Posted 5/18/2015 2:34 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry, I'm not 100% where to post this, I thought this was the closest one to skin problems, is there a better one it could get moved to?
Hello, I am really hoping that you will be able to help as I’ve literally ran out of things to try and it’s effecting my badly that I am unable to do anything about it! I’ll start at the point of which it started (this is what I think anyway!).
A year ago, I remember it was last May, me and a friend had a bit to drink and spent the entire night outside, playing golf, running around, active things which caused me to spend the whole night breathing heavily and through my mouth. The next day my lips were quite dry, this however wasn’t unusual as I had done this a few times and just leaving it would sort it out. Unfortunately, this time they got worse each day, maybe by the end of the week they had started to crack and I was getting red marks in the corner of my mouth (from research I’ve concluded this would eventually turn out to be Angular Cheilitis, I think my doctor noted this at a later date as well). Another week went past and the cracks got worse but this time I also developed cracks in the corners of my mouth. One more week or so and worse still, at this point I got very unhappy as it was painful to talk and smile let alone eating!
I went to the doctor and got prescribed Daktacort. I used this each night and every morning. It had little effect to start with. I then started using lip balms as well (there is a possibility I used lip balms before the Daktacort but I’m a little hazy as it’s a year ago). One of the first lips balms was a Neutrogena one I think, I used this whenever my lips felt dry, I went through it quickly, after a few months things got a little better, the cracks in the corner had gone and I was able to eat and talk without pain and the red had faded (although is still there at the moment and can get slightly inflamed every now and again). The lips themselves however were not better, it went through stages of using lips balms every time they felt dry to trying to restrict myself to the point at which they were peeling and visibly dry, to just mornings and evenings.
Nothing is helping them anymore, I cannot heal them. I’m not sure if they can no longer produce moisture at the moment because I used the balms so much or if they are severely damaged and need treatment of some kind. My routine at the moment is to use Daktacort (now just changed to a lip balm that seem to be advertised as a moisturiser) once in the morning and once in the evening before bed, I also have to use it before exercise as breathing on my lips for only 30 seconds will cause discomfort, so when working out for 1 – 2 hours they can get incredibly dry. I would like to point out that I have used so many different types of balms, from Vaseline to Burts Bees. I thought that maybe I needed to stop using them completely (and I’m still not convinced this isn’t the way, I might just have to suffer through), I managed about a month I think before I used Daktacort again. The lips were horrendous at this point, extremely dry, several tears and cuts and would bleed if I even attempted a smile. Bleeding painful lips got a bit unbearable which is why I started using the Daktacort again. The state I can get them to is constantly dry and peeling, if I forget to apply either in the morning or night then I am liable to get a crack during the hours that follow.
I’ve switched my toothpaste to fluoride free, I do not lick my lips, I take vitamin B and I’m careful as to what touches my lips when eating, I keep my lips out of the water when showering and try not to get water on my lips when drinking unless they are extremely bad and need a little relief. Apart from the first time the doctor saw me when I had Angular Cheilitis and they prescribed the Daktacort, the other times my lips haven’t looked that bad because I had them under control and they just look like they are peeling and slightly dry, so they kind of just fob me off, “keep an eye on it” one said, what does that even mean? “use lip balm” was the other, NO, I’ve used it for about 9 months, it’s not helping me, I think it makes it worse. I’m not really sure what I’m expecting but some help here would be amazing as I feel helpless!