Got a sore on your lip? Yup, **Angular Cheilitis** is **contagious**. Talk about a real bummer! Not only does it hurt and look bad, but it also might leave a mark permanently. But guess what? The real villain here is an infection lurking beneath. Keep reading, and you’ll find out how to spot and stop it before it sneaks up on you!
Why is it contagious? As previously mentioned, this condition is caused by an infection on the mouth. So when there’s a fungal or bacterial infection on your skin, it’s possible that you’ll get an infection in your mouth. Of course, fungal infections have their own risks, so it’s up to you to decide if you want to risk your skin by contracting an infection or if you’d prefer to avoid them. Some people are more vulnerable than others to fungal infections – for example, someone who has diabetes or someone who takes antibiotics may be more likely to contract an infection from fungi. However, fungal infections in the mouth are very rare and can easily be treated.
How is it contagious? Unlike any other condition, the virus that causes this infection is passed from person to person through direct contact. Therefore, if you’re worried that someone you know may have Angular Cheilitis, you’ll need to check his or her mouth to make sure that it doesn’t have an infection. If you do find an infection, however, you need to make sure you treat it right away because you can pass on the infection to a new, unsuspecting person, and this time the infection may be more serious.
So how can you tell if a person has Angular Cheilitis? The best way to determine whether you have it is to ask him or her directly. It’s perfectly natural for some people to blush and cover their mouth, especially when they’re embarrassed or when they’re having a sore or cold. However, if your mouth is red or blushing, it’s probably a good idea to go and see your doctor about your condition. For the most part, however, the symptoms of Angular Cheilitis are fairly similar to those of other common mouth conditions – a sore on the lips, pain during eating, and soreness of the surrounding skin (and even swelling of the lips).
So how is Angular Cheilitis Contagious? In order to answer this question, doctors need to look at the virus responsible. Fungal infections can’t be spread from person to person – they need to be introduced to a host before they can multiply. In fact, the herpes simple virus that causes chicken pox cannot be passed directly from one person to another, so you won’t be spreading anything by asking someone if they have Angular Cheilitis. However, fungal infections on the skin can multiply relatively quickly, and a fungal infection in the mouth will make your lips look very red and inflamed.
When you have a mouth infection, the bacteria will enter the mouth via the urethra and the blood stream and begin to multiply within the mouth. When the bacteria multiplies to the point where it forms a fungus (thrush), the result is Angular Cheilitis, which looks similar to a scab (and can often cause bleeding). Fungal infections are generally picked up by people who don’t have a sore or scratch on their lips.
So, is Angular Cheilitis Contagious? In general, no – but it’s important to keep this infection in mind. If your doctor feels that your lips are infected or tender, he or she will probably recommend antibiotics as a way to treat the infection. If the sore is not causing any pain, then it’s unlikely that you have Angular Cheilitis, since the condition is caused by the immune system overreacting to an already-existing problem.
