Suffer From Chapped Lips Cause Bleeding Sometimes. Using Vaseline Lip Therapy And Aquaphor Lip. Cure?

Posted on Wed, 31 Jul 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 Answered on

Sun, 25 Aug 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : My lips were somewhat chapped 6 weeks ago and I bit off a portion of the skin that was partially unattached, this was done in a manner that pulled off attached skin also and caused a portion of my outer layer of lip skin to be ripped off and light bleeding. I have bit off dry hanging skin from my lip several times before but never this sloppy. I immediately realized this was a mistake and over time it healed up pretty nicely with one exception. You can still see the spot on my lip where this happened and the last outer layer of skin is still missing. It looks like there is slightly more skin on a very small area under the spot (missing the outer layer of skin), like it might still be in the healing process. There is no pain or discomfort whatsoever and it is barely noticeable. You would not see it by casualy talking to me, I would have to point it out for someone to see it. I have been using Vaseline lip therapy & Aquaphor lip repair recently to try to speed up the healing. I don't use them together, I alternate after a few days or a week depending on if I think one works better. They do work somewhat because the rest of my lip skin is soft and smooth.

I have 2 questions.
1. Is this something that will leave a permenant XXXXXXX and never fully grow back? Or perhaps will it take much longer for the last layer of skin to grow back?

2. Could this be a more serious condition that I should know or be worried about?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rahul Kumar (1 hour later)

Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for the query.
The healing process may take upto 6 months, so dont worry about the re growth. It will take place. You mentioned that only skin was ripped off, and skin is totally regenerable.
Permanent scarring will happen only if a bit of soft tissue is also lost, but that would have cause lot of bleed.
It is not anything to get sacred. Just relax you will be fine. You are using a correct treatment, please continue it. Let me know if you have any other doubts.
Thank you.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rahul Kumar (4 hours later)

Thank you for your help.
I have a few photos (7) that I want you to see just to confirm your original diagnosis is correct.

Is there a way I can send them for you to view? I know how to attach the pics to email or text messages, but I don't know how to do it thru this website. Is there a way to send them?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rahul Kumar (2 hours later)

Hello,
Yes there is an option to send photos.
Just see at the right side of query page, there is an option to attach reports.
Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rahul Kumar (15 hours later)

Can you view the photos? I tried to attach them but I'm not sure if it was done correctly. If so they are not great but can you somewhat see what I was talking about? You can kind of see in the last 2 pics that the skin underneath the spot (missing the outer layer of skin) is slightly thicker than on the rest of my lips. And you can kind of see the spot.

After seeing the pics is there any change in your diagnosis?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rahul Kumar (5 hours later)

Hello,
Thanks for the follow up,
I saw the photographs.
Dont worry its nothing serious.

To induce better healing you can use a mild steroid like hydrocortisone gel.

Take care not to pick the healing area.

Let me know if you have any other doubt.
Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar