Heat Blisters are Nothing to F with
The extreme heat that's sweeping throughout the United States and the world as a whole has been exorbitant. It's really taking a toll on many individuals. Tellïo's lips have been chapped, dried, peeling, and afflicted with fever blisters. Man, these things are not jokes. To set the record straight, he's reviewed his lifestyle and nutritional habits to figure out the culprit. In an attempt to rule out the instigator, he excluded one items after another from his routine. Yet nothing emerged conclusive. Tellïo had to sit down with his thoughts while drinking a malta to crack this case.
Finally finally, an A-ha moment clicked for him. More recently, Tellïo has channeled his inner Forest Gump and started taking daily walks to meditate. An excellent way to find inner peace but the problem is he's walking in St. Louis under the scorching heat that consists of humidity, stickiness and hot air. He's notorious for not applying sunscreen, sporting a brim hat for shade or anything which would act as shade. His belief was "Black Doesn't Crack", but he learned that the arduous way through. Excessive sun exposure and humidity have damaged his once smooth lips. When he rubs his lips together nowadays, they feel like rock boulders - rough and sandy. Dry hot air isn't improving the situation. Even when the sun isn't necessarily intense, humidity and hot air make his lips scaly.
Things got dire when he woke up with blisters that burst open due to the dryness. Prior to that he applied vaseline, shea butter, and Blistex, but still nothing budged. The thing that made it more irritating, he couldn't stop picking at the scabs that began to peel off his lips. It wasn't aesthetically pleasing to see lips in disparate colors.
The time to pivot was Now or Never. Sadly, he switched the environment in which he walks from outdoors to indoors on a treadmill. It's about functionality. He invested in a denim bucket hat to avoid direct light on his lips, especially during peak hours and clear skies. One of his work colleagues introduced him to Campho Phenique, a treatment gel for cold sores and fever blisters. So far, it has made progress in the positive direction.
As mentioned above, it's wise for Tellïo to limit outdoor activities for now to give his lips a chance to heal. This is because even if he walks before sunrise or after sunset, if the hot air persists, this will hinder his lips' healing. From a nutritional perspective, he will continue to eat oily fish, lean protein, a diverse group of veggies and complex carbohydratess as well as stay hydrated to support the cause. In addition, he will start applying sunscreen!
The overall message is to be careful with all the extreme weather happening in our world. Dress appropriately and be aware of your environment, and how your body reacts to the weather. Follow a diet that effectively supports your well-being and stay hydrated throughout the day. As always, Stay Strong & Stay Vivid!
Reference
Wilkerson, A.H., Yau, J., Pearlman, R.L. et al. Skin cancer knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and prevention practices among beachgoers: a narrative review. Arch Dermatol Res 317, 314 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-024-03547-3.