Actinic Cheilitis
Actinic cheilitis is a variant of actinic keratosis of the lip or oral mucosa, and is a result of sun damage. Changes are most often found on the sun exposed lower lip. Initially the lips show a gray to white discoloration. Skin lines are lost and the lower lip becomes smooth with poor demarcation and blunting of the vermillion border. In time the surface becomes rough, scaly, and red. Fissuring and ulceration suggest degeneration into squamous cell carcinoma. The facial skin is also heavily sun damaged in these patients.
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