God-sent products for my poor chapped MCAS lips

Before my MCAS diagnosis, I had no explanation for why my lips kept cracking and flaking despite consuming an ungodly amount of ChapStick. I was always prone to angular cheilitis, a condition that causes the corners of the lips to inflame and crack and bleed, but doctors and the internet had thus far failed to give me any reliable relief. Armed with new information related to my diagnosis, I set about searching for products that agreed with my ultra-sensitive skin. After several years of trial and error, I found a couple of key products that I now rely on. These have drastically reduced my angular cheilitis flare-ups and keep the skin of my lips intact. Given the unpredictable nature of conditions like MCAS, there’s no guarantee these same tactics will work for everyone, but here are the god-sent products that have proven to be my labial¹ salvation.²

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

Did you know that peppermint can actually irritate lips? I was shocked to read this, given the prevalence of peppermint in lip balms, especially my (formerly) beloved Burt’s Bees. It turns out that a ton of ingredients in lip balms and ointments can cause irritation and allergic dermatitis

When Bite Beauty bit the dust, I was devastated. Their agave lip mask had been the first hallmark of my salvation. It was the first lip product that gave me more than temporary relief for my inflamed, chapped lips. After a few weeks of grieving, a Reddit search for an alternative pointed me to the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, and I’ve never looked back.

Laneige has since released a glowy balm that works for every day too, on its own or over lipstick.

Vitamin B and L-Lysine Supplements

Angular cheilitis has a frustratingly long list of potential causes and contributing factors, but certain vitamin or mineral deficiencies can contribute. I was personally skeptical that supplements would make a difference. Afterall, I’d been taking a multi-vitamin for years, and I have a fairly well-balanced diet. But I since I started taking Lysine supplements a year ago, I haven’t had a single flare up of angular cheilitis. As with any supplement, do not take anything new without first discussing with your doctor or other healthcare providers.³

Footnotes

1. I make commission on items you purchase from Amazon when you click on the sponsored links. I don’t make a profit from running this site, but the commissions from Amazon help to cover the costs of maintaining the site.
2. Despite the predominate association with the vulva, the word “labial” simply means related to lips, from the Latin labium = lip.
3. Disclaimer: No content in this post is intended as medical advice. If you are experiencing symptoms that relate to the topics discussed, please consult with your healthcare professional(s).