Four Hypotheses of the Lipocalypse
1. For those who have no allergic reaction (contact dermatitis of the lips), there may be a newly highly-resistant bacteria that cannot be controlled, only subdued by antibiotics or antibacterial agents such as coconut oil or Triclosan. In this way, the condition may take up to 20 years to resolve, as in badlips case.
a. As a corollary, the continued presence of the fungus, bacteria or mycobacteria continues to trigger the body's natural defense mechanisms of overproducing keratin to shed the infected skin, and in the process shorts out some other self-regulating mechanism that slows cell growth, creating chronic dry, exfoliating lips.
b. Finding out the chemical process by which growth is regulated would be the necessary key to determine a proper topical long-term cure, if it's even possible to manufacture or find in the wild.
2. For those with an absence of tingling, swelling, redness or inflammation, it may signal the absence of white blood cells and weakness to prevent new infection, or simply the absence of infection. However, in this case as well, perhaps there is lingering damage to the normal nutrient delivery mechanism.
a. interesting case anecdote in this forum of the condition resolving somewhat when s/he had a high fever -- I've noticed since being sick last week that the pattern of peeling appears to have changed somewhat, smaller indentations have returned and the skin away from the vermillion border looks healthier and more stable.
3. Moisturizers and creams weaken the vermillion border sufficiently to allow the oxidation and survival of aerobic bacteria or to permit entrants of new bacteria or airborne molds.
a. On the other hand, the absence of moisturizer may leave the dead skin dry and crusty, inviting infection and microscopic colonization of its own such as organisms that would survive on dead skin cells.
4. Constant exfoliation of the skin, or exposure to damaging substances such as alcohol, chlorine or smoke, damages and exposes normal skin around the original site of infection, deepening and spreading the infection, thus compounding the problem even with an allergic, climatological, or psychological etiology (cause).
a. In my opinion, a bacterial or fungal etiology or reason for persistence is more likely true if the condition has spread from one lip to the other lip, or began as an inverted triangle in the middle and slowly migrated to the sides.
b. A rapid period of inflammation and peeling covering both lips simultaneously (all over) would more likely suggest an allergic reaction.
c. Presence of other skin conditions like dandruff combined with obsessive licking or picking concurrently would suggest a microbial and/or stress-related condition.