Re: peeling lips (off topic)

I too have suffered from peeling lips, due mainly to my obsessive habit of picking and biting the skin off for over 15 years. After I finally kicked the habit, the lips refused to form a sustainable skin layer, instead, they scab up and peel off after 2-3 days.

I have been to several dermatologists who refuse to take the problem seriously. I conducted "healing trials", went days without touching the lips, tried lip balms, no lip balms, and corticosteroid creams. Nothing has worked. But I do have a suggestion to all those out there with a similar problem:

Forget about it. Don't let it run your life. I spent over 5 years obsessing over how I could heal them, what works, what doesn't work, how they look, etc. I finally realized that this is the only life I have, and I want to make the most of it... and that does not include being trapped in the bathroom for hours looking at my lips.

I have asked several dermatologists if there are any long-term concerns (such as cancer or infections). The answer is no. I have inquired about lip shaves, micro dermabrasion, and other laser treatments. The resounding response was that these are very expensive treatments for a problem that really does not require a major, immediate solution.

So there we have it: we are not going to die from it, or acquire a life-threatening (or even cosmetic) disease, nor do people stop me on the street and say "my goodness! what's wrong with your lips!!"

I have been using Ceralip Repair Creme for the last two years and have had wonderful results. It truly keeps the scabs from looking thick and dead looking, and the peeling is gentle after 2-3 days. But that's it - I rub the skin off in a circular motion after I brush my teeth and get on with my day.

I hope it does not come across that I do not sympathize with your concerns - I repeat - I spent 5 YEARS worrying about it. I have driven my boyfriend and family crazy. But when it comes down to it, my happiest memories in life include them, and that's what it should come down to.

If the scabby skin bothers you, gently exfoliate it as it hardens. And keep going. If your lips feel hard and cracked, apply a good moisturizer. And keep going. This is NOT something that requires hypothesis, tests, or in-depth research. If the doctors are not worried about it - why are we?

There are thousands of people who bite and pick at their lips. They've been doing it all their life. If they all
simultaneously stopped, the world would be full of people with thick, peeling lips. But most people just don't put that much thought into it. If I was still picking my lips, I would have no idea I even had a problem (ignorance = bliss).

So please, keep your lips moisturized, don't sweat the peeling, and find happiness in your life. We may not be able to change this, we can only accept it and move on. This is NOT a hard thing to deal with, its all in your attitude. Would you trade this condition for cancer? Or disfigurement? Or death?

On a final note, there seems to be a correlation between my attitude and my condition. In the early years, my lips would turn white on contact with water and peel aggressively after a couple of days, leaving behind swollen, irritated lips. After I stopped stressing over them, they no longer turn white when soaked and the lips are not irritated or sensitive. The peeling skin is also A LOT thinner.

So please, everybody, play with children, watch movies with friends, and laugh at every opportunity.