My lips completely healed while I used a steroid cream (I don't know if it depends ont he brand). And my lips stayed healed a week or to after I stopped the steroid, but then my lips turned back to EC lips. So, stored creams are only a temporay fix. I guess we should focus on where the inflammation is coming from. If it's coming from inside the body, then a steroid cream is only a temporary fix. If it's coming from an allergy, then the allergic reaction will still happen after the steroid cream is stopped.
I would hsve used a steroid cream if it didn't do long-term damage (thinning lips, etc.).