I know I am seeing this like really late but I had the same thing happen to me about a week ago. My lips were really dry and swollen and itching like crazy. I went to my doctor today and she put me on like a 6 day dose of Prednisone. I just started this afternoon and I can already see a difference in the swelling! I also started using a healing ointment by Eucerin. It's called Aquaphor and it seems to be working well, my lips do not feel dry or anything. Hopefully I'm on the road to recovery and this helps!!
extra virgin coconut oil. its like 10 bucks at any vitamin shoppe or health store. not only is coconut oil a natural moisturizer but its also a natural anti fungal and anti bacterial oil. plus it smells amazing. dabb some on your lips and any bumpy red areas and leave on for a few minutes. then start pursing your lips like you would when putting on lipstick (this gets the oil in all the cracks) then gently massage dry skin off and then rinse with cold water. do this every few hours as needed. Try to touch your face as few times as possible. this worked for me hope it works for you : ) And the oil you dont use can be used as a regular moisturizer, and when left in hair and then rinsed off makes your hair shiny and thick
I'm a young women in her late teens who has the same skin irritation around the mouth as well, and it has been going on for over 2 years already.
Though my skin irritation around my mouth had started nearly over 2 yrs ago, as a young child I was diagnosed with eczema.
Having such bad skin since I was young, it had made me lose my confidence as the years went by. Though noone gave me negative comments on my skin, but it was the way they looked at it that made me feel so insecure. And I'm probably sure that some people here would agree with me :)
However, I went to a dermatologist in March this year, and I found out I was quite allergic to many products that we all consume everyday in our daily life, such as dairy and wheat products, beef, egg, and other external factors such as grass, dustmites & mould etc. Such other factors is the use of organic products of creams, lipbalms & ointments. I advise anyone who have sensitive skin to stay away from such products as it can inflame your skin.
All in all, the dermatologist prescribed me a cream called 'DermAid 1%', in which I apply on the skin around my mouth that tends to firstly feels thin, afterwards gets red and swollen and then really itchy. This then results in the skin around mouth to become dry, flaky, cracked & sensitive to touch. This goes on for about 1 week then it heals and gets fine for 3 days then the cycle repeats itself. I apply a small amount of this cream for 3 days then stop for 3 days and apply it again if it did not heal.
Though I've tried to stay away from such products and using dermaid, it still did not cure the underlying problem which causes my skin to react so negatively.
So recently I went to the same dermatologist again and I told him my dilemma, he then explained to me that my immune system is weak so to boost it, I will be getting a vaccination. However, this will only boost my immune system to the external factors, and I will have to on my own try to stay away from products that I am not compatible with so this treatment can work.
I hope everything goes as accordingly to plan, so that my skin will be gone of eczema, and I can explore life!
I hope the advise I gave can help someone if not, just ask me and I will try to explain as clearly as I can :)
To ALL of you who are facing this issue, here is a link that I found. I have been dealing with this same thing for the last several years, but the other day I woke up with dry, sore, itchy lips and had no clue why. I tried using Blistex because I knew it helped my cold sores go away, BUT I NEVER should have reused the bottle, but should have thrown it out. Also, I used Vaseline to try to sooth the pain, that didn't work either. Yesterday afternoon, I looked at my lips in the mirror and noticed little white bumps all across my upper and lower lips and around the outside edges of my lips. I had called my doctor and at first he thought it was an allergy, but after a few more questions he had me go to my pharmacist and gave me the following prescription. Please View the link....this is a generic for for Valtrex....
http://www.drugs.com/acyclovir.html I sure hope this helps you. Oh and I Have a friend that told me she uses something that is a bit more natural, L-Lysine.
http://www.drugs.com/acyclovir.html I sure hope this helps you. Oh and I Have a friend that told me she uses something that is a bit more natural, L-Lysine.
Hello everyone. My lip issue started 2 months ago. I noticed the edge of my bottom lip was getting red, itchy and cracked. Almost like I had chapped lips, but it wasn't on my lip- it was on the edge and underneath on my skin. Over a few weeks the problem spread from one side of my bottom lip to the other and then up and around my top lip. At the worst it also came onto my full lips in a chapped, red, itchy, swollen mess. I had been to my family doctor who suggested I stop using all lip gloss, lip chap and lipstick and instead use pure vasiline (in the tubs, usually in the baby department of a drug store). It is possible my lips were being irritated and vasiline would keep them moist while being a product very basic in ingredients to minimize irritation. That didn't do much good. Then my doctor suggested I drink more water. It's possible I was dehydrated, hence my lips chapping. This minimized the issue slightly, but it did not go away. Finally my doctor asked what type of toothpaste I was using. (HUH??) I told her one of those toothpastes with 12-hour protection, tartar control, whitening, etc. She told me to check and see if my toothpaste contained an ingredient called "triclosan". It did! She said triclosan is in many health and beauty products and is said to provide antibacterial properties, however it is pretty much just a toxin used in tiny tiny amounts. Since I have sensitive skin already, the triclosan may be causing adverse side effects more substantial than most peopel would notice. I stopped using my toothpaste right away, and switched for a basic toothpaste with no triclosan, and within a few days noticed that my lip issue was slowly going away. It has been a week since I've switched and the issue isn't completely gone yet, but I suggest everyone check into "Triclosan" and find out if it is in your toothpaste. Apparently it is found mostly in tartar control toothpastes. Also, do a Google search for it and you will find out that this ingredient is starting to be investigated due to reports of side effects. I will write back if for some reason this isn't helping. Good luck everyone.
ok so for the past few days my lips have been chapped, i guess because of the season changing into fall/winter, and ive been using aquaphor healing lip ointment, and regular aquaphor and some nivea chapstick, and the chap goes away, and comes back a few hours later, so i keep reapplying, and al that, just because it burns a lot otherwise. just 10 minutes ago i ate dinner, and now my lips have what looks like bug bite swelling around the lip, it doesnt look like herpes, but it throbs and is really tingly, i dont have bugs so its not that either. i looked into lupus and thats what it looks like, i really hope thats not what it is. im freaking out, and my lips still hurt, i also have redness on my cheeks, another sign of lupus. im scared...:(
The thread is quite old, but I've recently been having the same problems as many of you. In addition, the corner of my lips have dried out and become flaky and white to the point that it was painful to open my mouth.
I strolled through the pharmacy yesterday and bought a bunch of things to see which might work best, and so far I'm very very pleased with Nivea's SOS Lip Relief. It's a tiny white tube and already I feel my lips feeling "calmer" after one day.
Time only tells if it's a temporary fix, or if it will cure it.... Good luck!
Time only tells if it's a temporary fix, or if it will cure it.... Good luck!
Have had this problem for over 10 years... itchy, red, swollen, burning, painful chapped lips that came on suddenly and lasted for weeks. Doctors baffled and kept suggesting creams and ointments. No one suggested an anti-fungal. I never thought of that until I noticed that the last 2 times it happened, it coincided with a yeast infection. So, I tried an antifungal (jock itch cream!) and it worked. Lips got better in 1 day and returned to normal with liberal application of anti-fungal cream and a dose of fluconozole (yeast infection meds). Just yesterday, the lips popped out again (same time as a yeast infection) and application of Lotrimin plus a dose of fluconozole is already seeing the lips heal.
I have been dealing with very sensitive lips for 30 plus years. I started using L Lysine 13 years ago and have loved it since. 3 days ago my lips started swelling, burning and I have little bumps around the edges. I am trying to get in to a Dr (have an appt next week but want one earlier) and will ask about the acyclovir. I don't have the Herpes virus but will try anything!!! Thanks
I know exactly what you are talking about. The first few times I had swollen, burning, itchy lips that ended up cracking and the skin would fall off layer after layer in the matter of hours. My friends/family all told me it was just chapped lips but I/we all know better. My doctor told me it was something I was putting on my lips. I'm a 30 y/o guy - I didn't use anything on my lips until after this all started b/c they were cracking and hurt so much. After a few times of this I started getting cold sores breaking out all over my lips after the swelling. The doctor told me it was just a herpes breakout but I know the difference between a cold sore and both of my lips swelling up like Angelina Jolie after a bad Restalyn job!
A friend of mine helped clue me in so I thought I'd pass it on to anyone still looking for an answer. Apparently this is very common and the most common reason is people who are drinking tea with Bergamot Oil in it, or people on tropical vacations who are ingesting a lot of lime juice. Certain substances make the lips and skin super photosensitive and when exposed to sun or even filtered light, cause the lips to swell like sausages. After a while, the skin around the lips and the lips themselves can become so broken down that the herpes virus will proliferate in anybody who has a history of cold sores.
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My doctor put me on 12-days of Prednisone for the swelling, 2 days of Acyclovir (Valtrex) for the cold sores, and I'm using Aquaphor since chap stick just makes my lips get even more irritated at this point. Compared to this past month, my lips feel like a little slice of heaven right now.
I had something very similar and it went on for months, I tried over the counter antibiotics think it was some kind of infection, constant chapstick and different kinds. Finally I was at my doctors at one point and mentioned it and the first thing she suggested was to stop using floridated toothpaste. She said it would take a while but that might help and it did. Took about 2 months over all and I also saw my dentist during that time and got a script for something for thrush just in case (had lines in my mouth too) but I never finished the script. I've noticed since if I go back to using regular toothpaste for more than a couple of weeks I start having the same problem.
It can be caused by dehydration and hormones. Get your progesterone levels tested and drink a little extra H2O
Thank you so much. I have only had sore, swollen, itchy, dry and painful lips for about a week and nothing is helping so I hope your suggestions does the trick.
I have had the same problem as you. Mine started when I used a Lipstick tester on my lips, Which I have never in my life ever done before.I have also tried everything, even a cortisone cream from my doctor. The problem is driving me mad.I am going to try a homeopath next. Will let you know how i get on there.
hi, ive been having the same problem for about a month and i just rubbed some aloe on my lips straight from the aole plant i have and i can feel it starting to work.