HOW DOES YOUR LIPBALM COMPARE?

Dr. Dan’s CortiBalm is the #1 dermatologist-recommended brand for all types of mild to severely chapped lips. See how your current lip balm stacks up to our patented formula.

Dr. Dan’s Note

Dr. Dan’s CortiBalm: 1 % hydrocortisone, beeswax, petroleum jelly, and mineral oil.

Medicated Blistex Lip Medex

Petrolatum, Camphor (1%), Menthol (1%), Phenol (0.5%) in a base that includes cocoa butter, flavor, lanolin, mixed waxes and oil of cloves.

Dr. Dan’s Comment: Oil of Cloves contains Eugenol which “readily sensitizes the mucous membrane of the skin”.  In other words, it can easily cause irritation of the lips. Menthol, phenol and lanolin can also irritate the lips. Dr. Dan’s CortiBalm will never contain a known common irritant.

Ref. Fischer’s Contact Dermatitis, Fourth Edition pgs, 910, 294-295, 145.

Blistex Complete Moisture

 Dimethicone 2%, Octyl methoxycinnamate 7.5% Oxybenzone 2.5%, behenoyl stearic acid, butylparaben, caprylic/capric triglyceride cholesteryl/behenyl/octyldodecyl lauroyl glutamate, dioctyl adipate, ethylparaben, flavor, glycerin, jojoba esters, lecithin, methylparaben, microcrystalline wax, occtylpalmitate, occtyl stearate, ozokerite, panthenol, petrolatum, propylparaben, purified water, sodium borate, sodium saccharin, and squalane.

Dr. Dan’s comment: In addition to at least six potential allergens this lip balm contains many chemicals that even a chemistry major, like myself, can’t quite figure out. I can see why they called it Complete. Also, I am sure they needed to add saccharin because it probably didn’t taste very good without it. Dr. Dan’s CortiBalm needs no artificial sweeteners.

Ref. Fisher’s Contact Dermatitis Fourth ed. pgs. 531-532, 902, 900.

Blistex Lip Revitalizer

 Dimethicone (1%) in a base that includes cyclomethicone, phenyl trimethicone, petrolatum, microcrystalline wax, isohexadecane, lactic acid, silica, hydrogenated soybean oil, castor oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, menthyl anthranilate, glyceryl stearate, bis-diglyceryl caprylate/caprate/isotearate/sterate/hydroxystearate adipate, lecithin, flavor, glycolic acidSqualane, almond oil, vitamin E, corn oil, vitamin A, saccharin, polybutene, sorbic acid, methylparraben, sunflower seed oil and calendula extract, bisabolol, sesame oil, and rhatania root extract, borage seed oil, cocoyl hydrolyzed soy protein, and polyamino sugar condensate.

Dr. Dan’s Comment: Of these 35 chemicals, six are known allergens/irritants and in my personal experience glycolic acid can cause severe irritation and burning especially on cracked skin or lips. If you are using this for your lips and are getting worse it would not surprise me. Dr. Dan’s CortiBalm will never contain known common irritants or unknown root extracts.

Burt’s Beeswax Lip Balm

 Coconut oil, beeswax, sweet almond oil, lanolin, tocopheryl acetate and tocopherol (vitamin E), peppermint oil, and comfrey root extract.

Dr. Dan’s Comment: Lanolin can cause a high number of allergic reactions in states where the skin is cracked or open. This explains why, when a person’s lips are fissured or irritated from Accutane, Lanolin can make the condition much worse. In addition, the last patient that I observed using this lip balm experienced a severe burning sensation every time she applied this balm. My guess is that the peppermint oil, even though it smells nice, can cause a contact allergy.

Ref. Fisher’s Contact Dermatitis Fourth

Carmex

Menthol, camphor, alum, salicylic acid, phenol, fragrance, petrolatum, lanolin, cocoa butter and wax base.

Dr. Dan’s Comment: Of the ten listed ingredients in Carmex, 50% of them are known allergens. Although rare, a person might be allergic to one of the ingredients in Dr. Dan’s CortiBalm, 0% of mine are “common” and according to the “the Bible of contact dermatitis”, bee’s wax is “a rare sensitizer” and “very few cases have been reported of allergic hypersensitivity to petrolatum” which are the two main ingredients of Dr. Dan’s CortiBalm.

Ref. Fisher’s Contact dermatitis. Fourth Edition. pgs. 294-295, 910, 145,159,146, 180, 149.

Chapstick

44% Petrolatum’s, 1.5% Padimate 0, 1% Lanolin, 1% Isopropyl myristate, and 0.5% Cetyl alcohol

Dr. Dan’s Comment: Lanolin can cause a high number of allergic reactions in states where the skin is cracked or open. This explains why, when a person’s lips are fissured or irritated from Accutane, Lanolin can make the condition much worse, and as crazy as it sounds, in my humble medical opinion ChapStick should only be used when your lips are not chapped! Dr. Dan’s CortiBalm will never contain Lanolin.

Ref: Fisher’s Contact Dermatitis Fourth Edition pg. 295

Chapstick Lip Moisturizer SPF 15

White Petrolatum 40.7%, Octyl Methoxy cinnamate 7.5%, Oxybenzone 3.5%, aloe vera oil, carnauba wax, cetyl alcohol, fragrance, isocetyl stearate, isopropyl lanolate, isopropyl myristate, lanolin, methylparaben, paraffin wax, propylparaben, vitamin E, acetate, tocopheryl linoleate/oleate, and white wax

Dr. Dan’s Comment: This lip balm contains at least 6 ingredients that can cause allergic reactions and make your lips worse, especially depending on what exact “Fragrance” was used. That is why Dr. Dan’s CortiBalm has no added fragrance.

Ref. Fisher’s Contact Dermatitis Fourth Edition pgs, 531-532, 533, 295, 792, and 374.

Chapstick Overnight Lip Treatment

Dimethicone 2%, aloe extract, cetyl alcohol, colloidal silicon dioxide, cyclomethicone, hydrogenated polyisobutene, isocetyl stearate, lactic acid, methylparaben, microcrystalline wax, petrolatum, propylparaben, salicylic acid, vitamin A, and vitamin E.

Dr. Dan’s Comment: This medicated lip balm contains multiple allergens and the lactic acid can cause an intense stinging reaction. Dr. Dan’s CortiBalm will never contain any acids.

Ref. Fischer’s Contact Dermatitis Fourth Edition pgs. 634, 549, 676, 146.

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