Peeling Lips

[AvaAndMe]

Hi, I have a 10 month old daughter that I am breastfeeding. For about 3 month my lips have been peeling like crazy and it is driving me nuts! I have tried every lip product out there and nothing seems to be helping. I also read that it could be a vitamin deficiency (specifically iron or B vitamins). So I started to take Floradix again (which I took while pregnant but stopped when DD was a few months old because it is so expensive), but that doesn't seem to be changing anything. Has anyone else had this happen to them??

[2goingon2]

Me too but I chalked it up to cold dry air. My lips always peel in the winter and of course I want to pick at them or chew at them so they stay dry for awhile. I don't have any suggestions though other than some medicated (I use Burt's Bee's) lip balm. You've got to be careful not to over-do it though because you can make your lips worse. As a nursing mother I try to drink a lot of water so that might help too.

[AvaAndMe]

It has happened to me before, but lasted a day or two, not months!! I have thought of just stopping using lips balms, but am afraid of what might happen!!

[EmilyG]

Are you getting plenty of fluids?

[Masel]

Did you change toothpaste? Mint Gel pastes do this to me and DD.

[AvaAndMe]

I always have water by my side. But I tried something new this weekend. I started exfoliating my lips using olive oil and brown sugar. It seems to be doing the trick!! I am still having to apply lip stuff, but my lips are not peeling the thick layers like they were before, I think by the end of the week they may be back to "normal"!

[lotus.blossom]

I have had 2 cases of severe chapped lips since having my ds 7 months ago. I attribute both of them to consuming a lot of salt. The first time it was because I was eating a ton of corn nuts and the second time I made a really overly salty brisket. It was so miserable and I searched the net about it and thought that maybe it was some kind of fungal infection. My lips would get a thick almost dried glue feeling and if I smiled they would crack and bleed and then I would have to heal all over again. It eventually went away but those were some really uncomfortable weeks. I try to avoid salty snack, drink a lot of water and I also do sugar/coconut oil scrubs and lots of natural lipbalm. I think that nursing just dehydrates me more and makes me more suseptible to dry skin.

I just noticed you live in Maine too.....its pretty cold out here huh?

[RubThyNeighbor]

I had this and I believe it was from not drinking enough water and I was drinking a lot already. Once I doubled my water intake and rubbed my lips with a toothbrush in the shower, it went away quickly.

[AvaAndMe]

Yes, I definitely think that dehydration is an issue. I used to drink a lot more water but now that DD is mobile I am not in one place very long and I forget my water bottle a lot etc. I am trying to work on that. But for now the exfoliating is working. Maybe I should just wear a camel pack everywhere I go!!

[Ava's Mama]

Ah!!! IT has been four months now...I am going crazy...just when I think it is getting better they peel some more. I am thinking of going to an acupuncturist or chinese medicine dr to see if they have suggestions for supplements that may be missing. I think I am drinking enough water...my pee is clear AND I don't eat salty snacks etc.

[sunshynbaby]

I use lanolin on my lips, and it works great. I would also suggest adding some oil supplements (Vit E, Fish Oil, or something similar) to your regime if you don't take them already.

[Ava's Mama]

Its working! I had some Lansinoh Lanolin from the first few weeks of BFing and it is working great! It is so thick that I only have to reapply 3-4 times a day and my lips are much happier! And what a great use for the huge, expensive bottle of Lansinoh! Thank you sunshynbaby!

[glitterdaisymom]

Earth Mama Angel Baby makes an Herbal Mint Lip Balm that is incredible. It works wonders on my lips. I used to use the medicated chap-stick for the last 5 yrs. Then, right before I had my DS, I got severe chapped lips for almost a week and the chap-stick wasn't helping. I used the EM Lip Balm and they were healed in two days. Amazing stuff!!

[sunshynbaby]

Originally Posted by Ava's Mama

Its working! I had some Lansinoh Lanolin from the first few weeks of BFing and it is working great! It is so thick that I only have to reapply 3-4 times a day and my lips are much happier! And what a great use for the huge, expensive bottle of Lansinoh! Thank you sunshynbaby!

No problem, I'm glad it worked!