Lip Infection.

[trimad02]

This started off a few months ago. My mom had what looked like a fever blister on her lower lip. Problem is that it never went away!! Months later her bottom lip still looks bad and it has spread across her entire lower lip. It is painful and it scabs up and falls off over and over. She has been to the dermatologist several times, been on several antibiotics and has used lots of creams still nothing has helped!! Any advice would be very helpful!!!

[trimad02]

They've done all kinds of test on her and still dont know what it is. Whatever it is just keeps crusting back up all over her bottom lip and falling off again. Shes used several creams, oral and cream steriods, and all kinds of antibiotics already. They did a biopsy and found nothing and all her lab work was normal. Just frustrating that no doc shes been to has been able to help :(

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
A cold sore is caused due to HSV1. Pain, burning, tingling, or itching occurs at the infection site before the sores appear. Then clusters of blisters erupt which break down. You need to get some investigations like sample from the sores to identify the virus, culture analysis, Tzanck smear, antigen and antibody studies and blood sampling for antibody studies done to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment involves oral steroids and antiviral drugs. So please get the diagnosis confirmed and then a complete course of antiviral drugs for the cold sores.
I hope it helps. Take care and regards.