Lasting solution after 6 years of suffering!

I'm an 18 year old female college student, and have been dealing with the embarassing, painful, and constant cracking/peeling/etc. since the end of middle school. As I've had eczema my whole life, my dermatologist kept prescribing me different steroid creams and ointments, which would always work at first and I would think IT'S CURED!, but then after a short while my lips would revert back to their usual state. The ointments always seemed too greasy and would make me itch, probably because they were trapping all kinds of bacteria. This past summer there were days I could barely open my mouth, and I was at my wit's end, and was convinced I had EC.

Finally, the thought occurred to visit an allergist, as eczema is a reaction to the environment. I was tested for both food and environmental allergies (I'm a vegetarian/vegan, but had cut out soy milk, peanut butter, and other foods at different times to try to see if they were the cause). It turned out I had no food allergies , but was allergic to mold...and my dog. Everytime I touched my dog, or sat on the couch the dog had sat on, and then went and picked at my peeling lips, I was causing another allergic reaction, and this had been going on for YEARS. He prescribed me an intense moisturizer, and was instructed to...1. NEVER touch my dog and then my face, 2. ALWAYS wash my hands before touching my lips, 3. only apply moisturizer (never lotion...too thin, and absolutely NEVER CHAPSTICK...it's full of bacteria) to WET skin so it's actually holding in moisture, 4. wash face or at least lips and apply moisturizer after eating, kissing, etc., and 5. DON'T pick at it.

Very simple rules, and they've quite literally changed my life. My social anxiety was just getting worse and worse, especially starting out in college, and now it's thankfully not an issue in the least. Now the only time the eczema comes back (and never at full force any more) is when I go home during vacation and am around the dog, or am sick and my immune system is compromised. The winter weather makes them dry and flaky, but I just make sure to follow the rules and it largely stays under control.

PLEASE, visit an allergist. A dermatologist can look at the symptoms, but it's terrible to have to spend a lifetime trying to fight symptoms, when you can find the underlying trouble. I know, EC is a chronic condition, but mine turned out to be ezcema, and I would be very surprised if there weren't other people suffering from the same condition, unaware of what it is.

BEST OF LUCK! Tweet