Lipstick Cheilitis

CHEILITIS is one of the most commonly seen dermatoses in clinical practice. Among the most frequent causes of this disease in women is the dye used to impart lasting qualities to indelible lipsticks. This dye is dibromfluorescein, tribromfluorescein or tetrabromfluorescein. Many other causative agents of cheilitis have been reported in the literature. Various authors have reported cases of cheilitis due to the following: actinic or chemically active rays of sunlight,1cold urticaria,2carmine and anilin dyes in liquid rouge,3trout,4lipstick,5methyl heptine carbonate in the perfume of lipstick,6dental plates (hecolite),7eosin dye in lipstick,8denture creams containing oil of anise,9lipstick in which local factors play a part,10mouth washes and cigaret holders,11derivatives of bromfluorescein (with photosensitization a factor to be considered), a husband's moustache wax, amalgam fillings for teeth, toothpaste and a preparation for gums