Doxycycline and super chapped lips

[No tears in ATL]

I've been on doxycycline for almost a year now. 20mg. I have no idea if it is helping at this point, but the doctor says it doesn't hurt, is a low dose, and is possibly keeping me stable. Of course, that was my last exam, which just so happened to be during the humid days of summer. My flareups usually start right about November and can occur periodically through April.

That being said, something strange is going on with my lips. They are chronically, painfully chapped, to the point where they crack and (this is gross, bear with me), look a bit shriveled. My lips did not look and feel like this a month ago.

Nothing else has really changed, in fact, I drink MORE water, doubled up on krill oil, eat all the healthy stuff (avocados and the like), don't lick my lips, and am using copious amounts of Aquaphor, which is for the most severe of chapped lips. I even put hydrocortisone cream on them. Huge mystery.

The only thing I can think of is the doxy. I've seen phenomenon of this on the web, and also with Accutane. But why now, a year later? Does the stuff dry out everything, even at low doses?

[dave25]

I am taking doxycycline as well (100 mg 2x a day) and I have noticed my skin has gotten a little drier over the years, but not to the level that you are describing. I do have dry lips and dryness along the corners of my mouth, but I have always attributed these to the progressive nature of rosacea and not necessarily the doxy by itself. (Do you have rosacea or other skin conditions?) If it is getting really bad though I would go see a dermatologist and see if he/she has any ideas on what it might be.

[cathy8889]

Hey

I've been on doxycycline for 8 weeks, the other day I started to get cracks at corner of mouth but I'm not sure whether to attribute this to change in weather and having a cold, hopefully it's not the doxy, I'm on 50 mg now for next 6-9 months

Cath x

[No tears in ATL]

Thanks, all. I am going to go without it for a week and see if there is a change. My skin is very dry now also and that has never been a problem before taking doxy.

There is supposedly something called "lip balm addiction" which could be the problem also. It is a theory that your lips don't respond to the natural stimulus for cell turnover because they are always covered in the waxy stuff, which equals a perpetually dry layer of skin that won't slough off. Urban legend? Who knows.

[PotatoCakes]

This isn't inexpensive but it's the only thing I've found that really makes an impact on my chapped lips: http://skinbymarywynn.com/products/b...ing-treatment/
It has no sunscreen so you'll need that in the sun. I use it twice a day and I carry it with me if I'm in a dry environment.

[Guest]

I was prescribed doxycycline and my lips swelled up and started to become very chapped. The skin was coming off almost in sheets. This was an allergic reaction and I stopped right away. I had taken doxycycline before and didn’t have a reaction. You can become allergic to antibiotics at any point in time.