Allergy to Chapstick?

[Sternlicht]

I'm severely allergic (I assume) to any form of moisturizer, but it's just my lips. My skin, face, and body do not break out, just my lips. Chapsticks, Cocoa butter, beeswax, hemp oil, cold-sore treatment, pure vitamin E, lip glosses, nothing works. It seems that the items containing petroleum makes me break out the worst.

When  I break out, it usually comes in stages. (It usually happens the next morning of using the product, but with organic items it usually takes 2-3 days.) First, my lips will get swollen and poofy, red bumps usually appear around the outer rim of my lips. They itch, and are very dry. Then I usually stop using the product and take 50mgs of Bennadryll, and it'll go down, but my lips are very, very dry. I live in Maine, so I need something for the winter or I will be severely uncomfortable and in pain.

If I continue using the product, usually by the next morning they will have a coat of thick, flaky pus on the rim that was irritated the day before. This always happens to me, no matter what I use, and it seems like nothing will ever work. This just started happening a year ago, and I don't know what to do. If you have any advice or suggestions, I would really, really appreciate your input... I'm getting desperate here. Thank you.

[MissBrks2u]

Burt's Bees does not contain petroleum products.

[Intrmezzo]

well jeez! I have been allergic to tree nuts and all chapstick and lipstick for 7 months now. I see nothing here that helps. I am allergic to Petrolatum. This is the basis for Vaseline, Chapstick, Blistex, Dessert Essence, Body Shop products and Burt's Bee's. Anything Candle Wax or mineral oil,Aloe, , cocoa butter shea butter, almond butter, Vitamin E lipstick bothers me. My lips are so dry and raw. I have been to two Dermatologists in the last week. There is no answer so far. It is try this, try this.  

[jasher1234]

Hi, Im 16 and I realy dont use chapstick that often, maybe I use it once every month or every two months. I dont really have dry lips problems so chapstick isnt really a necesity. I just recently found out that I am allergic to it. When I first put it on there was a slight tingling on my lips and i soon felt some small bumps on them with my toungue but I couldnt really see them if I looked in a morror. My lips soon felt like they were on fire and I didnt really know what to do. I couldnt move my lips without them hurting me like crazy! They began to get even more chaped than wen i put on the chapstick in the first place. Its now 3 days later and my lips still feel pretty numb but there is no visual swelling, but they are still a bti chaped. I was just going to wait it out until yesterday they were burning more than before (this is 2 days after i stopped using it) so i just put an icepack on them. I think that helped a lot because they are less numb than they were before and now i can move my lips with a lot less pain. They still burn a bit and i find myseslf putting whatever the coldest part of my hand on theem to cool them down. I really want to know how long the burning sensation will last and mybe how to spot products i could possibly be allergic to.

[Jennieradloff]

The burning sensation is much the same as peroxide on a wound. Its the chemicals in the chapstic you use healing your chapped lips, I used to have very chapped raw lips that would develop off my lip and onto my face, as if my whole face is being taken over by this dry sore red irritation and so drinking a lot of water to stay hydrated is key because our lips and eyes are what require a lot of moisture the lips being so thin and all drinking the water will keep you hydrated and the burning is the dryness absorbing the moisture. Its painful but I promise put some chapstick on and if burning begins its because your lips are sensitive with nerves and use and ice cube an rub it over the burning areas, it will hydrate as well as soothe

[Fullofbliss]

Same here! I developed an allergy to burt bees and thought I was doomed to chapped lips for the rest of my life but I tried clinique full lips it's a splurge but it's a thick gloss that doesn't irritate me of course I might develop an allergy to it so I always have just Vaseline lip therapy %100 petroleum that maintains some moisture

[Ashh2010]

Heey, I had the same thing. Put vaseline or petroleum jelly on it b4 u go to bed. or when u get home from school w.e. but make shure u go to the doctor u might get perscribed something. Better yet; go see a dermatologist (:

[kavkk]

i've had the same problem on and off for 15-20 years -- chapstick, blistex, carmex, softlips, pretty much anything i tried (as well as sunscreens).  for the longest time i only used vaseline (petroleum jelly), which i didn't react to.  i wanted to stop using petroleum products, so i tried burt's bees, which was fine for about five years.  suddenly last fall i became allergic to that.  then everything i put on my lips to moisturize them made it worse, and my lips were totally shriveled.

my dermatologist said that burt's bees has a high incidence of people developing sensitivities/allergies to it.  she also said that when you are prone to developing allergies, you can easily develop sensitivities to a product that you use every day for years.  she told me to go back to only vaseline, which she said people don't develop allergies to.

you might want to see a dermatologist or allergist on your own, especially since you react to petroleum products.  i would recommend not putting anything on or around your lips if you can avoid it, which is what both my acupuncturist and my dermatologist recommended.  for me, it helped to drink A LOT of WATER to stay hydrated, and to resist licking or touching my lips.  sometimes laying a cold, wet washcloth over my mouth helped relieve the itchiness, swelling, and pain when i did have a reaction.

hope that helps!

[e555]

You should use olive oil.  I've tried it and it seems to lubricate my lips nicely although I don't know how long it will last on your lips, so you might want to carry a small tube of it.  I use burt's bees and it works without the allergic reaction I get from Chapstick.

[KarisaM]

I have the same problem! I went to the dermatiologist a month ago and she prescribed hydrocortizone for the allergy, and Aquaphore (similar to vaseline but more refined) its made by eucerine. The Aquaphore will help with hydration. I havent been able to use lipstick or much gloss for a while because i still get reactions but its gotten alot better. Hope this helps!

[Tallgirl45]

The same happens to me. Except my lips swell up, and itch. I have an allergy to camphor. maybe that is what is hap-pening to you. I am also allergic to Vicks Vaporub.