Morsicatio labiorum is a form of tissue alteration caused by self-induced injury, mostly occurring on the lips, and is considered to be a rarely encountered mucocutaneous disorder.
Clinically, it is a macerated grey-white patch and plaque of the mucosa caused by external stimuli (self-induced injury) such as habitual biting, chewing, or sucking of the lip.
It is often confused with other dermatological disorders involving the oral mucosa, which can lead to a misdiagnosis. We herein report three cases of morsicatio labiorum; two cases were misdiagnosed as exfoliative cheilitis at the time of the first visit.
INTRODUCTION:
'Morsicatio' represents changes of surface features of the tongue, buccal mucosa, or lips caused by chronic tissue irritation, such as biting or sucking. When this change occurs on the lips, it is called 'morsicatio labiorum'.
► See also: ANGULAR CHEILITIS as the sign of systemic disease
It is a self-induced injury caused by habitual behaviors, which may be associated with stress or mental illness in some patients. Most information regarding morsicatio labiorum can be found in the dental literature; it has been rarely reported in the dermatology literature.
It can be misdiagnosed when missing a prudent history taking. We herein report three cases of this condition, with emphasis on habit-related histories such as self-mutilation.
Fuente: synapse.koreamed.org
The Korean Dermatological Association and The Korean Society for Investigative Dermatology ANNALS OF DERMATOLOGY
Author: Ho Song Kang, M.D., Ha Eun Lee, M.D., Young Suck Ro, M.D. and Chang Woo Lee, M.D.
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