
Pain
Whether it bleeds
Whether it’s growing
4. Avoid picking at the sore
This slows healing and can cause infection.
5. Use gentle lip care
Fragrance-free petroleum jelly or a bland ointment can protect the area while you wait for professional care.
When to Seek Care Sooner
Even with appointment delays, seek prompt evaluation if the sore:
Has been there more than 2–3 weeks
Is growing or thickening
Bleeds easily
Is extremely painful
Is accompanied by fever
Keeps crusting and reopening
Appeared after a high-risk exposure (e.g., direct contact with someone who has a cold sore)
The Bottom Line
A crusty lip sore that won’t go away can have several explanations—most benign, some requiring treatment, and a few that warrant urgent evaluation. While appointment delays are frustrating, there are still ways to get help, and monitoring your symptoms closely is always the right place to start.
