Reoccuring rash on lip

[afinder12]

I have had a rash on my lip that comes and goes.   If made it's first appearance about 2 years ago as a tiny cluster of bumps on my upper lip.  I changed my chapstick to aveeno and it seemed to do the trick, the rash was gone in just a day or two.  Over the next year and a half, the rash would pop up every 3-6 months or so, and I could get it to disappear in a day or so jsut by applying the chapstick more often.  (it seemed like the rash would appear after my lips got really chapped)  Then, about 3 months or so ago, the rash appeared, but did not go away with application of the chapstick.  In fact, the chapstick seemed to make it worse.  So, I went on a search for another kind of chapstick that might work in its place but nothing seemed to work.  

Now, the rash basically stays all the time, unless i use hydrocortisone for about 2-5 days.  When I stop using the hydrocortisone it comes right back.  It looks like tiny (pin *****) sized bumps, clustered together.  They are barely visible unless i stretch my lip.  After a day or so after they first appear, they get rough and form a hard, bumpy patch.  This patch can then be scratched off and reveals softer, new skin underneath.  Right now, it is covering basically my whole lip but when it first happened, it was only ever on the left side.  The rash isn't red at all, but it does feel tight, and tingles when I apply chapstick(that never gave me the tingling effect before).  

I dont know if this is related or not but,
My boyfriend has had a few bumps on the skin around his lips that are red and look like pimples instead of a rash.  I don't think that they are cold sores because they have come up one at a time over the past 3-4 weeks and haven't been weeping, or scabbing, and they last longer that 14 days.

If anyone has any suggestions about what this might be or what I can do to help treat it, that would be great.  I dont know what to do anymore.  

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

You could take some oral antihistamine or antiallergic medications like loratadine or cetrizine. Take syrup benadryl and see if it helps with your symptoms.

If not, you could go to the ER or consult your doctor - you would then need injectable antiallergic and steroid medications for your symptoms.

Are you allergic to any specific substances? Apply a medicated lip balm with sun screen to help with the lesions.

Drink plenty of water and consult your skin specialist if the lesions persist. You should also ask your buy friend to consult a doctor if his symptoms persist. A confirmed diagnosis would need a clinical examination of the lesions.

Let us know about how you are doing and if you have any other doubts.

Keep us posted.

Regards.

[chelat]

I just read about your lip problem.  I realize you posted this sometime ago.  Are you still having problems? I am having the same problems you did, especially with the reoccurance.  It really makes you wonder what the heck is going on.  If I use a combination of hydrocortizone and burt's bees wax, that can usually help and the rash will begin to shed off.  This is what my doctor told me to use.  It's just really puzzling how it comes back out of the blue.  Have you had any luck in keeping it gone?