goodbye to chapped lips

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#1 Post by **kaycee** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:40 pm

I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced a decrease in chapped dry lips after surgery. Prior to surgery, my lips were ALWAYS chapped, dry and peeling. I would get sunburned lips, windburned lips, angular chelitis, cold sores, etc. It was quite painful. I haven't been able to wear lipstick in years. Since surgery, I have had nothing but wonderfully soft lips. I have been in the sun and wind and nothing has happened to my lips. I used to use lip balms religiously all day long, and now I don't need them all.

I had a retrognathic jaw with lip incompetance. I was wondering if it has something to do with the air that was constantly rushing by. Now that my lips meet at rest, I'm guessing that some natural balance has been restored. I would never have guessed that this would happen, but its a wonderful side effect!

kaycee

#2 Post by **Thathrill** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 7:14 pm

mostly the opposite for me. prior to surgery I wore chap stick from time to time. But afterwards, I have been living in chapstick. I am using it less now but 5-6 weeks post, I was applying it on a regular basis

#3 Post by **amd** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:28 am

Kaycee, I was pretty much the same as you prior to surgery. I actually had my lower lip sticthed up a couple of times because the split was so bad. I wasn't a mouth breather during the day, although at night I think I was. Because of the angle of my lips - my bottom so much further out and turned out than the top it dried up fairly easily.

Now...no problems with dryness. Although I don't seem to be able to manage putting lipstick on yet. As soon as I do within 5 mins it's half way below my bottom lip heading for the chin. Maybe it's because the bottom lip still isn't functioning properly?? Who knows. As long as that sucker isn't chapped I'm pretty happy.

#4 Post by **tortor** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:51 am

I'm with thatthrill! Before surgery, I never had a problem with dry lips. But now, WOW. So dry all the time! Same thing with the rest of my face. My face has literally been so dry that in spots my skin cracks up like the desert floor! And no matter how much water I drink or how much moisterizer I use, its' still bad. My mom (surgery pro, has had 30+ surgeries in her lifetime!) says its probably from the anesthesia, as anesthesia can have weird affects on the body.

The mouthbreathing is a good explanation and I think that could be part of my problem, too. My lips dont close around my splint and my mouth constantly hangs open.

#5 Post by **JennX** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:07 pm

I am nearly 6 months post-op (wowsers, time flies!) and still have INSANELY dry lips (actually, just my lower lip). I actually thought of posting to see if anyone had any suggestions. I'm going through tons of lip balm. I switched to carmex and that seemed to improve the situation some, but yeah... still lots of dryness and peeling. My lower lip is also still partially numb and I wonder if this at all affects the lips ability to produce moisture? Has anyone found a product that helps alleviate this?