Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

What can I do about this? Pic included

55 replies

Hippychickster · 17/04/2015 17:00

My lips have been red and sore like this for about 4 weeks now. I've tried lip balm, blistex, sudocream, metanium, coconut, tamanu, pawpaw, anti fungal cream from the doctor and even steroid/antibiotic cream from the hospital. Nothing is working.
Any body got any ideas? It's really really getting me down. I've even taken anti histamines incase it's an allergy.

OP posts:

Lovethebubbles · 17/04/2015 22:34

I'm watching this with great interest. I have the same problem at the moment. I'm 6 months pregnant, and I had this about 18 months ago when on the contraceptive pill.... My skin was getting so dry but it was especially red/swollen/sore around my lips. I came off the pill and my skin went back to it's normal oily state which was frustrating for my face/spots but the dry lips got better. The only thing I've found that helps is 8 hour cream, but it isn't really cutting it at the moment. I'm sure it must be hormonal now it's come back with pregnancy (and dry skin too). If you do try Vicks, can't wait to hear the outcome. Going to try the eucirin recommended because that's one I haven't tried yet. Good luck OP and please report back with any feedback.

Lovethebubbles · 17/04/2015 22:45

Oh and also, meant to say mine looks similar to yours in that although my lips are dry it's more the skin around them. It feels itchy and tingly too.

RitaOrange · 17/04/2015 22:48

Have you tried a vitamin B complex OP?
I get sore lips with cracks at the side because I have a vitamin B12 deficiency/ problem with absorption .

Babymamamama · 17/04/2015 22:49

Hydrocortisone and aveeno over the top. I occasionally get the same thing and it sorts it out for me. Also try taking an omega three supplement. You may be lacking oil in your diet and your skin could be showing this. Try simplifying your beauty routine. A product you use such as make up or remover could possibly be triggering this.

RaisingSteam · 17/04/2015 22:52

I think this is the Elizabeth Arden one. Mine has grey 8's all over the white casing. looks the right colour though
here

SirVixofVixHall · 17/04/2015 23:34

For all those who love 8 hour cream, the Weleda baby stuff I linked to earlier has the same consistency, but is much cheaper, and all natural. I think it works better too. I also have the la the Roche Posey cream mentioned and it is good, as is bog standard Sudocream, but the Weleda one works better on us as a family (celtic, very pale, fragile, and hyper-sensitive skin).

CointreauVersial · 17/04/2015 23:44

DD1 had exactly this! She plastered her lips with all manner of lotions and balms, but it kept flaring up. It looked exactly like your photo - all puffy, red and sore, for several months.

She was at the dentist, and he commented that it looked like an allergy, and I had a light-bulb moment. It turned out she is allergic to Lanolin. This gets into loads of lip balms, and the moment we cut it out all the inflammation stopped, literally overnight. The stuff she had been treating her sore lips with was actually causing the problem.

Neutrogena lip balm is a good one which doesn't contain Lanolin.

Potcallingkettle · 17/04/2015 23:47

Bio oil works well but takes time to work and I agree with PP who said avoid licking your lips.

Original poster

Hippychickster · 18/04/2015 07:17

OK I tried the Vicks last night. It didn't hurt but my lips are worse than ever this morning! Really red all around, but not particularly sore, so I suppose that's something.
I have now ordered the La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume as several people recommended it and the the reviews on Amazon were all really good so I'll let you know how that works. It should arrive on Monday.

It's really getting me down now. I just want my face to look normal and be able to wear lipstick etc. I'm out at a party tonight and I feel like a leper.

I know in the big scheme of things it's not a big deal, but it feels like it at the moment.

OP posts:

Rocket1982 · 18/04/2015 07:24

Another vote for lanisoh!

Original poster

Hippychickster · 18/04/2015 07:38

I tried the Lanisoh. My sister is a midwife and had some samples so I tried it for about 3 days. It really moisturised and made them feel better, but didn't clear it up and definitely didn't get rid of the red.

Even the registrar at the hospital was flummoxed. She even asked me if i had any ulcers 'down below'!

OP posts:

WildBillfemale · 18/04/2015 08:06

Stop with all the cosmetic type 'cures' and speak to your pharmacist.
Add to the list of possible culprits strawberries and toothpaste and any skin cream that you use up to the edge of your lips.

Losingmyreligion · 18/04/2015 08:10

I think you need to go back to your GP.

FrugalFashionista · 18/04/2015 09:31

In addition to trying Cicaplast, I would recommend stopping other skincare and makeup for a week or two because you might be allergic to something in your regular products. I had perioral dermatitis some time ago and during that time, it flared up if I put on lipstick. I switched to SLS free toothpaste, used only soap, water and zinc creams. After my skin healed completely, I've been able to use my regular lipsticks and other products without problems.

FrugalFashionista · 18/04/2015 09:34

Please [[http://dermnetnz.mobify.me/reactions/lipstick-reaction.html
read this too]] as lip care products have so many potential allergens.

Muckymoo71 · 18/04/2015 09:54

I have suffered from this before, normally a reaction to a lip stain or long lasting lippy. 8 hour cream or ultra balm from lush ( same ingredients cheaper price) worked a treat.

Lovethebubbles · 18/04/2015 19:21

Cointreau - just wanted to say thanks for suggesting neutrogena. I got some today and it's the only thing I have used that doesn't sting/itch when I apply. I just hope that after a few days I see an improvement.

ThreeMoreDaysTillFriday · 18/04/2015 19:24

Looks like something my DD had. She ended up on a steroid cream especially for eczema and it disappeared within days. Will try and find out what the name was. Might be different to the one you were on.

afink · 18/04/2015 20:07

Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream works for me where all else fails. I get the same as you a few times a year and have done since my teens. Sympathy - it is horrid.

Micah · 18/04/2015 20:12

Dd gets this.

She's sensitive to petroleum distillates, so the usual sudocrem etc don't work.

I get beeswax (burts bees) or olive oil (neals yard) based lip balm and it clears in a day or so.

Awks · 18/04/2015 20:56

I get this. My GP is a dermatology specialist and he prescribed me Protopic. It made the skin itch for the first 2 days (but he warned me) and then it cleared it. I apply it now as a precaution once a week and my skin is mostly fine now. It's horrible, you have my sympathy.

What he told me though which noone else has mentioned is that nail varnish can cause this. You touch your mouth lots of times and many nail varnishes have horrible things in them. If you like nail varnish you have to wear one that's 5 free (jfgi) . It's the formaldehyde in the varnishes that causes the contact dermatitis. Good luck x

DahliaBloom · 18/04/2015 22:31

Bepanthen. Marketed here as nappy cream but originally for any very sore and/or dry skin. Works miracles on my skin (I have eczema) and sorted my dry lips once and for all. I've had phases where my lips reacted to something and looked like yours, bepanthen was the only thing that helped, apart from cortisone. You can get it at Boots.

Original poster

Hippychickster · 19/04/2015 14:27

I just want to say thanks so much for all the advice. Yesterday I bought the Eucerin lip balm and have been using it today. I've also ordered the La Roche cream which was recommended. I'll try those before I get anything else.

I am going back to the hospital on Wednesday so will ask about the Protopic as that sounds good, but looking at it on Google it says be careful if you get herpes, and I do get shingles on my back so I'd have to ask.

Onwards and upwards. Thanks all

OP posts:

CointreauVersial · 19/04/2015 14:58

Lovethebubbles - glad it helped!

Lovethebubbles · 22/04/2015 10:20

How are you getting on Hippy? Mine started to get worse again so I used eumovate which is a type hydrocortisone and I've seen a big improvement today.

Flip

1 2 3