Lip inflammation may manifest as mainly reversible cheilitis, mainly irreversible, or cheilitis connected to dermatoses or systemic diseases. Therefore, knowing a patient’s medical history is important, especially whether their lip lesions are temporary, recurrent, or persistent. Sometimes temporary contributing factors, such as climate and weather conditions, can be identified and avoided—exposure to extreme weather conditions (e.g., dry, hot, or windy climates) may cause or trigger lip inflammation. Emotional and psychological stress are also mentioned in the etiology of some lip inflammations (e.g., exfoliative cheilitis) and may be associated with nervous habits such as lip licking. To better manage cheilitis, it is also helpful to look for potential concomitant comorbidities and the presence of related diseases/conditions. Some forms of cheilitis accompany dermatologic or systemic diseases (lichen, pemphigus or pemphigoid, erythema multiforme, lupus, angioedema, xerostomia, etc.) that should be uncovered. Occasionally, lip lesions are persistent and involve histological changes: actinic cheilitis, granulomatous cheilitis, glandular cheilitis, and plasmacellular cheilitis. Perioral skin inflammation with simultaneous perioral dermatitis can have various causes: the use of corticosteroids and cosmetics, dysfunction of the skin’s epidermal barrier, a contact reaction to allergens or irritants (e.g., toothpaste, dental fillings), microorganisms (e.g., Demodex spp., Candida albicans, fusiform bacteria), hormonal changes, or an atopic predisposition. Epidermal barrier dysfunction can worsen perioral dermatitis lesions and can also be related to secondary vitamin or mineral deficiencies (e.g., zinc deficiency), occlusive emollient use, sunscreen use, or excessive exposure to environmental factors such as heat, wind, and ultraviolet light. Current trends in research are uncovering valuable information concerning the skin microbiome and disruption of the epidermal barrier of persons suffering from perioral dermatitis. Ultimately, an effective approach to patient management must take all these factors and new research into account.

Skin conditions are among the most prevalent and disabling diseases affecting millions of people worldwide. Recently, there have been significant changes in dermatologic clinical practice. Advances in knowledge of disease pathophysiology have led to significant breakthroughs in diagnostics and therapy, as well as discovery of new treatment modalities. Additionally, research focusing on differences between individual patients has resulted in the growth of personalized medicine. Healthcare professionals are focusing on tailoring therapy to the individual characteristics of each patient, which in turn leads to improved quality of care and management of each individual. Of note, patient safety may be compromised when applying or taking dermatologic therapy as a result of medical error, patient non‐compliance, adverse effects or drug interactions. It is therefore of great importance to minimize, and if possible prevent these risks. Finally, the appraisal of healthcare goods and services currently does not only analyze the safety and efficacy of treatment, but also considers the economic impact on the cost of healthcare. Consequently, pharmacoeconomic evaluation has become an essential step in the introduction of new dermatologic treatments and the rational use of pharmaceuticals.