Exfoliative Cheilitis as a Variation of Candida-associated Lesions in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients

Introduction: Lips lesions can be a manifestation of systemic disease, skin disease or a localised condition of the lips. Exfoliative cheilitis is a localised condition, described as a chronic superficial inflammatory condition affecting the upper or lower lip or both of them. It is characterised by the regular peeling of a superficial excess layer of keratin.
Cases: Two patients were referred to the Oral Medicine Department with the same complaint: pain, ulceration and crusting of the lips. They also complained of a burning sensation in their mouth and difficulty eating food. The first patient was a 32-year-old male with HIV and the second one was a 26-year-old male with an intercranial, space-occupying lesion (SOL) and tuberculosis.
Conclusion: Exfoliative cheilitis could be a manifestation of immunosuppression condition with suffered Candida infection, therefore it might be considered as a variation of lesions associated with Candida infection. The use of antifungal therapy appears to be an effective treatment for patient with oral candidiasis and exfoliative cheilitis.