Do I Have Chapped Lips or Eczema?

My backstory....

After two consistent years of searching for the right product for my "Chapped lips", I finally called it quits and decided going back to the doctors was my best bet. Having gone to the doctors office so many times and receiving useless steroid creams over and over made it all seemed like a waste of time. I was constantly told, “Just use Vaseline for your lips”. Since my lips didn’t look as bad as my hand or body they assumed I was there to get another steroid cream for my body. Which I insisted was the case, but they disregarded. But this chapped lips problem I was having was really eczema and it was starting to interfere immensely with my life. I’ve had eczema on my body and hands all of my life but it never occurred to me that it could appear on my lips. I even thought I had herpes at one point. I was foolish to neglect any outside help and I wish I had given the doctors more time and chance because if I knew that in the end it would all work out the way it did, my last two years would’ve been at peace.

Trying to find that product

After long nights of reading online forums I was convinced that all I had your ordinary rough and dried lips. I read them for months trying to find some magical Chapstick to cure me from this curse. Throughout the two years it was an on going process, buying a new product, applying it to find a short term relief. I've literally tried over 50 different product names and some did give the short term relief I sought out for. In the end that short term relief made me believe I had to keep searching for that “Right Chapstick”. As soon as I found something to last me momentarily it was an amazing find. The problem was however, in 20 or so minutes I would need to reapply it. It became a horrific routine. The days I left my house and forgot my Chapstick at home was devastation to say the lease. I had insecurity in myself and had to constantly check my pockets to make sure it was still there. But by the end in a month or so my lips became prone to the product and I was once again looking for that "Right product". I thought if the doctors couldn't help me I had to take this into my own hands.

The problems

Something went wrong however. After a few tries I couldn't find anything that would suit my lips anymore. I went to Whole Foods and bought 30 bucks worth of chap sticks and lip moisturizers and none did any justice. I couldn't get to sleep at night. My lips would give a disgusting ooze and in the morning I'd wake up to insanely crusty lips. I couldn’t bare to look at my lips. After washing it off every morning it would just instantly dry back up. I spent my nights doing more research but nothing. It got to the desperate point where I’d wet a napkin and leave it over my lips for the night while I slept. Still no good....

The Old Solution

College was starting soon and I didn't want this to interfere with the school work load and my social life. I did it, I scheduled another appointment and to my luck after telling them the situation I was in there by the next day. The doctor looked at my lips as usual and I thought I had wasted my time here once again. She prescribed me “Triamcinolone Acetonide” the cream version. Having already using that on my body and it not working because it wasn't strong enough, my hopes were down once again. But she explained me to that I've never been given the cream version and it should clear up the mess. The routine was twice a day and to give up Chapstick as a whole.

The Outcome 

I followed her instructions and applied it twice a day for two weeks. And it was, a miracle. All the problems were gone. The pain and burden disappeared. After two long and hard years, everything changed. My lips did look a little darker than usual but non the less it was cured. Its been two months and I haven't touched a single Chapstick brand. My life still has stress but I'm happy to say my lips aren't apart of it. I also don't have any problems kissing the ladies now either ha. So its been two months and I decided to document the last two years hoping someone with the same problem I've had will read this and get the same results after seeing the doctors again. Good luck!

(As a side note, be careful of the products you use, especially mouthwash and toothpaste in this case.)