Healing chronic chapped lips

[Sweet Mimi]

My lips have been chapped for the better part of two months now. They seem to get better, almost to the point that they're healed, and then start to crack and crust over again and the whole cycle starts back up.

I've been attempting to not pick at them, though it's tough when it's disgusting looking... I've been trying to maintain proper hydration... Though "proper hydration" for me is anywhere from 100-300oz of water, which is tough to drink when I'm at people's houses or out and about. (Yes, I know that seems like an asinine amount, but that's not what this thread is about--I'm not about to stupidly get water intoxication. 8()

I've avoided using chap stick lately as that seems to only help the symptoms--Used it for about a month and it did not help in getting rid of the chapped lips.

I read online about chronic chapped lips being a sign of a thyroid problem, but I don't have a way to get that checked out for awhile. Not to mention I also doubt I have a thyroid issue as this case of chapped lips didn't come out of the blue: It started when I first started getting sick--This is a normal symptom of an illness for me, and it is the last symptom to leave, typically a week or two after the sickness is done... Never left this time. As I've said, it's been going on the better part of two months now.

tl;dr: I have chronic chapped lips--How can I get them back to normal?

Helo, i have exactly similar problem... already 5 months. its still same dry lips for me. i wished you came back and replied and tell me what happened, r you fine.. its been long since you posted. but still i really wished you come back and tell me if your lips are fine.. i want to cry, this feeling is now taking over me.

i have been fighting it with all posible solutions, lips balms, vaseline, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar... vitamins supplements and yet i dont get 5 second of peace with it.. i feel am already in hell.. i pray to god to help me thats all i can do... sometimes i just cry to feel a bit better... during these 5 months i have been visiting doctors, dermatologist,... in all i have done around 9 visits... needless to say how much these visits have cost me. but no one among them really understand my problem.. am only 24 yrs old girl... i never smoke, never drink alchohol in my life!

it started with my two lips corners getting suddenly dark no dry lips though. since i was a lipstick addict that really raised my concern... i went to pharmacy, they gaveme vaseline. the darkness really went away n two days.. but since vaseline made my lips softer i thought let me continue use it. i continued use vaseline... when suddenly now getting dry and chapped... i relied more on vaseline there was no change.. it was getting worse and worse... at the same time i was also having fever.. i thought may be fever was causing dry lips. fever went on 2 weeks.. before that also i got fever which was cure then got it again.. fever was gone but left with bad cough.. doctor gave antibiotics. it went away but my throat was still not completely ok.. there was no more cough but constantly feeling of phlem and bad taste along with dry lips. i went to see a doc who gave me hydro cortisone.. nothing happened. lips were now getting itchy.. i itched it it got spread outside lips.. rushed to same doctor, he gave miconazole.. i couldnt use it.. it was leading to more itchiness.. may be my skin is sensitive.. i has clotrimazole cream at home used that. the outside part was healed. but lips still dry. i started drinking lots of water everyday if ever its because of dehydration since i also recently recovered from fevers. and read that vitamin deficiency could be a cause. i tool b complex, iron and minerals supplements also. i also gave up my acne treatment, i was taking tolexine ge. went to my dermatologist and asked him if his medicines are causing dry lips. he said no he knows well tolexine ge is not like acutane. still he gave me a paraben free lip balm to use.

One night it started to get swollen. next day i rushed to another doctor. he said i have oral candidiasis! and gave me antifungal nystatin drops. it cleared white lesion in my mouth byt my lips were still dry. i went to see now a ear nose and throat specilist thinking might be the dry lips is cause by that throat problem which was still there along with dry lips. throat also was constantly dry. they did throat test.. and and at same time gave antibiotic.. i was afraid to take antibiotic again... i told her i recently took antibiotic for cough she gave a stronger antibiotic and told me come back in 10 days for the result of the test undertaken. went back result was clear there was no bacterial infection. and the antibiotic was useless no effect. i asked her if my lips and throat problem are related she said no.

waited two weeks, lips and throat still dry... went again to another doctor.. this doctor also has no idea of whats causing this since she find no cause of any disease.. and just gave me vitamin b supplements.

needless to mention long before i changed my toothpaste went for floride free because floride were making my lips sting even before i started getting lips problem i never paid attention before so i changed it.. am using sensodyne original one without floride. reading about apple cider vinegar, i applied to my lips because i was deperate to heal my lips. it stung badly but it has reduced chapness but my lips are still dry...

now my lips are not chapped, but if i stop wearing lip balm for 5 seconds it will start dry up and chapping will start... i badly need help... my thraot as well still dry.. am a teacher, soon school will resume i will be needing my throat, but doctors dont understand my problem. where should i go.. and what to do! i pity myself for my situation... am tired fighting with this lips problem.

i know looking at such a long story no one will read it.. but still am in such a pain emotionally that i feel relieve sharing my pain... though all doctors says my throat and lips are not related i really feel they are... i have gargles a lot with salt water and solution given by the docs, the pain went away, now my throat doesnt have even 1 pain. but its red and dry.. i dont know what to do!!

 

[Foreigner]

Thinks to look into:
- the level of acidity in your food (coffee? chocolate? a lot of meat, processed food? tomato sauces? etc.)
- your daily water intake
- vitamins B, A, E and the omega fatty acids, as these all affect the strength of cell membranes and whether or not they leak fluids
- the toothpaste and mouthwash you use, as alcohol, sodium lauryl sulfate and other lathering agents can dry out the mouth
- any heart burn, dry throat or lungs? the problem may not originate with your lips but somewhere in the GI or respiratory system
- if it's the dry season (high summer or high winter), then you probably just need to seal your lips with a balm to prevent moisture loss

 

[Maya]

^my lips used to alwayd get dry and chapped before, but when I changed the mouthwash I was using and changed my diet, this improved my lips. I didn't even need the balm anymore.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

For the past 7 years I will almost go into full-blown panic attack if I don't have two sticks of chapstick in my possession (or God forbid just one).

I have 3 right now, Carmex tub, New Belgium flavoured shit (not worth AF, but it do taste gewwwwwwwd), and rando shit.

I'm hurting for quality.

Burt's Bee's tastes good, but I haven't noticed it to be v effective.

 

[Coolwhip]

One word....lypsyl...look it up, trust me, best lip balm ever and I have tried them all, any of them work if you keep them applied, but most don't last very long. Nothing is going to really heal your lips except time, they key is allowing them to heal and then keeping them protected.