Consistent exposure to dry air can cause your lips to become chapped, dry and raw, according to Discovery Health. Health problems and harmful habits can make chapped lips even worse. Remedying your chapped, dry lips involves taking preventative steps and, potentially, talking with your doctor for a more potent treatment.
Lip Creams and Balms
Consistently apply an oil-based cream or a lip balm that contains beeswax or petroleum jelly, recommends MayoClinic.com. However, don't rely on your moisturizer to hydrate your lips once they've already dried out, advises DERMAdoctor.com. While creams and balms can help seal in lip moisture, they aren't as helpful if you don't have much lip moisture to begin with. Apply lip balm before you experience chapped lip problems, suggests DERMAdoctor.com.
Sun Protection
Because the sun can also dry out your lips, burn them and potentially cause skin cancer, Discovery Health recommends buying a lip protection product that contains an SPF of at least 15. Wear lipstick, if you're willing, because it may help protect your delicate lips from the sun's rays and imbue them with moisture, advises Discovery Health.
Eliminating Irritants
Keep a close watch on what comes into contact with your lips. Pepper, barbecue sauce, orange juice and alcohol may irritate your chapped lips, according to Discovery Health. You also may have an allergy to your mouthwash; toothpaste; or a fragrance or dye in your makeup or skin care product. Remove one potential offender at a time to determine whether it's causing or aggravating your chapped lips.
Avoiding Harmful Habits
If you habitually chew on or lick your lips, you're making your chapped lips worse. Your saliva evaporates quickly and leaves your lips drier than before, warns MayoClinic.com. Also, digestive enzymes in your saliva may irritate your lips, according to DERMAdoctor.com. Other habits that may cause or irritate your chapped lips include not drinking enough water and breathing from your mouth rather than your nose.
Getting Help
Consult your doctor if your lips are severely chapped and they aren't responsive to home treatments and habit changes, recommends MayoClinic.com. In rare cases, persistently chapped lips are a sign of an underlying health problem. Your doctor may test you for allergies, thyroid problems, lupus, strep throat, and examine your yeast and vitamin A levels, according to DERMAdoctor.com. He also may offer you a prescription for 2 ½ percent hydrocortisone ointment as a short-term fix until he can determine a better treatment, according to DERMAdoctor.com.
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