Recurring Lip Infection, not just chapped but worse

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've had the same thing for the last 8 months. It started in June so I just thought I had sunburn on my lips. For weeks it didn't go away and just got worse. By the end of July I had to go to the doctor immediately because I woke up one morning and my lips were so inflamed and hurt so bad I couldn't even go to work. She said it was chleitis and gave me some cream for the inflammation. It calms my lips down a little bit when I have a flare up but hasn't solved anything. At this point, if I don't have Chapstick on my lips 24/7 I feel like my lips are going to drive me crazy. They also get flaky and gross if I don't put something on them about every 20 minutes. Even breathing feels like little needles in my lips during a flare up. I've discovered that certain things set it off like salty foods and alcohol. Last night I had wine and Italian food and today my lips are extremely bad on the outside and the inside of my lips (into my mouth). I'm going to visit my dermatologist to see if she can do anything. I also have a sudden allergy to the sun and chleitis and a sun allergy are signs of an autoimmune disease. They tested me for that and thankfully I don't have one but you may want to ask your doctor to test you for one just in case. It's a simple blood test and it could help solve the lip problem since the doctor will know what he/she is dealing with. I hope everyone's lips start to feel better! At least we know we're not alone!

Hey know it's been a while, but I have exactly what you have...infection and all...I used to think the aquaphor was helping but I switched to Dr. Dan's Cortibalm and it is wayyyy better!! Try it out it really helped me out.

This condition started for me over a year ago as chapped lips. I used the regular chapstick, carmax, blistex, but the "chapped lips" got horribly worse..Didn't know what it was the more i tried to cure the chapped lips, the worse my lips became.  They started to crust over and peel and I mean a thick, thick, thick crust and everytime they would peel, it hurt like heck.  Then they started bleeding for no reason..My lips were raw, crusted, swollen, painful, and leaking.  I thought I had it under control.  I googled the symptoms and tried everything that was suggested...Honey, aloe vera, B-12, etc. I went to the doctor after 4 months but my health insurance had changed and not willing to drive 20 miles to the new doctor, i continued to google my symptoms to find some sort of remedy and relief.  Finally I figured that there had to be some sore of bacerial infection because it the crust and oozing started spreading to my top lips.  It became very painful to eat, talk, enjoy smiling, etc.  I purchased some neosporin and started applying it with a q-tip. I used generous amounts of aquaphor at night and it seemed to start healing. and one day....it healed.  The symptoms came back about a month later, out of nowhere...I tried to pay more attention as to what I was applying to my lips to remedy the matter much faster than it had taken the first time. The first time i dealt with the problem for 5 months straight.  Embarassing.  I started off with the neosporin and the aquaphor and this time i was able to clear it up in a months time.  Since that time, I had began using chapstik with spf 30 sunblock because i noticed that the symptoms were much more irritated by the sun.  The symptoms did not come back for nearly a year....last week I felt the irritation in the lips and I immediately started with the neosporin, but neglected the sun block.. The more my lips were exposed directly with the sun, the worse the symptoms became...not quite as disgusting as the first time, just a couple of spots on the bottom lip.  However I paid a bit more attention to what was irritating it and causing it to spread.  Certain food with salt seemed to irritate them more and caused the bacteria to spread.  I laid off the salt while applying neosporin for 3 days. after the neosporin for three days to kill the bacteria i then opted to use aquaphor on my lips genrerously for two days,  (helps crust to soften and fall off) after two days i return to the neosporin with a top layer of hydrocortisone, worked wonders.  after 5 days, my lips are back to normal..When symptoms first appear, try avoid using chapsticks, as you are spreading the bacteria when you rub the chapsticks on your lips.  Dab a little neosporin or which ever antibiotics work for you, followed by the aquaphor, relives the burning sensation. Make sure you rinse your lips after every meal, followed immediatly by the neosporin or aquaphor.  lastly after a couple of days of the aquaphor, used heavily on the affected area, best not to have much to do as i stayed in the house for a couple of days applying the aquaphor heavily on affected area every hour...afterwards use the hydrocortisone, helps with the last healing phase.  I hope it works as well for you as it has for me..I just have to remember to always keep the sunblock on my lips...

How are your lips now? Mine started early this year, same symptoms as yours. My doctor gave me antibiotics and prednisone to treat it and it would go away, but give it about 2 weeks it would come back. I then saw a dermatologist, she told me to use aquaphore and to change my toothpaste (just the regular cavity protection, no special kind). The swelling went away, but again after 2-3 weeks I can feel my lips to swell and sweat.

I've got I have the same prob. The first time it happened was this winter. I thought it was going from the cold to inside and b/c it was so dry.

2 weeks ago it happened again after I mowed.

It cleared up, and then we were out on the motorcycle all day. I always keep my lips coated with some kind of lip balm when riding b/c sun burnt lips are no fun. The morning after riding all day, I woke up and my lips were twice their size. Swollen, dry, cracked and sore and still not back to normal. The last 2 times this happened the tree pollen was extremely high.

Everyone says they can't tell anything is wrong, but I am miserable.

I say to god if you arent agreeing to heal me, then heal at least one among those who are craving for a cured lips!! am 24 yr girl. my life has become dull and sad because of this.. i feel my tears would fall writing this... my lips problem no more let me enjoy my life.. i will be engaged soon yet i dont want to see this day because i dont feel ok within myself.

already 7 months i am dealing with this... dermatologist look confused.. he treated me with antifungal, antibacterial... no result. he then gave me antiviral pills... it was useless!! changed dermatologist... he said its eczema on my lips.. he prescribed me eumovate cream. the bumps were gone... but it comes back as soon as i stop using the cream... i dont know if am allergic to something because in my life i have never been allergy to anything.. nor i have any history of skin problem. i have change toothpaste and all.. still no effect...

am hopeless... it looks like i have lost my life... i cry every night thinking about it... i pray everyday for my lips,, but god doesnt seem to listen to me... do i need to still keep hope to get cured??????

 

am ready to pay any amount to a doctor to heal me but problem the doctors are unable to get me a cure for this.  may god at least help any one you who posted here!!! i know what it is... i dont even wish my enemy to get this problem!

I also had these lip symptoms, crusting, splitting, burning, and then hot spots in my mouth and along the edges of my tongue and a metallic taste. I really needed to find some answers, as my internist had no idea, so with lots of research, I came to an overgrowth of yeast. Check out the spit test, and also descriptions of candidiasis.

To break the cycle, I took enteric coated oil of oregano capsules and coconut oil, which interfere with the yeast's reproduction. If this is the issue, there will also be a yeast die off, which was a little rough for a short while, but worth the outcome. My lips and mouth are much better, after about a month or so of the above, and I'm still putting coconut oil in hot tea, as this coats my mouth and lips in a soothing way. 

Such a difficult thing to have happen. Hope this helps!

I was not able to locate your final response.. What were you doctors recommendations?

I have been dealing with this problem for 6 months now and it is honestly getting on my last nerves. It starts with little white bumps, the white bumps then form together and take over the whole top and bottom of lips and then it becomes inflamed and starts to crust over and crack and have liquid come out. I've been to my regular gp twice and both times he said its impetigo so I got antibiotics. Each time it was gone within a week but both times it came back within 2 weeks. I went to a dermatologist almost 2 weeks ago because it hasn't gone away at all. She said it was cheilitis. So I got another type of antibiotics and was told to put on aquaphor. My lips are still swollen and crusty around the edges. I hate this. Please someone find a cure or an answer to this terrible condition.

Hey guys, I'm a 29 year old male who does not smoke, or drink. I have been tested for everything and I am completely healthy, and very hygenic.

After taking a dose of doxycycline; this lip issue reared it's ugly head. Any of you suffering from it know what I mean when I say ugly. I would say about 1-2 1/2 weeks after the doxycycline treatment, I had chapped lips, no big deal.

The carmex didn't work, the chap stick didn't work, the vaseline seemed to make them even more dry. All of a sudden, burning, itching, peeling. I'm talking chunks of skin. Picture an artic lake frozen over and giant chunks of ice floating, this is how my upper lip looked (and how it looks each time this happens). This condition has ONLY affected my upper lip; my lower lip is, and has been normal and responds to all of the lip care products as it should. So, seeing that nothing was helping, I saw a derm.

The derm examined, and said "No problem, just allergies! discontinue use of lip care products!". I thought to myself, "which one?". He said use nothing but vaseline and prescribed Prednisone and Hydrocortisone ointment. The regimen worked, of course. I thought "YES! it's over!!!"; nope. As soon as I stopped the regimen (treatment ended) the condition returned. I thought it might be dry air in the winter, so I got a whole-home humidifier. Nothing.

The derm continued to tell me it was allergies. However, if it has to do with allergies, why is lower lip unaffected by this condition? Angry, frustrated, sad, all describe my feeling right now. I need to figure this out and in a hurry.

I have now been dealing with this for 8 months. Now I am trying a mixture of vaseline, coconut oil and Extra Virgin olive oil. It's not doing much, but it takes the sting away, and it doesn't make it worse.Just wanted to share my story. The doctors have been great at billing me, but very unsuccessful at healing me. Hydrocortisone offers sweet relief, but it also has many long term side effects, so I do not want to use this, or any steroid ointment anymore. Especially on my lips!

What I have tried.

-Vaseline only

-Nothing at all

-Prednisone and Hydrocortisone

-Doxycycline

Currently trying (daily):

-Vitamin D (4000)-B12 (1000)

-vaseline, olive oil, Coconut Oil

 

Anyone who has any suggestions, PLEASE do share them. I'm going to go and buy apple cider vinegar tonight and give that a shot. Only my upper lip is affected and the symptoms are constant.

I'm in the same boat. Hang in there! Let me know anything you find out. Please share it here : )

Its Mimi.

Again went to my dermatologist.. all he says is dont lose hope!! but where to get hopes if they doctors they dont have the cures!!! am tired now... i know my life is over now... 7 + 3 months = 10 months with this problem... i wasnt a vegeterian but i turned a vegie to cure this but it looks still in vain...

 

@ need_cure_nojoke i will let you know in any case i got any cure for this... please please please i beg you... keep giving your update... you know what i got this problem after following an acne treatment where the doc gave me antibiotics... thats why i feel our problem is the same... i have told the doc is it the antibiotics..they are refusing.. even asked the second derma. he too says no, antibiotics dont do this!!!  i would really like to communiate with you, in regards of this problem... if you dont mind of course!!!

what is sad is my acne is back after a year now.. i have risk my health for something that is back again!! how painful!! the second derm gave me antibiotics again for my acne few days back when i went to see him for my lips... but i havent buy it... because am doubtful... though he says antibiotics has nothing to do with it... both derma are saying this!! i wonder why they say this!!!

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Hello,

Suffering same symptoms as most of you. Starts as a tingling under my upper lip for a few days, occasional itchy, then my lips break out in extreme itch. I can't help but scratch a little, the next couple days they become puffy and red, the skin around the lips becomes red. The corners of my mouth crack. The upper lips especially may crack.

To answer someone's question: Can this spread to the eye? The answer is YES! A few months ago, last time this happened to me, I woke up with a red, itchy skin all around one of my eyes. It made the skin around my eyebrow flakey, and eventually encroached onto my eye lids. The second morning I woke up and my eye lid was swollen shut! It had gotten into my eye, and my eye was bloodshot and tingled a little.

This is when I went to the doc for the first time, because if it's herpes, you can go blind from that in your eye! of course a derm appt is like 4 months out, so I went to my gen. practitioner...

He said he didn't think it was herpes, but thought it was maybe an allergic reaction. I think he prescribed some OTC counter Claritin.. I didn't even bother filling it because i was so mad. I asked for a herpes blood test but he talked me out of it, saying "it will come back positive. Everyone's does." I should have said "So do you have it??" At least if it came back Negative I would know for sure it wasn't herpes. Have all of you been tested for that? He assured me it wasn't, but I wanted to be sure... The doc also had the gall to suggest it was my chapstick (Herpecin L) that was causing the outbreak! Even after i told him, I don't buy the stuff until I have an outbreak, so that doesn't make any sense. Infuriating!!

This time, it has spread to the roof of my mouth, making it very itchy and have a weird texture. My tongue also itches a bit. But my biggest symptoms is My lips are EXTREMELY itchy!  Eventually i get the peeling like you all do.. it hurts to eat, and then the tightness begins, and you can't smile or eat or laugh and its hell. I'm so glad to find so many people dealing with this also. The best things that have worked for me are Herpecin L (HL30) Chapstick - this is very emollient rich and takes the dried chapped feeling away. I also used to be convinced that it healed it quicker, or at least kept it at bay, or even kept a tingling from becoming an outbreak. Now i'm not sure.. But i always apply it before going out in the sun.

My last outbreak, I was extremely impressed by the "Lip Clear" Lysine tube, by quantum Health. I put it on before bed, and in the morning I felt an incredible improvement. I'm trying it this time again, and it helps in the mornings. It's rich in olive oil and lysine, and helps with the dried/cracking a lot. Hoping it helps heal, too!

One thing I tried once was applying this special anti-microbial dog shampoo I use for my dog. (How embarassing, I know), but it's been a miracle worker for her skin issues and cleared up all her yeast when I use it. The vet even said he uses it on his arms when he gets yeast infections from the dogs. I lather it up and try to leave it on my lips as long as possible... I tried this once during the last outbreak with no results, and just tried it for a second time during this outbreak. I'm not sure yet if it's working, though.. It's called Malaseb Shampoo.

I would def. recommend the Lysine tube overnight, and the HL30 during the day in the sun though, for those suffering with a lot of pain. Later in the infection when they're cracking, etc really bad I can't go more than 1 minute without it.Really drives me nuts when my fiance tries to tell me "it's because you use that chapstick too much, you're dependent on it. try something else." like.. he doesn't believe me when I tell him i can't eat/speak, be awake without due to the extreme pain/itching/cracking going on!! People need to be more sympathetic and supportive of this. Very interested to hear if anyone suffering with it has had a herpes blood test to rule that out. Sometimes I wonder if it is herpes being surpressed by my medicines, and then spread around by my medicines so that it doesn't boil over into a sore, but a more generalized herpes infection. (Does that explain my eye puffing up and being the same color red throughout though? I don't know) Somebody put some research money behind this, please!!:) How about an Ice bucket challenge for INCURRABLE LIP INFECTIONS!!!

I have dealt with this 2 yrs ago. it started in september and went away on its own in february. i have through out all products and started all over. the dr sait it was an allergice reaction but did not know to what. I was on prednizone(Steroid) and that helped but once i was off it the lip thing came back. it was the worst time of my life. Neosporin Lip therapy did not help. how ever burts bees lip chapstick seemed to sooth it because of the mint. it now has seem to come back slightly but is not as bad thatnk god. i am now thinking it could be seasonal due to weather change and pollen, etc. try to use all natural products on your lips and do lots of research

Dear Readers & fellow sufferers ~ GOOD NEWS I THINK!!!I found this forum on a search yesterday, after having suffered two months straight now for my "First Time."  I was LITERALLY ready to shoot myself, not even kidding!!  I can't BELIEVE I've read people who have "suffered for YEARS." !!!Not only do I LOOK like a freak, (I'm not typically a vain person, but the stares are getting to me!  I HATE going out in public, and it SUCKS at work!!)  I've FELT like sh*t this whole time too.  ZERO Energy, CONSTANT headaches.

ANYHOW ~ Doctor tried to Treat as Bacteria first with Antibiotics & topical Abreva.  Nope.  Not only did the Abreva TEAR MY SKIN UP (I have very sensitive skin anyway.)She then went on to treat it as a "Virus" - Such as Herpes Simplex/"Cold Sores"/"Fever Blisters".  She prescribed Oral Acyclovir & Topical Acyclovir.  The topical didn't help my already half burnt up face at this point, but I also developed hives from the Oral anti-viral.  So I immediately ceased BOTH!!I LITERALLY hit the end of my rope!  Being a Diploma Pharmacy Technician, I got SO TIRED of the "guessing game", and just having drugs THROWN at me!  I was only getting worse.  This has effected me financially having missed work AND incurred Dr & RX Bills (I have no health insurance.)  So I tried a Homeopathic route.  BETTER, but NOT.I then found this forum & I am SO GRATEFUL!!!!!!!!!!I want to share with you all what I've been doing a mere 24 hours now & already see, and FEEL DRASTICALLY better!!***  ANTI-FUNGALS!!!!  Picked up Clotrimazole Cream .1% which is actually typically prescribed for "Jock Itch."  ANY Drug store should carry this.  I picked up some fragrance, additive, PEG, Paraben FREE PURE Face cleaner at Vitamin Cottage.I wash my face & try to let it dry naturally.  It stings like hell as we all know, but this is how to do this.  ** THE-HARDEST-PART = NOT "rubbing off" the loose skin!  This perpetuates the cycle!!  After my face has dried I apply the Clotrimazole LIBERALLY, rub it in gently and let it sink in.  You will feel the "drying effect taking place.  It is at this time that I lightly coat my lips with AQUAPHOR, and AQUAPHOR ONLY!!!!  (Regular Petroleum Jelly is a POISON, and shouldn't be used on the face PERIOD, ESPECIALLY with open seeping wounds such as I have with this!  But that's another soap box ;) )  Putting ANYTHING atop oozing wounds, (discolored/yellow indicitive of INFECTION)  Simply TRAPS the Fungus within your skin.  THIS is why this mess traveled to my eyes, which weeped CONSTANTLY & stuck shut like GLUE in the mornings.  I had to literally PRY my eyes open using warm water & my fingers, leaving hairline cracks all around my swollen eyes.  I also started developing "red patches" throughout my face.  The FUNGUS was traveling!!  EEEEP!  SO, DON'T do that!

I have been alternating the Clotrimazole (FYI, anything with "azole" at the end will be your anti FUNGAL.) with the Aquaphor every couple of hours or so starting yesterday evening.   Not only did I FINALLY sleep through the night without my lips oozing, I am already GALAXIES better!  I'm astounded and THRILLED at the same time!!!!!!!

I must mention that in addition I added a High Potency B Complex Vitamin.  I am a Pescatarian so I know that my diet is lacking in B's & Folic Acid..........I drink at LEAST one "Emer-gen-C" per day, take 4,000 mgs of C, 2,000 mgs of Garlic (a natural anti-biotic) and am TRYING to POUND the water!!  THIS PART IS KEY!  I MUST get better at it!!!

Well folks, back to work.  I just wanted to share my success & HOPE to help some of my fellow sufferers out!  I KNOW what a NIGHTMARE this is! 

PEACE & LOVE BE WITH YOU!!!!