The skin on the lips is much thinner and more delicate than that on other parts of the body. The lips are also exposed to the elements, including the sun and cold, dry air, making them prone to dryness, cracking, flaking, and peeling.
The lips lack oil glands and so cannot produce their own moisture, but natural moisturizers can help.
This article describes how to soothe chapped lips with nourishing ingredients that can provide quick relief from any pain or discomfort. It also looks at the causes and prevention of chapped lips.
1. Use a good lip balm
Some lip balms are better than others, and popular brands may contain ingredients that dry the lips out.
For example, many lip balms contain menthol or another mint flavoring. This can provide a cooling sensation, but mint is very drying and can leave the lips more chapped than before.
Common drying ingredients in lip balms include:
- menthol
- camphor
- phenol
Avoid scented and flavored lip products, as these ingredients can also dry out the lips.
Look instead for lip balms that contain soothing and moisturizing ingredients, such as:
- petroleum
- lanolin
- beeswax
- ceramides
Dehydration is a major culprit when it comes to chapped lips.
People may not notice when they are slightly dehydrated, so it is a good idea to make a habit of drinking water throughout the day.
Dehydration occurs when the body loses more fluid than it takes in. When the body is dehydrated, it pulls water from certain areas to ensure that the cells stay hydrated. This can cause dryness in the skin, including that of the lips.
Other symptoms of dehydration include:
- feeling thirsty
- dry mouth
- a headache
- dizziness
The recommended daily water intake varies, depending on many factors, including a person’s age, sex, and level of physical activity.
5. Use a humidifier
Spending too much time in dry air can remove moisture from the skin. This is a particularly common issue in winter.
Drinking plenty of water is a good way to keep the body well-hydrated all year round. However, people may want to consider using a humidifier during the winter to add some much-needed moisture back into the air.
People often do not notice how much they touch or play with their lips — they tend to lick, chew, and even pull on their lips without even thinking about it.
These habits can worsen if the skin on the lips is unusually dry.
While it may be hard to resist peeling dry, flaky skin from the lips, people run the risk of removing healthy skin in the process. This can prolong healing times and even cause bleeding.
An individual can prevent chapped lips by:
- using products that contain sunscreen
- avoiding scented or flavored lip products
- avoiding lip products that contain known allergens
- exfoliating regularly
- staying hydrated
- quitting smoking
What causes chapped lips?
The skin on the lips is different from that on the rest of the face. While the underlying structures are similar, the skin on the lips is much thinner and more delicate.
Unlike the skin that covers the rest of the body, the skin on the lips does not have oil glands and so cannot produce moisture.
A range of external factors can cause the lips to become chapped. Controlling these factors can help treat and prevent chapped lips or stop them from getting worse:
Weather
Humidity levels tend to decline as the temperature cools in the fall and the winter months. Dry air draws moisture from the skin, which is why people often experience chapped lips during colder periods of the year.
Avoiding cold temperatures can help manage chapped lips and dry skin.
Licking the lips
When a person’s lips are dry, they instinctually lick them to add moisture.
While licking may temporarily moisten the lips, this habit can make matters worse. As the saliva evaporates, it pulls moisture from the surface of the lips.
Drying ingredients in lip products
Some lip balms, lipsticks, and similar products contain ingredients that can make dry lips worse.
A few of these ingredients include:
- humectants, such as glycerin
- camphor
- menthol
- phenol
Humectants are substances that prevent water loss.
People may have allergies to some common ingredients in lip products, especially pigments or fragrances. Using a lip product that contains an allergen can cause the lips to become dry, red, and chapped.
Sun damage
Prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can cause significant damage to the lips and lead to dryness and cracking.
Sun damage can also result in a condition called actinic keratoses, which causes crusty bumps to form on the lips. These bumps are not life-threatening, but they can become cancerous, so people should get them removed as soon as possible.
Medications
Certain medications, such as antihistamines, chemotherapies, and diuretics, can cause dehydration as a side effect.
Topical acne medications may contain ingredients, such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, that can dry out the lips. If these ingredients come in contact with the lips, it can lead to chapping.
Outlook
Having chapped lips is a common and sometimes uncomfortable issue. Some people only experience it in the winter, while others may experience it all year round.
Using caution when purchasing lip products. A few lifestyle adjustments may be enough to heal chapped lips and prevent the issue from returning.
People with chronically chapped lips may want to consult a healthcare professional. Certain medications and conditions can cause dehydration and chapped lips. If this is the case, they may recommend switching to a different medication.
People who have tried multiple remedies for their chapped lips without success may want to contact their healthcare provider to discuss potential underlying causes and treatment options.
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