How to Heal Dry and Chapped Lips

Chapped lips can be caused both in winter and summer time, due to the sun and sea salt. It’s a very common skin problem and can become very painful. The skin of the lips, unlike the rest of the face, is thinner, more sensitive and doesn’t have sebaceous glands ,which produce fat and provide hydration. Thus, they are exposed to weather changes without any natural shield of protection.

Other Causes for Chapped Lips
There may be health reasons behind chapped lips. Allergic reactions to cosmetics, coeliac disease, but also a possible deficiency in vitamin B12, iron and zinc could cause angular cheilitis. There are also some medications and treatments that can cause cracked lips.

Use Natural Products
Choose lip products without ingredients that are likely to irritate them. If you notice an allergic reaction immediately after applying a product, such as burning, or stinging, do not use it again. It’s your skin reacting to that product.

Use the appropriate ingredients
When your lips are chapped, do not use cosmetics with substances that can make them more irritated (cinnamon, camphor, mint, spearmint, menthol, perfumes, salicylic acid). Especially the latter is very common in cosmetics. Choose products with castor oil, shea butter or Vaseline. It is also good to trust and prefer skin cosmetics that are hypoallergenic and do not contain fragrances.

Apply Lip Balm
There are products on the market specially made for chapped lips and moisturizing lip creams. An old trick is to apply a little lip balm or Vaseline before bed and leave the product on overnight.

Use a Lip Balm with SPF.
The lips, like the whole face, need sunscreen all year round,especially if they are sensitive. Don’t use SPF products only when going to the beach.

Drink More Water
Cracked lips mean dehydration, and things are even worse when the whole body is dehydrated. In that case,the body is constantly looking for hydration,even on the skin,and uses up all the fluid reserves it already has. So constant hydration and consumption of foods rich in water will immediately replenish fluid levels in your body.

Avoid Smoking
The smoke irritates the skin of the lips resulting in cracking. If you quit smoking, you will see that the appearance of your lips will improve, their skin will heal and the dryness will go away.

Don’t Lick Your Lips
It’s a habit many of us have, without even realizing it. Though it feels like you’re adding moisture and it soothes, when you feel them dry and cracked, but when the saliva evaporates, you feel them even drier than before. Instead of licking, pulling dry tissues and biting them, moisturize them with a lip balm.