Cured for over a year- what worked for me

It has been over a year since my condition has appeared to be resolved, so I feel comfortable sharing this as what 'did' work for me, rather than what 'appears' to be working for me. I had peeling lips on a three day cycle for 6 years prior, and many things did not work.

Rather than giving an exhaustive list of all the things I have tried that didn't help, I am going to focus on the things that have, at least for a period of time, helped. I will, however note that I went to two dermatologists and they tried a variety of topical ointments, among other potential solutions, in addition to providing a biopsy.

Beeswax Hand Cream- My first success was Savannah beeswax hand cream, which didn't remove the 3 day cycle, but it did make my lips at least look normal until I could get home for my lips to peel. Unfortunately, I developed an allergy to bee propolis (their glue) that is included in beeswax, and my lips would swell and become itchy; obviously I had to discontinue use.

SimpleSugar face scrub- For the past 18 months I have been using a Sugar scrub that includes emu oil. I get in the shower and keep one of my hands dry, while the other gets my lips wet to soften them up. I use my dry hand to get some oil and Sugar from the container and gently scrub off the dead skin. I did purchase a bottle of emu oil as well, as the Sugar scrub tends to get dry after a few months and need an infusion of more. Also, I travel a few times a year, so I needed to find a way to take this with me on a plane in my carryon bag. I use a variety of small containers from previous attempts at finding a cure, empty them of their contents and wash them out. The oil can still leak out at times, depending on the container, so I put them in their own distinct ziplock bag within the liquids bag.

Aquaphor- Immediately after the shower, or eating/drinking, I take a very small dab of Aquaphor onto my finger, rub it between two fingers to warm it up to make it less dense, and then apply a very thin layer to my lips. I note after eating/drinking because I observed whenever I would drink a lot of water, either because I was thirsty or just hoping being hydrated would reduce the dryness of my lips, my lips would dry out even faster. I now keep a bottle in a drawer at work just so I can apply it after lunch.

Anxiety medication- I had read that some skin conditions were tied to anxiety, so I talked to my general practitioner and they prescribed me a low dose of a daily anxiety medication. I felt much more calm the same day of starting the medication, even though they said it may take weeks. There were side effects, however, and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms after ceasing. I do believe it helped me, however, so it may be something to consider.

Hopefully some of this information is helpful. Over the years I have read posts on this and other forums looking for something that would help, so I figured it was time for an attempt at repayment. Tweet