Re: Allergies as a contributing factor

Welcome to the forum. Please keep us posted as to the effects of both the allergy shots and the Elidel. The only way this forum is useful is if we share our histories and current treatments, and report on our progress months or years after "successful" treatments. Pictures uploaded to the Gallery always help pinpoint similarities and rate of improvement.

In response to your questions, I found that Aquaphor and other chemical topicals had a negative overall effect, organic natural topicals had little noticeable effect, and doing nothing other than trimming the dead skin seems to have a gradually (and painfully slow) positive effect.

Sometimes I wonder if the physical act of moving the lips itself is preventing a faster recovery, and also whether some stressful activity while I'm asleep is either drawing moisture out of the lips or physically damaging them ("factitious cheilitis"). I have no opportunity to take a vow of silence any time in the near future and hope my girlfriend can monitor me in my sleep over time.

Over the last couple years, I've noticed that rate of peeling has increased in summer weather, and decreased in colder winter weather, even if I am in different hemispheres. I will test that hypothesis once again this coming winter. Peeling cycle is about 5-6 days for both lips.

Peace,
C.S.