Who on this forum has actually had laser surgery done? My doctor at Mayo Clinic is consulting with another doctor at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to determine if he thinks laser surgery could be helpful based on all the tests he’s run, biopsy results, etc. I was just curious to hear from people who have actually had it done, not somebody to tell me it’s a stupid idea and I should just lick my lips constantly.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

Thanks. I saw the message and responded to it. My doctor hasn’t done a lot related to internal tests because he said if it was something internal it would show up in other places on the body as well. Before I go through with laser surgery though I would like to be able to at least rule some things out. He started me out with antibiotics/anti-fungal medication and when that didn’t work he went the Vitamin A route. Was on acitretin for a while and am now doing the Tretinoin cream.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

Dr. Mark Pittlekow at the Scottsdale Mayo Clinic   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

This is very informative and helpful. I’m going to try this and will let people know if I have a similar experience.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

Everybody gets that you think saliva is a miracle drug. You’ve made your point, now find something else to do with your time. The rest of us are sick of you posting the same thing.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

Can you not get the point? Would you stop with the saliva talk please. As previous people have stated, there is no one universal cure for this. Nobody cares what you say and nobody takes you seriously.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

Once again, your response makes your story seems even less believable. If you only took a close up of your lips, then nobody would recognize you. If you aren’t here to help, then stop posting.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

Thanks for the info! I had actually read that article earlier as well. I believe the doctor was talking about a one time co2 laser surgery that would strip all the outer layers of skin off and then gradually grow back over a couple weeks. When the time comes I will mention this to him and get his thoughts.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

I was definitely not saying that it didn’t work for you, but to just make a general statement like that without any detail about somebody else’s situation is not helping. I’m open to any suggestions, but to say that doing the surgery is stupid and to just follow your advice is not the way to go about it. Just my personal opinion. Just because it worked for you doesn’t mean it’s going to work for everybody on this forum...   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

I’m sorry, but I just don’t agree with you on this. It’s not as simple as licking your lips. All that does is dry out the skin more. Maybe you had something different from other people on this forum. Also, you shouldn’t make assumptions about all doctors like that. Maybe you had a bad experience but mine has been great so far and he is extremely knowledgeable. I don’t think he would suggest me doing the laser surgery if, based on everything he’s seen, he didn’t think it could work.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

I’ve posted a couple things to this forum and always read it because it’s nice to hear from other people with the same condition. I’ve had EC for around 15 years and started going back to doctor about a year go. I’ve been seeing a doctor at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. We’ve tried different medications and also did biopsy, which showed some inflammation but it was mainly hyperkeratosis. He just started me on a cream very similar to Retin-A. I’ve read people had success with Vitamin B complex and I’m thinking this is worth a try. I was just going to go to Walgreens but if th ...
[retrieve this message]

---

For anybody that has tried coconut oil to moisturize (an alternative to petroleum base), what did you use? An actual lip balm or just straight oil? I’ve noticed that a lot of the lip balms have beeswax in them, which I am allergic to so I can’t use those.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

I tried it for a couple weeks using aquaphor. it seemed to help with the peeling and dryness but I don’t think it’s a ”healing method”. If you have dry skin and you cover it with something constantly, it makes sense that it’s not going to scab as much. I found that putting it on all the time seemed to make my lips look bigger and more red. I am currently using a Hydrocortizone 2.5% cream and am getting in an OTC Retnoid cream in the mail today.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

My doctor tried to prescribe me a retinol cream but the pharmacist said that all of those are over the counter and I should just buy it from Amazon or somewhere online. There are hundreds of different choices, has anybody used a Retinol cream and, if so, what manufacturer/product did you use? I believe the highest OTC you can get is 2.5%. Thanks for your help.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

I just put a decent amount on my finger and dab it on...I understand what you are saying though. Sometimes it makes it easier once you have the aquaphor on your finger to put that finger on your tongue to wet it just a little bit. That makes it easier for me. I put it on very gently and ”dab” instead of rubbing across. If a bunch of stuff comes off by doing that, it probably wasn’t meant to be on your lip anyway.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

Yes, when I left it alone I have large scabs on the majority of both my upper and lower lip. When I gently exfoliate each day after I brush my teeth, its probably about 1/4 of my lips (closest to my teeth).   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

Gotcha. I’m going to continue trying this method. I have definitely seen improvement but by no means healed. Thanks for your help and I will provide an update soon.   [End]
[retrieve this message]

---

Healed 9000 - see my post in the my original thread about what I’ve been doing since last Friday. Basically, I’ve been following your method since Friday night and my lips have never been softer and the build up has been much better. Question - as you are doing this, do you brush your teeth normally? It seems that if I have some slight build up and I brush my teeth normally that some of the skin gets dislodged...I don’t know if that is a good or bad thing but I would usually just gently wipe any excess off with a wet bath towel. Typically, when I’m trying to ”let it go” I gently brus ...
[retrieve this message]

---

Healed9000 - I tried your method over the weekend. I started Friday night applying Aquaphor at least every 30 minutes or so. I can say that my lips have never been softer and I can see improvement. Except for a little bit of white line around the border of my lip, no scabbing has formed and there is really not any build up. I guess its possible that the hyperkeratosis is there because of the irritation and the body goes into protect mode. It’s strange though because I actually took a medical leave from work earlier this year and literally didn’t touch my lips for 7 weeks (nothing to ...
[retrieve this message]

---

Thanks for your response and the link. I had actually read that link previously when scrolling through here. I’ve had multiple biopsies and the most recent one was done by the Mayo Clinic and that was the diagnosis on all of them. I haven’t been on any medicine for the last month or so but I’m waiting on the doc to call in a prescription for a Retnoid cream/steroid compound to try. I had been on Acitretin for about 4 months and it actually caused my lips to peel more (which I guess medicines like that typically do) but it didn’t cure the problem). I actually use Aquaphor now but I ...
[retrieve this message]

---

What I have learned through my own experience and reading other people’s experience is that everybody’s case is different. I don’t think it’s fair for somebody to say that there is no way this method can work because it didn’t work for them. I think it all depends on what specifically is causing the issue. Getting a biopsy and detailed allergy tests done are probably the two most important things you can do. I tried the leave it alone method for two months and actually took a medical leave from work. I basically isolated myself for two months while the doctor prescribed an anti-fung ...
[retrieve this message]

---