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Dry, irritated lips?

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kavadude

kavadude

❦ॐ tanuki tamer
Does anyone else get really bad dry irritated lips after hitting the kava pretty hard for a few weeks? It's so bad the skin around my lips starts to get irritated and flaky as well. It's pretty unpleasant.

I'm not really sure what exactly is causing it or what I can do to prevent it (other than not drinking kava, which I don't want to do ;) ). The only thing I can think of is maybe because kava is a diuretic it's dehydrating me and causing the dry lips to persist so long that they become irritated. Not sure what I can do about that. I drink plenty of water throughout the day and after drinking kava.
 
WakaGrade

WakaGrade

Grog 4 your Nog
I'm actually having that issue right now, but if I remember correctly it happens to me every year around this time. I've definitely been hitting the kava hard.
 
infraredz

infraredz

BULA!
I actually am also having this issue, which coincided with my current bout of dermopathy. Interestingly, the first time I got dermopathy, I didn't get dry lips.

I have just started to learn to deal with it, because I can't handle lip balm which should help. Luckily I haven't gotten Angular cheilitis or anything like that though. I feel like if it was due to dermopathy/dry skin that I would have had it when I had my first experience with kava dermopathy but it must have something to do with it.
 
Andrew Procyk

Andrew Procyk

Noble Kava
Kava Vendor
Sans the one time I got it in Vanuatu, and believe I could trace it back to a particular batch at a particular nakamal, I have actually started experiencing the dermopathy again. It is on my hands very bad (where it wasn't the last time - I had it on my trunk then) and it is also around my lips/mouth. I'm guessing the time of year coupled with other factors may speed this along. It also started up 2 days after I started taking Clariting for allergies, and despite my quitting the allergy meds, has continued. (Hmmmm.) ;-)

I think it was infraredz that postulated because of their lypophilic properties, they may effect the sebaceous glands? My PCP also seems to support this hypothesis as a possibility, and said the only other times he has seen hands like mine were with thyroid problems (Which, coincidentally run in my family. Thank GOODNESS it is only the kava with me!) That said, the only way to make it go away is to lay off the grog for a while. Dehydration may be a contributor - but with the amount of water and other liquids I am drinking besides kava, it would be hard to imagine that I am dehydrated, yet I still have the dry skin.

Nonetheless, take care of yourself, and if it gets bad in other placed, Eucerin cream is amazing stuff... but ultimately (and I hate to say this) it is probably best to lay off the brew for a while. Cheers!

Iahi
 
kavadude

kavadude

❦ॐ tanuki tamer
Andrew Procyk said:
]
Nonetheless, take care of yourself, and if it gets bad in other placed, Eucerin cream is amazing stuff... but ultimately (and I hate to say this) it is probably best to lay off the brew for a while. Cheers!
Click to expand...
Yes, it's unfortunate but probably what I need to do.

infraredz said:
I have just started to learn to deal with it, because I can't handle lip balm which should help. Luckily I haven't gotten Angular cheilitis or anything like that though. I feel like if it was due to dermopathy/dry skin that I would have had it when I had my first experience with kava dermopathy but it must have something to do with it.
Click to expand...
Yes I wonder what the relationship is. I haven't had dermopathy or dry skin of any sort apart from my lips yet but maybe the dry lips are related. I've been using lip balm but it only makes it feel a little bit better, it still persists day to day.
 
infraredz

infraredz

BULA!
Andrew Procyk said:
I think it was infraredz that postulated because of their lypophilic properties, they may effect the sebaceous glands? My PCP also seems to support this hypothesis as a possibility, and said the only other times he has seen hands like mine were with thyroid problems (Which, coincidentally run in my family. Thank GOODNESS it is only the kava with me!) That said, the only way to make it go away is to lay off the grog for a while. Dehydration may be a contributor - but with the amount of water and other liquids I am drinking besides kava, it would be hard to imagine that I am dehydrated, yet I still have the dry skin.
Click to expand...
That was my original theory (not based on any evidence or anything), but I ended up getting a copy of Kava Dermopathy and there were two interesting theories that seem "promising":
1. It's due to flavokavains (possibly A, C, or ones not yet discovered)
and
2. A suggestion made by Ruze et al. is that kava interferes with cholesterol metabolism which causes the skin changes which are similar to lipid-lowering drugs (referenced one in particular, triparanol).

This study, which studied the effect of triparanol on rat skin found results extremely similar to kava dermopathy.
http://www.jlr.org/content/4/2/160.full.pdf
 
D

Deleted User01

I don't want to be a "Debbie Downer" but ... Every time you guys post all the dermopathy problems I'm taken back a bit. How in the world can we tell the world that Kava is safe when people are walking around with a trail of skin flakes following them? I only drink Kava 3 times a week max and do so in moderation and I hope that saves me from the dreaded Dermopathy. I guess the vitamin B in my home brewed beer (which I drink on my off days) makes me immune.
I'm just saying .....
 
infraredz

infraredz

BULA!
Deleted User01 said:
I don't want to be a "Debbie Downer" but ... Every time you guys post all the dermopathy problems I'm taken back a bit. How in the world can we tell the world that Kava is safe when people are walking around with a trail of skin flakes following them?
Click to expand...
I think it's much more harmful to the image of X if everyone tries to hide any negative aspects of it and control the information that was accessible. I don't think that dry skin is something that would scare people off.

That being said, dry skin is a completely benign dermatopathology and if that's the only side effect (and only then, it's only present in some users), I think everyone would gladly take that over... well, most anything. Our government and doctors supply and prescribe all sorts of drugs that have hugely more significant side-effect profiles than kava. Even multivitamins have side effects.
 
D

Deleted User01

And so is high cholesterol, its reversible and so is dry eye syndrome, it's reversible too. The only argument that I buy is that it is better than being addicted to Benzos/Gaba and so on. Honestly, if I have a few shells of Scotch or a few Beers everyday, I stand to gain a little weight. That's it. I know this because I have doing it for over 30 years with no ill effect.

However, I have found Kava to be a great substitute for Booze and for Xanax and I don't deny it's effectiveness as medicine. I guess my Rose Colored Glasses have been malfunctioning lately. I pray that everyone on this forum can get to the point where drinking Kava 3 days a week has enough residual potency to keep things mellow for ya. I say this with all due respect. And from experience guys, your nerves (broad term) will become duller and easier to deal with as you get older.
 
D

Deleted User01

Kavadude, you are right, lots of things can cause dry lips including any kind of allergy medicine. Lots of things can help you sleep, including Kava and Exercise. I love how I sleep with Kava. I am a little pissed off that my cholesterol jumped 60 points the minute I started hitting the Kava. That's my personal problem. I'm just playing Devils Advocate with you guys. And I know that I may be out place by doing that because many people here have serious conditions (insomia, anxiety, physical pain, and so on) that warrant the use of Kava on a daily basis (for now). That being said, I have also seen cases in the old forum where they solved their problems and now only hit the Kava on occasion. And remember, I'm the guy that just reviewed WOW and I also have 4 bags right next to me in my desk cabinet (plus Kava Candy in my drawer). I'm just promoting a little friendly give and take.

I'm going to start a thread soon. "How and Why I got started with Kava". I'm sure my story pales in comparison to others but the thread itself might be useful to all the Newbies and Lurkers who are watching this forum. I predict there is going to be a flood of people coming in here soon looking for answers to serious questions.
 
kavadude

kavadude

❦ॐ tanuki tamer
I don't really disagree with anything you've said. Was just wondering if anyone had any ideas on treating or preventing dry lips. I use kava to help me get to sleep...I don't have anxiety or anything, just can't shut my brain off at night. So it's a daily thing for me at the moment. I usually take a break every few weeks. I have some pills I can take but they also cause dry lips and aren't nearly as much fun as drinking kava.
 
D

Deleted User01

When I was 10 years younger, I was still jogging at the park. I slept like a baby on those days. I have no idea on the cure for dry lips. I had a little bit of that last nite (Kava day for me) and I just put some vaseline on them. I use old fashioned cures. I also drank lots of water which meant I woke up several times to relieve myself. Damned if you do and damned if you don't! By the way, my original post wasn't about dry lips, it was about dermopathy. I seemed to have digressed. Sorry about that Chief! :D
 
infraredz

infraredz

BULA!
One thing I can say that definitely helps is when your lips start "peeling", don't bite off the skin. For some reason if I lick my lips and I feel a little bit of peeling, it's almost a subconscious reaction to bite it off.

Obviously this just leaves me with a hole in my lip and it burns for a good day or so. I need to find a way to stop doing this because it really is not comfortable at all as is probably incredibly obvious...
 
D

Deleted User01

Ouchy! I learned that lesson as a child when I would get really bad chapped lips. I always had the urge to bite off the little chapped chunks and I got the same result you mentioned. You guys better keep the chap stick in your pocket at all times. Damn, now you got me licking my lips. They are a little dry from last nite but I've been chugging water all day long. Let's quit talking about this, I'm becoming way too aware of the problem.
 
TidyMinion

TidyMinion

Kava Padawan
I've started applying Carmex to my lips when really dry and i'm finding that it helps instantly and I won't reapply for a day or 2. Winter usually brings around bouts of dry skin for me anyway. Recently also dropped regular caffeine (coffee, tea) and opted for mainly water and am staying much more hydrated so skin issues aren't too bad.

Oh, try olive oil if you don't have any balm handy. I'll use that on my hands before squeezing out some kava. It keeps my hands from drying out too much and adds some added emulsifier to the mix.
 
Buddhacide

Buddhacide

Kava Enthusiast
I dont want to be Debbie Downerer, but I find that dermopathy can actually leave its mark for some time even after I stop drinking kava for several weeks. I pretty much have really dry feet all the time now. Its gets worse when I drink more, but there is always some dryness/flakiness present even after really long breaks. I've just sort of gotten used to it.
 
infraredz

infraredz

BULA!
Meh, I was able to get rid of it completely after a week-1.5 week break, then using double the amount of strainer and applying some AHA-based lotions on the affected areas. It was gone completely, but then it came back after a month or two of drinking kava again.

I think it is something that some of us just get used to at some level, but it is completely reversible.
 
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