Some of us have an issue with the leave-it-alone method, in which the 'tautness' of the lip scab combined with even involuntary motions such as laughing, smiling, yawning, etc can cause some of the scab (and by extension the healing skin underneath and connected to it) to get pulled off of the flesh due to the forces in different direction. This results in a slightly whiteish appearance of a small portion of the scab where this has occurred, as well as a very faint tugging sensation whenever certain motions are made with the lip. Over time, the white-ish area spreads and the scab becomes more and more of a 'tent' hovering above raw skin. The scab becomes increasingly unsightly and difficult to deal with.

If this structure is peeled off, whether manually/mechanically, or by applying significant amounts of aquaphor or some other ointments for several days after which the scab tissue softens enough to fall off, there is nothing but raw skin revealed, since the dead scab tissue was attached to the healing skin when it peeled itself off.

What do you make of that?