Lips falling apart

Skin, nail and hair health
1

Starting in 2004, I began obsessively licking my lips. That led to obsessively biting the skin off of my lips. Last year, though, I wanted to apply lip stain, and it burned like salt on a wound. I put my foot down and told myself that I'm ending this habit.

I got some lip balm, trained myself to stop biting and picking, and a few months later I could tell that the habit was over. Even in my anxious moment, I wouldn't habitually bite my lips. End of my problem, right? No, I wish. My lips will not heal. They absolutely fall apart when doing the most necessary things, like eating, and after taking a shower. Even talking enough separates the healing skin and causes what looks embarrassing and feels like it needs to go. It's been months of flaky and goopy lips, I feel like the only way my lips could heal is if I were to fall into a coma, so I wouldn't have to move my mouth at all.

Many times when I've made a lot of progress, something like an accidental brush of my towel against my lower lip will rip it apart, not only ending what healing progress I had made, but that's where I'm running into a new problem: red and white bumps, and a red, swollen, bumpy lip, my body's reaction to losing that skin. It's especially bad since I work in customer service.

I don't remember what it is like to bite into a sandwich without my lips falling apart, but I'm dedicated to doing what I can. There must be a way. sad I'm a 23-year-old woman in a humid area.

2

This is a pretty common habit. First thing you need to do is find what triggers it and deal with that issue. You could have a friend or someone call you out when they catch you doing it. It could be, you are suffering from some kind of  anxiety and or fear condition. Also, don't be shy about seeing a doctor.

3

I already fixed the habit. My problem is that they won't heal. They just fall apart in flakes or goops, and now my lower lip is covered in scabs.

4

Alicia...this could be a deep infection which was contracted when you were lip biting. The infection is in the underlying skin tissues and you need some antibiotics. The top layers keep healing then the infection breaks through from underneath. Do see a doctor.

5

Alicia50507 your lips are not healing!!! You might get an infection that'll spread all over and ruin your  life. You might need antibiotics....GO SEE A DOCTOR!!!!!

6

something which helped me is hydrocortisone cream, a steroid, which you can get over the counter- however don't mention it's for your face as they may not sell it to you. 

also, for lips balms, don't get fragranced ones like carmex as they're super irritating

7

i have the same thing! how did u end up fixing it???

8

Hey, I have the same thing lol it sucks, did u manage to fix it?? send help haha

9

I think the bigger issue is biting and “playing” with your lips. The lips will always recover from damaged tissue.