How to fix angular cheilitis scar? (Photos)

Question

Im currently 19 and have had aangular cheilitis since as long as I remember. I never knew what it was or noticed how it affected my face and smile until the last couple years. I always picked at it because I thought that it would just go away and never knew or realized it lefts scars and little bumps on the corner of my mouth. I’ve always been insecure about my smile and I realized that the scar was a factor of it. I always thought it was part of my lips and that my lips just had dark corners because I’ve had these scars since I was a kid so thats how my lips always looked. Currently I take neoprosone (been doing so for around a month) every night on those scars and moisturize the corners as well as my lips with face moisturizer and vaseline. In the day I put on a spf 50 on my lips and corners because I know neoprosone makes your skin more vulnerable to sun. And more recently i’ve been dermarollijg the corners of my lips to stimulate collagen. I’m in college and I know the best route would most likely be some sort of laser treatment because the scars have been there for my whole life practically, but if there’s any other route that would be cheaper that’d be greatly appreciated because i’m a broke college student. If not then what laser treatment is recommended

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

At 19, what you’re seeing at the corners of your mouth is very common after long‑standing angular cheilitis. It’s usually a mix of mild scarring, texture change, and post‑inflammatory darkening—not something you were born with and not permanent.

A few important points first:

I would stop neoprosone. Topical steroids around the mouth can thin the skin and actually make texture and discoloration worse over time.
Daily SPF (which you’re already doing) is excellent and very important.
Picking and aggressive dermarolling at home can worsen scarring in this area, so I’d pause that for now.
If you’re on a tight budget, there are lower‑cost options before lasers:

A topical retinoid (like adapalene 0.1%, which is over‑the‑counter) used carefully 2–3 nights per week can help smooth texture and stimulate collagen over time.
Silicone scar gel applied daily can soften scars and improve the look of small bumps.
Consistent moisturizing with a bland barrier ointment (petrolatum or zinc‑based balm) helps prevent further cracking and pigment change.
These won’t erase the scars completely, but they can noticeably improve them over 3–6 months.

If you eventually decide to pursue procedures, the most effective treatments for lifelong scars at the mouth corners are:

Professional microneedling (safer and more effective than home rollers)
Fractional lasers (CO2 or Er:YAG) for deeper texture changes
Lasers aren’t mandatory, and even then, expectations should be realistic—usually improvement, not perfection.

The good news is that your age works in your favor. Your skin still has strong collagen potential, so conservative treatments can go a long way. If possible, seeing a dermatologist in person would also help confirm that there’s no ongoing angular cheilitis still contributing to the problem.

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