Follow-Up:
A positive post. I went to my awesome GP finally Friday as I woke up and was totally inflamed. I had had it!! She agreed that the baking soda was a good alternative to toothpast. She suggested the flouride could be a problem. I also think that the "whitening" agent in some toothpaste is hydrogen peroxide. I tried the crest white strips a few years ago and I remember that the areas around my mouth were sensative to the ingredients. Also, she has me washing my hair with J&J Baby Shampoo (original yellow)and no conditioner as agents in some shampoo can cause irritation. My hair feels great and actually doesn't require volumizing stuff as the baby shampoo is light and my hair volumizes naturally. Also she has me washing my face with clear water. If I need to use cleanser she suggested Aveeno (although the ingredients still are chemically). Also she has me using "Olive Oil" as a moisterizer for my face and that is all. One of the culprits can be Propylene Glycol. What is interesting is that several months ago (about the time this all started) I switched from Cetephyl Lotion on my face to Cetephyl Cream. Propylene Glycol is in the cream and not the lotion. My dermatologist gave my Elidel (very expensive)as a treatment for managing Exzyma. That is what I used on my lips last Friday as a desperate attempt to help. Guess what? Propylene Glycol is in the Elidel!!!! She also gave me a prescription for Triamcinolone Acetonide Ointment (not cream, can we guess why?)to use sparingly, not longer than 4 days in a row (can cause steroidal acne). Also Vaseline as lip balm. From Friday to Sunday, I feel better than I have in months. My bathroom looks like my kitchen right now, but I feel great. The only thing now is to train myself to not touch my face for the little itchies that happen throughout the day. I hope this helps someone who reads this. Maybe Olive Oil is Sophia Loren's beauty secret. That wouldn't be too bad. Donna