People who think long term exfoliative cheilitis is "no big deal" really need to shut up. I get angry seeing exfoliative cheilitis described as a "benign" condition when nothing about it is benign.

Physically exfoliative cheilitis is a problem because it affects the lips, mouth, teeth, tongue. It makes drinking water, eating food, brushing teeth, flossing, speaking, smiling, kissing, even breathing when exercising a constant relentless struggle and burden. It makes going to the dentist hell. Cavities, gingivitis, receding gums maybe from poor dental hygiene due to the cheilitis or due to the constant use of topicals all day every day used on the lips which will eventually end up on the teeth. Taking NSAIDs often. The eventual dangers/health detriment of using NSAIDs often. Open sores on the lips arent the best thing in terms of avoiding bacteria/getting sick. How about the affects of avoiding exercise because exercise means heavy breathing, breathing means dryer lips. There are times where my exfoliative cheilitis lips hurt as much as my arthritis. I don't smile often because my lips are so tight my skin rips and bleeds. Then, you have to take into account the financial and physical costs of medications/ointments used for exfoliative cheilitis. These medications/ointments are eventually ingested - now consider being on these medications for 10+, 20+ 30+ years straight all day every day. They end up on the teeth, gums, throat, thyroid, who knows where else. They affect the tongue, teeth, gums, neck, all of that. Steroids, immunosuppresants like tacrolimus, maybe even oral medications. These drugs have side effects. Some people will have exfoliative cheilitis forever. To forget the damage exfoliative cheiltis TRULY makes is stupid. There are already cases of people doing suicide over E.C.

Cosmetically and socially, exfoliative cheilitis looks grotesque & contagious. Few people want to kiss, be kissed, or be near someone's mouth who has exfoliative cheilitis. I would not want to kiss or date someone with exfoliative cheilitis. It looks dirty. It looks unhealthy. I've had a dentist not want to work on my teeth because she was unfamiliar with exfoliative cheilitis and disgusting/alarmed by it. It causes social anxiety because it is a facial deformity. I refuse to date in large part because of exfoliative cheilitis. If I did not have exfoliative cheilitis, I'd likely confidently have dated, maybe got married, maybe someday had kids. There are many friends or coworkers that exfoliative cheilitis drives a wedge between. Basic things like hi, bye, small conversations are avoided because talking means skin ripping. Even confidence in general. If someone looks me in the eyes, I avoid, look away, anything to get their eyes or face away from facing my face aka lips. I often avoid talking because my lips hurt or will rip, or my lips look disgusting that I don't want anyone to see my lips. These things affect relationships to strangers, coworkers, and anyone who comes into contact with you really. I'd rather get punched in the face than have my photo taken but it pops up at work, yearbooks, family parties, whatever.
I don't believe there is a way to fix this social anxiety/social phobia because the problem is very real and very inconvenient. It's not an imagined physical flaw like body dysmorphia disorder. It's also not an area that is less used like the feet. The lips/mouth are always present, always used, impossible to forget about.

Then there's the stress. There's stress from having a facial deformity. There's the stress of having a rare problem which has no known effective adequate treatments let alone cure. Doctors dont know exfoliative cheilitis. It wouldnt make a difference if doctors did know it, because there's no adequate ways of treating exfoliative cheilitis. There's the stress of wasting your time trying new doctors, the medical expenses aka money being thrown in the trash bin and getting zero out of it but burning lips. There's the stress of gluten free diets, vegan diets, exercise, the miracle ointments, trying toothpastes, buying every topical ointment cream whatever under the sun. Nothing working. There's the stress of being in the "sick person position" aka people who don't have exfoliative cheilitis will tell you that you must be doing something wrong or that they must be doing something right because you have the condition and they dont. Wasted energy, effort, money, so much stress, everything. Exfoliative cheilitis is not a benign problem. Nothing about it is benign. The treatments for exfoliative cheilitis are not benign. It is a big deal. People arent being dramatic. If you are not complaining about having exfoliative cheilitis you are living in denial or you dont have it that bad.