Hey Ladies,
My Mom who is 65 yrs old just sent me an email asking me what to do about her skin problem. She usually asks me for advice because I used to be a Cosmetologist. But this, I don't really know what to tell her. I was thinking she should probably see her Dermatogist. What do you think? Please read below:
Question for you. The skin around my lips feels like it is getting very tight, like they are totally void of any moisture. I can see that if I don't get something done, I will have those deepened around my lips. So my question is how do I prevent them from forming.
I have been putting in lip balm on my lips and the skin around myopia, I have been dabbing on extra moisturizer several times a day, I have used the Mary Kay extra emollient cream on the area and I can't seem to get rid if that extra tight feeling and look.
What do I need to do? I drink lots of water so i just don't get it. It's the pits getting old and seeing things fall apart.
Any ideas? Please share your thoughts and feedback.
Thanks!
Sounds like the area has lost its collagen. I don't know if that is replaceable or not, it's in the tissue and under the skin.
Please have her go to her general practioner and get blood work done. There could be a differential diagnosis that has to do with something totally unrelated to her lips.
Yes, it is the pits getting old. Hugs to your mom!
Dawn
When I use a lot of lip balm I find it makes the area worse! I have extremely dry skin as well. The more lip balm I use, the worse it seems to get and I feel almost dependent on it. Lotions don't work on my lips.
I found that a little vitamin E oil applied on the lips and surrounding area takes care of it. You can buy vitamin E oil or you can pierce one of the capsules. It makes the area greasy so I only do it before bed or when I'm going to be at home.
Coconut oil, almond oil or avocado oil also work, but not everyone has that around their house and the amount you would use for lips only would make it silly to buy.
Also, drinking too much water can actually dehydrate. You also need minerals to hydrate. Smart Water is a good option.
Your mom should also make sure she's taking vitamin E internally (for healthy skin) along with calcium and magnesium.
Well, they do say that at your mother's age (which is about my age, too) it's all about patching! I would say that a visit to a dermatologist might be productive. She could look at it this way: if the dermatologist says it's a problem for a cosmetologist, then she can smile about it and come back to you! But the dermatologist may have some great advice. (And, if so, I'd like to know what it is.)
The skin on the lips is SO sensitive, and my lips get SO dry I think they're going to crack up and fall off completely, which won't help me look any better. Of course, the fact that I live at a high altitude in a naturally dry part of the country doesn't help a bit, but I do the best I can. Right now I'm using a cream with a high concentrate of shea butter on my lips and surrounding area several times a day. It helps, but I still have to use a base under my lipstick or the lipstick "bleeds."
My skin is dry all over and I only get what she describes when I go for a long walk and forget lip balm and end up licking my lips (which actually dries them out more). I would make sure to use an all over face moisturizer that is really rich, like a Nivea Soft or any of the Neutrogena night creams. Then also make sure to have a sensitive skin lip balm with her at all times, to dab on multiple times a day. I would make sure it is not a flavored or scented one, since a lot of those chemicals can be drying as well. Alternately, I have heard from friends that they buy those vitamin E capsules and cut them open to use the oil inside as a moisturizer. I hate having such super dry skin, mine feels tight an hour after I put on cream so I bought one of those travel humidifiers to put on my desk at work that you can buy at CVS for about $25 and put a regular water bottle in it. She could also get a misting bottle and mist her face a few times a day with water - I see people travelling with the Evian spray bottles which is just an expensive misting bottle.
Breastmilk heals so many things. If she needs extra moisture on her lips, you can try it. * I know some will think its hokey but, it works!
Not sure what "myopia" means - isn't that the term for nearsightedness? I can't figure out what else you meant and autocorrect took over (?).
Get off the lip balm. It's bad enough on the lips and not meant for anyplace else. She's dehydrated but has to do that from inside with something that keeps the fluid in the cells instead of making her pee it out. As we get older, we often lose the sense of being thirsty so she might think she's drinking enough and she's not, OR she's drinking and it's not being absorbed, so she's eliminating it. It's also wintertime so things are dryer - skin, the air, everything.
She's also telling you she's feeling old - so she's looking for reassurance that she's still vibrant and young and not decrepit.
She can go to a dermatologist to get a prescription. She can go to any spa and get an expensive cream and a moisturizing facial. She can go to a nutritional consultant - we help people with nutritional support, skin repair and more effective hydration. If she won't do those things, then maybe she just needs some attention. Does she do other things to help herself? Does she email you about other questions?
Good luck.
I think she needs to get in for some bloodwork, too. Definitely needs to increase her water intake daily, as well. Have her stop the lip balm and try Lansinoh all on and around her lips at night while she's sleeping. I got turned onto this product when I was nursing and have used it ever since on my lips and cuticles. It's a miracle product, as far as I'm concerned. Thick and emollient (hence only using it AROUND the lips at night).
You can find it at Target in the baby bottle area.
http://www.drugstore.com/lansinoh-hpa-lanolin-for-breastf...
