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Picking dry skin on my lips...help!

dqueen

By dqueen
in Health: Body, Mind and Spirit

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dqueen Contributor

dqueen

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Well, this is rather embarrassing to post but I'm doing it anyway.

 

I gave up a nasty life-long habit of nail biting about 3 years ago. Unfortunately, I picked up another habit in place of it. I tend to get very dry, chapped skin on my lips and I'm obsessed with peeling them! Sometimes I peel the skin off so bad until they bleed. I'm usually doing this when I'm on the computer or sitting around idly and I'm not sure what is the reason for this. I've tried to stop but I just can't. In fact, I'm doing it right now. Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!

 

My lips are so dry and nasty looking sometimes that I cover it up with lipstick. Throughout the day and before bed at night, I apply some lip balm to keep my lips moist but what's the point when I'm just looking for dry skin to pick?

 

Is there anyone else who does this? How do I give up this habit? I gave up nail biting cold turkey but this...I just can't do it. And I fear that if I give this up, I will probably pick up another habit in its place. ](*,) Halp!

Atticus90 Rising Star

Atticus90

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lol i had the exact same habbit. infact i'm holding chapstick in my hand right now.

 

That's how i stopped picking them. If I wana touch my lips, then i touch it with chapstick. Plain and simple.

karvala Collaborator

karvala

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Yes, I admit I do it exactly as you describe, at least when nobody is looking. It's a habit I've had all life long; I've never really made a concerted effort to give it up to be honest, but if I did I'm not sure I would manage it. I simply manage it by ensuring that I don't pick to the point of bleeding (except occasionally by accident as much as anything), and that if other people are around I will force myself not to be seen to do it by licking my lips to make them moist so that they're not dry and able to be picked.

 

The only consolation I can really offer you is that I do it less than I used to, partly because I want to keep my lips in reasonable condition for regularly kissing! I can manage it to the point that it doesn't really cause a problem for me, so I'm not really inclined to give it up. If you're not convinced you can give it up either, then I'd suggest simply aiming to minimise the effects and frequency to the point that it's not much of a problem.

someguy88 Contributor

someguy88

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I can relate. Sometimes my lips get dry and I'll bite the skin off. I find that the only motivation that keeps me from getting too extreme is what karvala said, "keep my lips in reasonable condition for regular kissing".

 

Get a bf and the lip peeling should stop. lol

EQD Collaborator

EQD

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there is one pretty safe way to do this, dampen a cloth with hot water and soak your lips, that way when you pick them they don't bleed most of the time because you arent using the tough dead skin to pull the live healthy skin off, instead the dead skin becomes soft and breaks away alot easier..

It also conditions your lips very nicely if you apply chap stick afterwards.

JeckyllNHyde Enthusiast

JeckyllNHyde

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I have been doing it lately too.

But get Blistex lip balm or something. And don't keep picking unless you can handle the pain later lol. That thought stops me from doing it.

Don't want bleeding lips. I just rub the lipbalm too and it stops me too.

JeckyllNHyde Enthusiast

JeckyllNHyde

Posted
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I can relate. Sometimes my lips get dry and I'll bite the skin off. I find that the only motivation that keeps me from getting too extreme is what karvala said, "keep my lips in reasonable condition for regular kissing".

 

Get a bf and the lip peeling should stop. lol

 

LOL! I just read this!! Yea... that's my other Top reason for not continuing to pick. Seriously.

The guy I'm dating is always complimenting my lips and smile, so I don't want him to be kissing my peeled lips and stuff. Thought I was the only one who used this to stop biting.

beauty21 Apprentice

beauty21

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My lil sis bites the skin off the inside of her hand. All her skin is missing and one hand is lighter than the other. Since she had her daughter though, she seems to have stopped.

Abby Enthusiast

Abby

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This has been a life-long habit of mine! In fact, when I was a tot, one of my mother's sisters accused her of burning her cigarettes on my lips!

 

My mother did no such thing! It was all my own doing just chewing at my lips.

 

I have to make a real conscious effort not to chew on them and I can go for weeks having lovely soft, smooth lips and what helps is Boots Lipsalve. I always apply it. At the moment, mine are a bit dry and I have been chewing :sad:

 

I don't wear much lipstick unless it's for a night out because applying lipstick to dry lips doesn't look very nice.

 

Hope this helps!

wiser Apprentice

wiser

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My lil sis bites the skin off the inside of her hand. All her skin is missing and one hand is lighter than the other. Since she had her daughter though, she seems to have stopped.

 

That's a much more serious problem then peeling the skin of the lips. Thats obsessive compulsive and self injurous behavior. She probably needs help.

dqueen Contributor

dqueen

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Haha you guys! So this problem is very common then. I thought I was the only one in the world who did it!

 

I really like the chapstick idea and am going to start keeping one by the computer and another one in my pocket so I have it with me everywhere I go. I just slathered some on...like 4-5 layers of it.

 

Unfortunately, I am single so there's no one to impress that will motivate me enough to keep my lips in good shape. The only time I ever put lipstick on is when I go to work or out shopping so people don't see the unsightly state my lips are in, otherwise I have no use for lipstick.

 

Perhaps this habit will motivate me to go out more and meet new people. How does this sound? "Hi, I know I just met you but do you want to go steady? I have this lip problem you see...and if you just kiss me all the time, it will go away!"

beauty21 Apprentice

beauty21

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That's a much more serious problem then peeling the skin of the lips. Thats obsessive compulsive and self injurous behavior. She probably needs help.

 

LOL! Nah, she don't need help. She's fine. Thanks for your concern.

wiser Apprentice

wiser

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LOL! Nah, she don't need help. She's fine. Thanks for your concern.

 

Fine? You wrote that "All her skin is missing and one hand is lighter than the other". Doesn't sound fine to me, but whatever...

dqueen Contributor

dqueen

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Wow, I'm feeling soooooooo much better already. Ever since I put some chapstick on 3 hours ago, I haven't touched my lips! I wonder how long I can keep this up. Maybe applying chapstick constantly will become my new habit!

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