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May 22, 2013
John Thorne:
They launched the 'Arab Spring' but now yearn for the good old days of a strongman
May 20, 2013
Richard A. Serrano: Is Meir Kahane's assassin now a changed man?
Melissa Healy: Genetic copies of living people from embryos no longer science fiction
Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Jews Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame; Anton Yelchin co-stars in New "Trek" film; Kutcher (but not Kunis) visits Israel; Jewish TV Star Praises Jewish Rap Star
The Kosher Gourmet by Cathy Pollak: WARNING: This WALNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING, perfect for afternoon coffee, is addicting
May 13, 2013
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Why the giving of the document that would permanently change the world could only be done in desolation
David G. Savage: Church-state, literally? Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church
May 10, 2013
Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be
May 8, 2013
Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas
Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate
Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility
May 6, 2013
May 3, 2013
Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine
April 29, 2013
Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust
Mark Clayton: Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?
Kim Murphy: Boston Bomber's 'Svengali' Revealed
Pete Spotts: Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA
April 26, 2013
Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty
April 24, 2013
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Jewish World Review
Ask the Harvard Experts: Get rid of cracking skin at mouth corners
By
Howard LeWine, M.D.
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JewishWorldReview.com |
Q: My skin cracks at the corners of my mouth. It gets better, and then returns for no apparent reason. This has been going on for more than a year. What could be causing this condition?
A: It sounds like you have a condition called angular cheilitis. It's also known as angular stomatitis or perleche. In addition to skin cracking at the corners of your mouth, there can also be redness and scaling. The cause is frequent or persistent saliva touching the skin outside the mouth.
You're more likely to develop this condition if you:
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Have a poor seal of the lips at the angles of the mouth
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Wear braces
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Have ill-fitting dentures, or
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Frequently lick your lips
Angular cheilitis can also be from an allergic skin reaction to lipstick or face cream, or flossing your teeth too vigorously. But that's less common. And it's rarely caused by a vitamin or iron deficiency.
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To help prevent angular cheilitis from coming back, try to avoid excessive moisture accumulating in the corners of your mouth. If it does come back, you can apply an over-the-counter antifungal cream or ointment. Then follow with a topical hydrocortisone 1 percent ointment an hour later. Do this 2-3 times per day. Some dermatologists prefer a prescription product that contains both hydrocortisone and an anti-infective agent (Vytone, for example).
Once the perleche heals, then use a protective lip product, similar to what you would use to treat chapped lips. It's probably best to pick one that's hypoallergenic. Make sure the corners of your mouth are dry before applying. Use it often. Consult your doctor if the problem persists.
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Howard LeWine, MD, is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass., and Chief Medical Editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School.
© 2012, PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLGE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
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