Lips

Looks like

Soft folds of muscle and thin red skin around the mouth opening.

What it does

Seal the mouth, shape speech sounds and sense food temperature.

Keeping it well

Lip balm with sunscreen; an ulcer or scaly patch that does not heal in three weeks, especially on the lower lip, needs checking for cancer.

Related conditions

• Bad breath (halitosis)
• Burning mouth syndrome
• Cleft lip and palate
• Cold sores (herpes simplex)
• Hand, foot and mouth disease
• Lichen planus
• Mouth ulcers (aphthous stomatitis)
• Pemphigus vulgaris
• Stevens–Johnson syndrome / toxic epidermal necrolysis