Dry, flaky skin above upper lip, please help.

[Samantha2599]

Hi, my name is Samantha and I have had a dry, flaky, scaly, red thing above my upper lip. It started when I was about 13 in the winter. At first, my mother decided that it would go away with hydrocortisone or Lotions. But, it did not. It seemed to get worse with every product we used on it. When I was 14 my mother finally took me to a dermatologist, they looked at it and tested it for fungal and it came back positive, they have me some creams for it, (which I forgot the first cream they have me), and it went away overnight. It was like a miracle. I couldn't of been happier until 2 weeks later it came back worse then ever, the doctor prescribed me Desonide and it went away after a week. But, again it only went away for 3 weeks this time and came back even worse. My skin was so dry, flaky, and red. It hurt to even smile, it looked like a red hitler mustache. I covered it with makeup which of course irritated it more and made it more noticeable. And the makeup made it change from red to a orange color. But, when I took my makeup off it was back to it's regular bright red color. We went back to the dermatologist, and this time he told me to continue using the Desonide(0.05%) but to mix it with two other topical creams he prescribed, I'm going to bed. Econozale  nitrate cream(1%), and triamcinolone acetonide cream(0.025%)  (the doctor also diagnosed me with atopic dermatitis)after using that for months it helped it clear up a little bit. The skin above my upper lip wasn't as flaky any more but it was still very dry and still bright red. Once I put makeup on it would be even more noticeable, but I couldn't go out I'm public or to school without makeup on because it was  bright red and very noticeable. During the beginning of June I went to Paris and Spain for a week, around my 3rd day, when we were in Madrid, it completely cleared up. The skin there was back to its normal color and it was as soft as the rest of my skin. I was so happy, it continued to be gone for 5 months and a half. On November 12, 2014, I noticed the skin was getting dry above my upper lip so I put my eczema therapy lotion by Aveeno on it. It seemed to clear it up a bit, on November 13, I noticed there were tiny barely noticeable flakes above my upper lip so I used my exfoliating wipes my simple to get rid of them. I also decided to put my Desonide cream and my  Econozale nitrate on it and on the morning of November 15th it was completely gone. I stayed over at a friends house from November 15th in the afternoon until the morning of November 17. I noticed during the weekend that my flare up was starting to come back, and I didn't have my exfoliating wipes with me or any of my medicines just my eczema therapy lotion. So I used that. And on November 16, I purchased some exfoliating wipes and used them. ( when I first had these flares ups that were constant and would only go away periodically siting medicine for a few weeks at the most, I noticed that when I would go to this friends house it would flare up really bad, worse then usual, and I don't know why.) On November 17th, when I went to school my skin was a tiny bit flaky and dry and you could notice it more because of my makeup. On November 18th(today) I got up in the morning and did my usual routine and I noticed that my skin above my upper lip was flakier today and more dried out. I put a lot of the eczema therapy lotion on it and then 30 mins later I wiped it off and applied my makeup, when I applied my makeup I noticed that my skin above my upper lip looked dry and flaky once again. So I used my exfoliating wipes and got the flakyness off and took all my makeup off. I then applied a thin layer of my lotion and put my makeup on again but this time it made that little dry patch a slight orange color. I immediately freaked out and had a minor panic attack because I knew that my flare up had came back for sure now. So I took my makeup off and told my mother and she calmed me down and said that I could stay home from school and we would research it. When I went back to my room and took my makeup off with my exfoliating wipes I noticed that the patch was a bright red color when an hour before it was the same color as the rest of my skin, so again I freaked out and cried. I showed my mother and we sat down and researched it. We found multiple reasons for it but, the one that it sounded like the most is Seborrheic Dermatitis. We saw the symptoms of it and the causes and it sounded like it. And then we noticed that my flare up got the worse when it is cold. And my flare up started in late November of 2012. And I thought it was permantley gone but once it started getting really cold, which wasn't until lasts week, it started to flare up again. So today my mom let me use her face tanner to tan my face because when we researched about my symptoms people said that tanning helped. I also put my lotion on. We went to Walgreens too and purchased: Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser (for all skin types), cetaphil restoraderm eczema calming body wash that came with a little 1fl oz pf eczema calming lotion, albolene moisturizing cleanser, cetaphil gentle skin cleansing cloths, a 1.75 oz of Vaseline and a package of carmax original  protecting lip balm and lipgloss. When I got home I used the cleansing wipes we purchased to take off my makeup and got into the shower which was luke warm( because I read that it helps soothe eczema better than a hot or cold shower) and when I got in the shower I used my facial cleanser and rinsed it off, and put some of my eczema calming body wash on my face and rinsed it off.  I then did my regularl routine in the shower and got out and pat dried my face with my towel and used the facial cleanser again and rinsed it off. I then used the albolene moisturizing cleanser, which i dabbed off with a tissue. And then I put on my eczema calming lotion on the inflamed spot above my lip. I also put on my camas Chapstick on my lips. I've had the lotion on the inflamed area for about an hour now and it feels a little tight but my skin is super soft apart from the inflamed area. But, the inflamed area does feel smooth but just not as smooth as the rest of my face. And now I'm going to slather on some of my eczema therapy lotion on the inflamed area before I go to sleep. I also have had eczema since I was born. If anybody has any advice as in what I can do for it or how to get rid of it, please let me know. I am now 15 and very insecure because of this.

[Grantdavis]

How is it now

[Dan_Clark]

The below homeppathic concoction worked for me, I am not certain it is a permanent cure yet but it seems to be...  It has allowed me to get back to normal and no longer need any topical steroid cream. Looks like I needlessly suffered with this for years. Good luck!

Try this:
( I am not sure the exact amounts)
3 cloves of Garlic ground up
Equal amount of Ginger cut fine and ground up
A few drops of Tea Tree oil
1 tablespoon of MCT oil
1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon of Turmeric Powder
1-2 teaspoons of non-heat treated honey

Mix all together and use a cotton swab to apply, it might sting and burn a bit with active sores/broken skin but worth it, leave on for a few hours when you are not going out anywhere because Turmeric is a colourful yellow. Apply several days in a row. I am not sure if all elements are required but it has worked so far for me, also seems to work on dandruff.

Side note: For a holistic approach make sure you are getting enough vitamin D and C and maybe take a couple probiotics.

[Dan_Clark]

Edit: I also added some Pink Himalayan salt (or Kosher salt), not sure if it is needed, but about a quarter of a teaspoon ground to a powder and mixed in.

I think some gel from the inside of the Aloe Vera plant might go well in the mix too, though I didn't have any in mine and it seems to have worked anyway. I made this recipe up by looking online at any and all potential home remedies, then added them all together. I hope this works for someone else too!

[Dan_Clark]

**Homeopathic

(really wish there was an edit function...)

[Dan_Clark]

Actaully looks like just Apple Cider Vinegar on its own works. (Yay no need for smelly garlic)

[Ria7575]

Diprobase is my eczema lifesaver. It's an over the counter cream and steroid free. However disclaimer that this is not professional medical advice. steroids seem like an easy solution because they are anti inflammatory but they thin the skin, so can make these problems worse in the long term and have other side effects.
A differential diagnosis might be latent herpes infection which also has triggers like dryness, low immunity, stress, sun exposure. I have flares of both of the above (yay!). Other things that really help: no make up till it clears up, kind to skin products (dove, boots, simple, johnson work for me), few drops of oil in the bath, drinking lots of water, strong sunblock and hat to protect from sun, topical acycolvir for herpes, no lip licking or biting, oral antihistamines, turning off central heating. Do NOT peel or remove the flakes as they are attached to your skin, it's tempting but you have to resist. Lots of love and don't worry, a lot of us have this problem and it's controllable.

[Biscotti99]

I also have a very similar condition: red, flaky, and sometimes itchy skin. It started in February and I didn't go to the doctor until April because I didn't think much of it (I thought it was just a normal dry spot). Before I went to the doctor I would apply aquafor religiously but it didn't seem to help. Finally when I went to the doctor she gave me a topical antibiotic and steroid cream. They worked for a little while but the condition stayed the same. Then I went back a few weeks later and she gave me a cream that acts like a steroid but isn't actually a steroid (called eletone). I tried this for about a month but my skin worsened and started to turn very irritated with pus all over it. It was horrifyingly embarrassing! I couldn't even move my lip because it was so tight that it would crack and sometimes even bleed. I saw another doctor and he told me to wet a pillow case or sheet (thin fabric) and apply a topical steroid and then the eletone on top for 5 days. Then he told me to use the same process but just apply an antibiotic. When I applied the steroid it immediately began to clear up but it slowly started to return when I stopped with the steroid and began with the antibiotic. I called the doctor and he said to use the steroids again and then switch back to the antibiotic like last time. I've been using the antibiotic for the past few months and it has stayed pretty moderate. In the summer It got much warmer and humider where I live (New Jersey) so my skin has gotten better. Sometimes it will look like it's almost gone and then it will come back again. It is now July and I was talking to my aunt who is a nurse and she said it may be fungal/yeast. She gave me an anti-fungal/yeast cream and I've been using that for a few days. At first it looked like it was gone but now it is coming back (just flaky skin). My mom was talking to someone a few weeks ago who had this similar condition. She moved to America twenty years ago from the Philippines and said the condition started when she came to this country. She also said that it took a very long time to get rid of. If anyone has experienced the before please help!

[Nish2289]

I’m going through the same thing! Didn’t start having skin issues until I turned 27 and I’m 28 now. My dermatologist prescribed me a steroid cream as well which worked amazing but said to only use it for two weeks because it’s a steroid. Nothing seems to relive the itching and peeling but aquaphor which I pile on my mouth and above my lips. I moisture all the time but nothing seems to improve it but the steroid cream...has anything helped you since?

[Dan_Clark]

It may be a type of yeast infection, try using Viaderm-K.C Cream for a week (it is a corticosteriod, antifungal, antibacterial and anti inflammatory cream) then once it has healed a bit keep using it it in combination with Clomazol (broad spectrum antifungal) for a further week even if it looks like its gone. Go over the area and further round, like nostrils and side of your nose, side of mouth and some cheek, just stay well away from the eyes.
The double whammy should cure it long term. Good luck.

[KokoKayx]

Oh my God! Don't worry, because I literally have the exact same thing! Right now, even. Just let it be, trust me. Once the cold is over, it'll get better. Keep moisturising it, though. Also, 2 things that helped me in this period of dry skin was an exfoliating solution which involved literally 2 easy things = Honey and Sugar. So, put a teaspoon of honey into  small bowl and quite abit of sugar in order to exfoliate, mix it and apply gently to dried up area and leave for like 3-4 mins, then rinse off. It'll get rid of the dryish bits and make it super smooth. Second thing) 2 years ago, was the massive embarassing phase and year for me. I had wrinkles and dry skin all over my face. I was 12. And It made me get bullied and I cried for a year. Then one day, I went to my cousin's and eczema sort of runs in our family, so I went and he saw and said 'Hey, I know, try this' and he gave me 'Elocon cream'. So, what did I do? I applied it and it gave an immediate clearup within an hour. Like seriously and thankfully I'm from a hot country, like originally and I was going there for a holiday, when I went there and stayed somewhere with less pollution, and more natural stuff in the air, My skin was heaven, Smooth as could be and clear. I came back after 4 weeks and up to 2 years my skin has been absolutely fine. The only reason it triggers is because of probably too much makeup and the extreme cold weather, otherwise I'm all good. Honestly, try these things and hopefully it will work miraculously for you just like it did for me! :) x