Chapped lips for years after Accutane, how do you tell dryness from a cold sore?

Question

I took Accutane almost twenty years ago and my lips never really went back to normal, they are cracked and peeling most of the week. The hard part is that I also get fever blisters, so every time a corner splits I panic and wonder if it is the start of one. What is your routine for keeping lips comfortable, and how do you tell plain chapping apart from the early tingle of a cold sore?

AmberMarmot93 · Answer

For me the difference is the feeling, dryness is all over and flaky while a cold sore starts as one tingly spot in the same place every time. I keep a plain ointment on at night and it cut the cracking a lot.

BraveWillow82 · Answer

SPF lip balm was the single biggest change for me, sun and wind were quietly wrecking my lips year round. I reapply after eating and keep a spare in the car so I never skip it.

AlpineCedar87 · Answer

I stopped licking my lips and switched to a fragrance free balm, then added lysine as part of my daily routine because it is something I feel better staying consistent with. Worth chatting with your doctor about the post Accutane dryness too, since that part is really its own thing.

Chapped lips for years after Accutane, how do you tell dryness from a cold sore?

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