Background: Psoriasis is a frequently occurring disorder with a chronic and relapsing course. Common sites of involvement are the extremities, trunk, scalp and nails. The disease may occasionally involve genitalia and the anus. Although cutaneous lesions are generally sufficiently distinct to make a diagnosis, diagnostic difficulties can be found in cases of unusual involvement.
Main observations: We report a 38-year-old man who presented scaling and cracking of the lips without intraoral involvement as a first manifestation of psoriasis. Three years later he developed erythematous plaques with desquamation on fingers, characteristic of psoriasis.
Conclusion: Psoriasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic or recurrent labial lesions.
Keywords: cheilitis; diagnosis; lips; oral mucosa; psoriasis.