Saturday, March 13, 2010

Calendula Ointment 9% Trial

About two month ago I found the fairly new case report Topical Calendula officinalis L. successfully treated exfoliative cheilitis: a case report (published november 2009), and I started this new treatment trial on mars 11 with a calendula ointment 9%. I use the ointment several times a day, whenever my lips begin to feel dry.

The Case report
According to the case report "topical Calendula officinalis ointment 10% has successfully cleared the condition", in just 15 days. The article looks professional and is well written. It is also published on PubMed (National Library of Medicine's medline and pre-medline database) which gives it some credibility. I talked to my doctor about it however and she said that one documented case rarely indicates a significant result. She also said that Calendula is not used in any medication you will find in a pharmacy or prescribed by a doctor. In lack of other options she thought I could give it a go anyway.

One thing is dodgy about the article (besides the to-good-to-be-true 15 day recovery) and it is the two identical and clearly photo manipulated before-and-after pictures. I don't know the reason for this, but instead of speculating about it I am just going to try the treatment so I can cross it off.

The Calendula ointment
The ointment used in the report was a "topical Calendula officinalis ointment 10%, a preparation done as per Pharmacopoeia (1064)". According to Wikipedia Pharmacopoeia is a "book containing directions for the identification of samples and the preparation of compound medicines, and published by the authority of a government or a medical or pharmaceutical society." I have been in contact with one of the authors of the article but she has not been able to name the specific ingredients of the ointment (she does not seem fluent in english and maybe did not understand my question).

The ointment I use is called Maria Trebens Calendula Ointment and I found it at a local health store. It consists of calendula and animal fat (pig fat), that's it. According to the retailer (which I spoke to) it's 10% calendula. However the ingredients list says 9 grams, which is 9% of 100 grams. 1% should not be a big deal any way. She also told me that animal fat is the most beneficial fat to use as it enhances the effect of the calendula (compared to oil/fats from plants). The ointment is yellow, medium thick and melts quickly on your lips. The sensation is very similar to olive oil.

Lips Status before starting the treatment
My lips have been behaving pretty much the same as the last couple of months. They get dry, the lower lip peel, the skin underneath has been a different variation of "raw" (from mild to very raw – no blod though). The skin flakes maybe have become a little thinner nowadays compared to how they were 6 months ago. I'm off the Valtrex pills since the beginning of the year and have not noticed any change from that. I have only used my bees vax lip balm to moisturize my lips.

I will make another update in 1-3 weeks. Stay tuned, and stay strong people.

Lips before starting trial.

33 comments:

  1. Have you tried Desonide topical ointment? I use a .05% as prescribed by my doctor, but it requires daily use (I've been looking for a long-term cure). I began using it after I had passed a shedding cycle and it started working after only a few days. It might sound too good to be true as most of these things do, but I had significant peeling and oozing on both my upper and lower lips before I gave it a shot. Something else I noticed, a lot of people seem to be around 20 when this condition kicks in.

    ReplyDelete
  2. hey. any results with the new trial?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi David. My name is Sina and i`ve been having the same problem for almost three years now. despite the fact that i have been considering lots of prescribed natural/chemical so-called treatments, I have not prevailed yet. I found your blog just now ( how did i not come across before?). Lemme tell u how much excited i am to find such a place that someone sophisticated in the EC knowledge such as yourself who shares experiments and results.
    Unfortunatelly, i couldn`t add you as a friend on the facebook due to that infamous error of Ooopsing. I have added your blog to my fav and im gonna check everyday. the last post looks so promising man. I only wish you,me and all the other EC infected guys out there can heal ASAP. keep up mate.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi David!

    I am wondering if you had any success with this? I have a child who suffers with this condition and only after finding your blog did we finally have a name for it. Why do Drs NOT know about this? He has been suffering years and no longer leaves the house. It is very sad. NOTHING has helped and he has pretty much given up on Drs and I dont blame him.

    Your lips actually do not look too bad in the before picture. I am hoping you are going to post an after one showing complete improvement! There HAS to be an answer out there.

    Thank you so much for this blog. It is very appreciated. I hope you do not stop though I know it must be time consuming.

    Hope all is going very well for you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Any luck with the Calendula officinalis ointment 10%??? Please advise.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey David. I hope that the Calendula is working. Let us know. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for posting this blog. The change with the calendula seems quite incredible.

    Have you had any results yet?

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have noticed from your comments that you use bees wax lip balm. I have seen a couple of articles stating that bees wax can cause cheilitis. I don't know how true that is, and I myself am like you. I am under a dermatologist at the hospital and she is yet to diagnose me with anything but I am certain this is what I have.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi david,

    I am a follower of your blog and also suffer this condition for years, hopefully we will find a solution to it in this lifetime

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi David,
    I am also a follower of your blog. I tried Desonide topical ointment for two weeks (presribed by a dermotologist). It didn't seem to be working all that well during the 2 weeks, but once I stopped using it the peeling continued for a couple more days and then stopped completely. I also started taking resveratrol (got it at costco) during that time, along with vitamin b2, and iron. So I am not 100% certain what solved the problem or if it was a combination of everything. If I had to guess I would bet on the resveratrol. I am 57 years old and this is the first time in my life that I have not had this problem. It started when I was very small, around 7 years of age. It is great to be rid of it. I have been praying for an answer for many years. Hope this gives others something to try.

    ReplyDelete
  11. i am 16,,,...plz help me...this is spoiling my teenage....

    ReplyDelete
  12. I've suffered from this for years. Nothing seems to work. My derm recommended that I drink more water. ha

    ReplyDelete
  13. Guess it never worked

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nope guess not but my doctor recommended this as well but damm my lips are ten times worse than his before picture.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Way to update in 1-3 weeks

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hey, I have been trying elovera ointment for last 2 months. Seeing some improvement. Peeling cycle time reduced.Hoping to get cured.Suffering for thE last 8 years. I will keep updated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi vineeth.My name is suraj sonwane.We have a grp of EC patients on whatsapp.The only aim of this grp is to communicate and help each other about various treatments tried by everyone.i hv been suffering from EC since 9yrs.I will be glad to talk to you.My whatsapp no.9511107777

      Delete
  17. he never published the results? maybe it worked and he died of happiness. R.I.P

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lol, well thanks for that update. So I will give one for you all. I had shocking luck with Gyne-Lotrimin (aka clotrimazole) cream?? I don't think it's a yeast problem at all, but after reading a bunch of people's success story on another blog (who tested negative for yeast and cured it with this cream), I thought why not. Day 4, and 98% improvement. I use it 3 x a day, and after I eat anything that requires me to wipe my lips off. It would appear the healing capacity of this cream needs further study beyond that of just treating fungus. Perhaps it effects the skin cell? Or the histamine response in the tissue? Go figure....

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm going through the treatment right now.. I've had EC since beginning of the year. Started treatment 6 days ago and I have seen improvements thanks goodness. I used the CE gel 7% and now just ordered the ointment at 10%. Fingers crossed it will heal all the way.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hey any luck anybody? I am 25 and i need to get rid of this asap. If anybody has seen success wrt this condition i request you to please post it here. You could be a lifesaver for so many in distress.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I've had this condition for 5 years, I am now 20. I did a biopsy, and tried steroids and antifungals. Its frustrating, my derma is also frustrated.

    ReplyDelete
  22. How's the condition of your lips these days?

    I'm also a sufferer. I've been battling for 8 years. Even surgery isn't an option for me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. #Exfoliative # Chelitis Successfully Cure 100%

      All india Delivery service avialable.

      Hyderabad Homeopathic Clinic
      More Details cnt.
      #Whatsapp+916380571942
      1)Heal gel
      2)anti rough gel
      3)Anti sebum oint drops
      4)Bio skin disease              = 6 tab -6-6
      5)Anti sebum drops
      6) gel derm +
      7) Anxiety drops                    =5-5-5
      8)Sls free toothpaste.

      All type of Homeopathic medicine in india and  International Delivery service available.

      Delete
  23. #Exfoliative #Chelitis & Chelitis Successfully Cure 100%

    All india Delivery service avialable.

    Hyderabad Homeopathic Clinic
    More Details cnt.
    #Whatsapp+916380571942
    1)Heal gel
    2)anti rough gel
    3)Anti sebum oint drops
    4)Bio skin disease              = 6 tab -6-6
    5)Anti sebum drops
    6) gel derm +
    7) Anxiety drops                    =5-5-5
    8)Sls free toothpaste.

    All type of Homeopathic medicine in india and  International Delivery service available.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hey everyone.We dnt know each other but whoever came here is either a patient of EC or the loved one of an EC patient .We all are searching for the solution.I hv read various blogs and articles about EC and i came in contact with many EC patients.We all created a grp on whatsapp just to share each other's experience and what treatment everyone is taking and what results everyone getting?
    I just want to help each patient of EC along with myself.If anyone want to join the group msg me on my whatsapp no.9511107777(Myself SURAJ SONWANE,a student from aurangabad,maharashtra who has been suffering from EC from 9yrs and just wanted to see each and every patient of EC getting cured and smiling.)Thank You &God bless us all.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi I am an Italian guy and I also wanted to join this group and I wanted to ask you what is the prefix of your number :) because the Italian one is +39

    ReplyDelete
  26. I have had exfoliative chelitis for the last 13 years .m 22 now and still not well . it gets worse at times . I am mbbs student here in pakistan and hav tried every tteatment and went to like numerous dermatologists bt stil not cured . mine gets triggered wd anxiety alot of times and SSRIs helped a bit bt recurred after I left taking them . I really need to know of any successful treatment that hav completely worked as I want to get rid of EC asap plz plz .

    ReplyDelete