Faraway travels improve my EC - but why?
Hi all, first time poster, long time reader here.
I have had EC for many years, in varying degrees, from "just" a scummy edge on the inside of my lips, to the constant peeling we all know and hate.
But now it's been non-stop full-blown EC since about 8 months, with the entire lower lip (except the bottom 2mm) and upper lip (except the top 2mm) peeling completely.
My usual cycle is 72 hours, if all goes well.
Of course, like all of you, I have been revisiting my 'lip-history' and realized that the periods where I had absolutely NO symptoms whatsoever were when I was far from home (Europe). Not just a little, but transatlantic flight far, going to Los Angeles, Caribbean, etc.
I had nervously packed tons of sticks, creams and moisturizers, even getting in trouble with customs for a chapstick in my trouser pocket -- but I needn't have worried, as there was no use for any of them, at all. Especially since improvement was very quick.
There are some differences with my regular life and most seem (as far as general wisdom goes) worse rather than better:
-Stress-free, since this was always for vacations.
-Eating and drinking very differently: lots of CRAP, not always enough fluids etc.
-Very long, intensive days, lots of exercise to the point of constant fatigue.
-Most of the day outside (sun)
-Immediate environment is different, from pillows to showergel.
notes:
-I have not been able to isolate and replicate *anything* that I do differently on far vacations and apply that successfully to my regular EC-ridden life.
-I have not been able to get any similar results from trips abroad that stayed within Europe; those must have the same amounts of exercise, fatigue, sun, crap food, different bed linens, etc.
Does anyone else have the same experience? And if so, what would you attribute it to?