Re: New sufferer

Hello, again.

Sounds like you made the right move with the toothpaste - at least in my opinion! :-)

The only pain I ever had and sometimes still have is the raw areas after they peel and in the past when I would talk due to the dryness. I never had the burning sensation that some describe on the forum.

I do try to drink through a straw, but I do sometimes go without and do not seem to do any harm in doing so. I just try to be as gentle as possible when spitting out toothpaste. When I clean my lips I gently pat them rather than wipe them. This seems to be the best way to avoid peeling off the skin.

I still have a cycle and am not all the way healed - just far, far better than I was months ago when I first started leaving my lips alone. I've never had a cycle where all the crusts would go off at the same time. Typically though the crusts would form and come off in about every week. The crusts have now turned mostly to flakes and come off randomly. I still get the white stuff on toward the inside, but this too just comes of on its own when it is ready to do so. I can live with the white stuff as it is hardly noticable. I expect it too will go away with time. I would suggest you not spend a lot of time trying to chart your peeling cycle as this just makes you more attentive to it and will contribute to the stress this condition is causing you. Instead, focus on your work,family, etc. and celebrate the small changes over time.

I would like to remind you that this is a very slow process and will take months and months. Be patient and stick with it!