Hello hello. Me again
to talk about more menopause things. This time, it's my poor, dry lips.
There are other things to talk about, but right now, my dry lips are top
of mind since I'm dealing with them daily.
One of the symptoms of
menopause I’ve been battling lately is dry skin, especially dry lips. This
is due to decreased estrogen levels. Really, everything I'm going through
is due to decreased estrogen levels.
About two months ago I started noticing very dry skin on my face,
though less so on my body, which I can manage with my skincare routine. My
facial dryness improved quickly with various moisturizing products. If
you’re interested, I have my full morning skincare routine posted on my personal YouTube channel. Fair
warning, it’s very extra and it’s not for everyone. But it works for me.
My lips have generally been in good condition right up until menopause
hit. They do get dry overnight when I'm sleeping, but I found an occlusive lip balm that worked
well through the night. However, with menopause, this balm wasn’t enough.
My lips became painfully dry and flaky throughout the day, peeling like a
sunburn, even with relatively judicious use of my normal lip products.
This battle with my excessively dry lips has been ongoing for over a
month. The dryness became almost unbearable as my lips started to crack
and peel so badly they would bleed. I asked friends on Facebook for
advice. Friends on Facebook are a wonderful resource. One suggestion was 100%
lanolin nipple balm, used by breastfeeding mothers to treat cracked
nipples. It conditions without irritation and since it’s baby-safe, I can
use it on my lips without issues.
While 100% lanolin has an unpleasant sheepy smell, its conditioning
properties work well. However, I find the ointment form too thick, so I
bought 100%
lanolin oil which I’ve put into an empty lip gloss tube for easier application
throughout the day. At night, I layer products - first lanolin oil or a
ceramide-based lip balm, then my occlusive lip balm in a thick
layer. I’m needing a MUCH thicker layer of the occlusive lip balm than I
used to and applying at least double or triple of what used to be my
normal amount.
It took about a week of diligent moisturizing, but my lips are finally
in fairly good shape if I regularly reapply various lip balms, oils, or
glosses during the day. I change up products to avoid overuse of any one
thing, since lanolin can cause tiny cysts associated with perioral dermatitis if too much
collects around the lip line over time. This is because lanolin is a very
rich oil and the skin on the lips is very thin. Excessive use and buildup
of the oil can collect under the skin to form cysts.
Lanolin works well for me but requires care - too thick a layer on
delicate lip skin can cause issues, as I’ve previously mentioned. So, I
switch between balms, oils, and glosses throughout the day. For sleep,
it’s my last step. Brush teeth, apply lanolin oil, then a thick occlusive
balm layer before bed. If staying up, I skip the last layer until I go to
sleep, as otherwise it will wear off.
My current regimen has my lips almost back to normal. The last two good
days have been the best my lips have felt since all the dry skin issues
started with the menopause.
Dry lips have been an irritating and uncomfortable menopause challenge
lately. With some trial and error, and experimentation, I’ve found this
multi-step moisturizing routine working for my particular needs. Hope this
provides some guidance - you’ll likely need to find what specifically
works best for your own lips. Consistency seems key for my quest for
non-peeling, juicy, moisturised lips so far.
As with all things associated with your health, menopause, etc., if
things get bad, go get medical and professional advice. Do not rely on
what works for me as advice. In the case of the dry skin, if your regular
doctor can't help, maybe see a dermatologist who specialises in skin
conditions caused my menopause. The internet is full of useful and helpful
information, but nothing compares to getting help from a trained, medical
professional.
Be well, and remember to be kind to yourself.
PS. Aussie friends,
here are links to what I bought from Amazon AU for my lanolin ointment and oil. Bear in
mind, you don't need to get exactly what I got if it's something you
want to try. Even your local pharmacy will do if what they carry is 100%
lanolin whether in ointment or oil form. I know Lanolips is a popular
brand, but make sure you check the product first because most Lanolips
products are not 100% lanolin and have other added ingredients for
color, fragrance, or as emulsifiers.
If you'd like to connect with other women on this journey, join our private Facebook group.
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