I said earlier chronic cortisol to the lips, has effected the skin to grow fast. So high cortisol in the blood, unless you are really really stressed for a short period of time, i don't think would be a factor. I was stressed all through my teenage years, so i think ontop of EC, i have adrenal fatigue. I have the symptoms of adrenal fatigue. I'm supplementing that with Pantothenic acid and Vitamin B complex, as of yesterday. The worse thing to do is aggravate the lips to the point of inflammation, because that attracts our bodies cortisol... thus accelerated skin reproduction.