Ask the Addict - June 6, 2009
My father was a carmex user, my boyfriend a blistex guy - I try to warn him that his natural lips will lose their ability to self moisturize, but he denies that.Any ideas what kind of profits these guys make?
Amy L.
Carmex is marketed both as a lip balm and primarily as a cold sore remedy. As such, Carmex and other “medicated” lip balms actually dry out your lips as a way to treat cold sores. So, your boyfriend is wrong.
In terms of profits, Carmex is a privately held company and does not release financial statements. Paul Woelbing, grandson of Carma Labs founder Albert Woelbing, says “We sell Carmex for the lowest price possible, which allows us to make a reasonable profit.” (answers.com).
Ask the Addict - May 23, 2009
I just ran across a news article on Yahoo.com about your website, so I took a look at it. I’m just wondering what all the hype is about. So people use chapstick–big deal! I can understand someone being worried if they’re putting it on every 5 minutes or something, but I don’t put it on that often. I always have it with me so I can put it on when I need it, but I don’t use it excessively. On the rare occasions when I run out of chapstick, my lips feel too try after a while, and it gets worse the longer I have to wait. But if I have it with me, I just put it on a few times throughout the day, and I’m fine. Why would I want to stop using it?
Sabrina K.
Not everyone who uses ChapStick becomes addicted, just as there are many who can drink socially without becoming alcoholics. Looks like you’re in this camp.
When I first saw your web site on Yahoo, I thought it was a joke. How could someone be addicted to lip balm? I had been using it for a decade and I did not believe that I was addicted. It started with Bonne Bell flavored lip balm when I was a young teen, and I have been using it ever since. It was always in my pocket and if I left the house without it, I would have to go buy more. I decided to become more aware of how often I was using it, I realized that I sometimes put it on with out even thinking about it. It turns out that every 30 minutes, I had to reapply. I knew I had to stop, I spoke with the my friends and they only use it once maybe twice a day. I immediately made the switch to pure vaseline because my lips would dry out so much they would bleed. It has now been over a month and I use vaseline four times a day, my goal is to get that down even more.
Thank you for creating this site and making me aware that I had a problem.
Stephanie D.
It’s stories like yours that illustrate the life-changing benefits of a site such as this one. Keep going with your weaning and best of luck for a full recovery.
It’s a shame that you trivialize 12 step programs with your silliness. Unlike yours, these programs have saved people’s lives — like mine.
Sue F. Fort Wayne IN
At LBA we take a live-and-let-live position on a variety of subject, silly or serious. We take our addiction seriously, but we don’t have an attitude where others can’t have fun. Look, clearly, balm addiction isn’t as serious as addictions to other substances like alcohol or hard drugs.
Ask the Addict - May 21, 2009
Im not trying to be rude here. I just stumbled across your website and Im curious. Let’s say that lip balm is addictive. Where’s the harm? It’s cheap and it’s harmless. Cigarettes, alcohol, drugs are all potentially harmful substances so stopping addictions to them is serious business. When I think about an addiction to lip balm (I never even thought about it before today) I kinda think ’so what?’.
Caroline Lucas
Well, Caroline, should we make a list of the most harmful substances and only work on those? Meth: bad. Heroin: bad. ChapStick: not as bad. Trouble is, I’ve never used meth or heroin. We focus on what we know. And that’s lip balm.
For years I noticed people who used lip balms used it chronically. I began to keep track of the useage and noticed that some sort of addiction seemed to be there. I use it only when I ski. This is when I noticed that many people used it year round whether they were indoors, outdoors or just watching TV at home. I am really excited to see a website such as yours to raise awareness. I haven’t read your website yet. But, I hope that there is scientific evidence to find the source of the addiction.
Dennis B.
There’s plenty of scientific evidence… in the vaults of the major balm companies.
Can you recommend a good lip balm, because all the ones I use tend to become gloopy and coagulate on my lips about 20 mins after application?
Nadia
Uh, I think you’ve missed the point of this website…
Hi Kevin,if you can spend all this time since 1995 on this site, the least we can do is spend 45 seconds as a reminder, that in truth, the world needs more people like you…not less. Continue to enjoy life.
Warm regards,
Ric
Well, thanks for the kind words. It humbles us when we hear from people who have been touched by our efforts.
