Rant about the pharmicist and all things you needed to know about dry lips

Right now, my lips are a barren wasteland. They are cracked and dry and aching for moisture which I am desperately trying to put into them and yet I seem unable to revive them. They are calling out for help but will not respond to anything I do. I’m throwin’ out the lifeline but they WILL NOT grab a rope. What’s the go, lips? Why you hate me so? A cold sore has come up on the bottom one as a result of the extreme dryness so that, as you can imagine, is really fun.

This whole dry lip shebang has been going on for a few weeks now. I put it down to winter but thought it was a bit weird as I’m not really prone to this sort of a thing. Well I’ve just had a wee google and apparently it is a pregnancy symptom. What do you know? Women whining about lip dryness abounds in pregnancy forums across the globes and there are even some website with a dedicated page on lip dryness in early pregnancy. This was NOT a feature of my last pregnancy. Last pregnancy I experienced the complete opposite. Things grew and they were lush and my whole body bloomed with pregnancy.

Yesterday I called in to see the Pharmacist as I wanted to know what I could use on my lips during early pregnancy and if Carmex or Blistex oitment was really ok. I had been using the Blistex Ointment initially but I stopped as I felt like it was actually making my lips drier (this is a thing apparently) and chugged water instead. I had some light relief for a few days from the water chugging but I’ve continued to chug and the dryness is now back.

SO back to the Pharmacist. She basically tells me everything is fine to use as you only absorb so little of it anyway, no problem. Yeah it’ll be fine. This is the shit she was saying to me. I was dubious. I also had picked up Bonjella (teething oitment) to use on my mouth ulcer (it is massive and also appeared since I’ve been pregnant).

Something about it all just didn’t sit right with me. I remember when pregnant with Monkey a different Pharmacist told me that I couldn’t use anything on the cold sore, just the patches (non medicated) to help protect it while it healed. So I put all the ointments down and started to Google (how good are smart phones!?!). And here is what I found out:

• Most shitty lip balm and ointments, such as Carmex and Blistex Ointments, contain ingredients that will actually remove moisture from your lips. This is how you end up addicted to them. You put them on, they feel great, an hour later they are dry as a farm in drought and so you reapply. Addiction forms. You are never without your ointment.
• Be careful of some paw paw ointment which you think is so great. Only use ones that are natural otherwise they are petroleum based like Vaseline which is also drying.
• Bonjella and Carmex both SHOULD NOT be used during pregnancy. I couldn’t find anything conclusive on the Blistex and it definitely was a different formula. I used almost a container of the stuff in early pregnancy so hopefully it’s fine.

In the end I bought nothing and decided to use coconut oil which I already have loads of in my cupboard. It is helping but I still need more but I have a bunch of natural remedies to try so all good. Feel free to leave me your dry lip saving remedy here too. I’ll take anything.

Anyway, I am furious with the Pharmacist. What’s the point in getting the degree if you don’t have a clue what you are talking about? I mean, really? Biatch. She is not my favourite person today at all.