Anyone who is unable to see a doctor for a Calcipotriene ointment prescription or get it covered by insurance should try the Ichthammol ointment and discuss results here. I just looked it up and it's over-the-counter with price under $10. The directions stated the Calcipotriene ointment should start working in 2 weeks, but for me it took about 3 weeks. So, I would say see how your lips look after a month of use.