Tips for Healing Dry, Chapped Lips

Have your lips started getting dry, cracked or does it even bleed sometimes? Though many people are prone to getting dried lips in the winters mainly, it can happen any time of the year.

Why do our lips get cracked or dried?

The reason being is, our skin on the lips is much thinner and sensitive
than other parts of the body. And due to this, lips are particularly intolerant
to environmental strains like cold, dry weather, wind, and sun exposure. If
winter or sun damage is not causing harm to the lip, then harsh products or
cosmetics could also be one of the reasons. Unlike the other body parts, the
lip doesn’t have oil glands which lead it to dryness, cracking, and chapping.

Sometimes, in the morning, you must have noticed dry lips which may happen
due to less water intake or cold. But what exactly are the signs that demand
lip care.

Here are some symptoms of chapped lips-

·
Dryness

·
Bleeding or Cracking

·
Peeling or flaking

·
Redness

·
Burning, Pricking, or Tingling

Main causes of chapped lips

Usually, chapped & dried lips are the results of various things. But
some of the common causes include the following:

·
Absence of oil glands in lips

·
Dry weather

·
Cold wind

·
Dry indoor space

·
Lips are not enough moisturized

·
Wearing cosmetics or products that are harsh and causes irritation

·
Sun exposure

·
Constant touching, biting, picking, or licking lips

·
Not keeping yourself hydrated

How to heal chapped lips in winter or any time of
the year?

Chapped or dried lips need moisture to get healed. Hence, time to make a
simple tweak in your lifestyle & a small shift of the products you use.
Here are some basic tips dermatologists recommend –

1. Use a good lip balm

A good lip balm here doesn’t refer to a good brand or expensive product.
While choosing a lip it’s very important to look at the ingredients used &
the fragrance.

A lip balm is one of the important products for the supple lip, and using
the ingredient against your skin can increase the dryness & make it worse.

How to choose a good lip balm?

Some lip balms contain flavors like mint, which soothes the lip but makes
them even drier & chapped. Hence avoid products that may contain –

– Camphor                   – Lanolin

– Menthol                    –
Octinoxate or oxybenzone

– Phenol / Phenyl      – Propyl
gallate

– Salicylic acid          – Fragnance
/ Scented

While the above-mentioned ingredients may irritate your lips leading to dried,
cracked lips, others can help them heal.

You need to read carefully the ingredients mentioned on the label while
choosing the product. Lip balms or ointments that have soothing &
moisturizing ingredients are the most suitable ones. They may contain –

Castor seed oil

Ceramides

Beeswax

Hemp seed oil

Mineral oil

Petrolatum

Shea butter

White petroleum jelly

Also, products that are fragrance-free and hypoallergenic.

2. Moisturize often

After choosing the correct product, apply the non-irritant lip balm or
ointment a few times a day and before bed. To heal cracked & chapped lips,
moisture-locking is quite requisite and some ointments like white petroleum
jelly are the ideal choice.

Additionally, when you wear lipstick or any other lip product, make sure to
have lip balm as your base to avoid dryness & cracks. 

3. Protect it when you are outdoors.

Sunrays can cause sunburns to chapped lips or even hyperpigmentation. Just
like your arms & legs, cover your lips with a mask or a scarf. And don’t
forget to apply lip-balm every 2 hours containing broad-spectrum UV protection
ingredients. Lip balm that offers SPF 30 or more and has any of the ingredients
Titanium oxide Zinc oxide is suitable.

4. Drink water & stay hydrated

Dehydration causes many problems in the body and chapped lips are one of
them. Water and keeping the body hydrated are not only beneficial for many
health concerns but are also beneficial for good hair, skin, nails & lips
too.

Along with these, there are some extensive measures that you can follow to
avoid dried lips. These are –

·
Quit Smoking

·
Use humidifiers when you are indoor.

·
Do not bite or peel the flaky & chapped skin

·
Avoid touching/holding metal, a jewelry piece, paperclips with your lips. These
objects can cause irritation.

·
You can try some natural ingredients on lips like coconut oil, aloe vera,
honey, cucumber, or those ingredients that keep the lips soothed, hydrated
& moisturized.

·
Mild lip exfoliation once a week is a good practice.

When do you need to visit a dermatologist?

Usually, these chapped lips are self-healers with regular moisturization
& hydration. If the dried or chapped lips don’t heal in 1-2 weeks, you need
to visit a dermatologist. Chapped lips could be the reason for underlying
disease or health concerns that need care & diagnosis.

An allergic reaction, yeast infection, or something more serious can make
your lips feel dry, chapped, and uncomfortable. A serious condition known as
Actinic cheilitis is a precancerous condition that makes one or both lips dry
and flaky. Hence, don’t avoid these signs and visit a certified dermatologist
immediately.

You can always connect with dermatologists at Sakhiya Skin Clinic for any
queries or skin consultation on the given toll-free number 1800 1200 70000.