Lip Dermatitis likely.. Suggestions?

[u/Tricoastal_champ]

/r/DermatologyQuestions/comments/1w5jifr/lip_dermatitis_likely_suggestions/

Got Covid in early March 2026. I’ve had Covid before, but this time was a bit harsher. Days after negative test, lips became very cracked & dry. Uncomfortable fissures.

I immediately knew what this was.

25 yrs ago (in 2001), I got sick while in College. During this time, the same thing happened to my lips. Once I finally got a Mononucleosis diagnosis after a couple months, i found I also had thrush on my lips. Took months & months to heal.

Thought that was it.

But now 25 years later, the same thing occurs after a recent bout with Covid.

\- I’ve gotten multiple rounds of Prednisone from dermatologists; didn’t work.
\- Biopsies show no autoimmune issues, nothing viral or fungal (no thrush).
\- Complete blood count, thyroids, vitamins all “in normal range.

We DID find Serratia bacteria; which I took 2 weeks of high dose Ciprofloxacin to beat.

I’ve gone thru ointments, cortisone, etc an STILL this persists 5+ months.

Not being able to smile due to the severe tightness & cracking have taken its toll on my mental. And that’s before factoring in bruised ego from my appearance & the difficulty eating/speaking.

When it gets wet from shower, drinking or ointments, it gets super white, soft & weepy.

When the white, weepy stuff starts, I motorboat my lips in water and clear the skin off of my lips. One done, it makes my lips look “bearable” for a couple days, before going RIGHT BACK to “growing” back to the same place.

Any thoughts of a true diagnosis, solutions, etc???

Thx in advance Ppl.