Chapped lips can be painful as well as unsightly. In the winter, cold dry air can cause dry lips. In the summer, hot arid weather causes the moisture on your skin to evaporate, leading to chapped lips. Such drying may lead to licking your lips to replenish the moisture, which can cause further drying. Knowing some ways to prevent and treat chapped lips can make your lips feel moist and comfortable again.
Protect Your Lips
Climate conditions can have an affect on your lips. Exposure to weather conditions such as hot, dry temperatures in the summer and cold, dry wind in the winter can cause lip chapping. Wearing a scarf or ski mask to cover the lower face area can protect your lips from the elements. Wearing a medicated lip balm can also help. The Counseling Services Department at Southeast Missouri State University recommends using unscented, unflavored wax-based chapstick.
Eliminate Harmful Oral Habits
A vicious cycle can be set in motion if you lick your lips. While it may seem that you are moistening them, licking your lips actually dries them out further, creating the sensation you need to lick your lips again. Other oral habits that can cause chapped lips include smoking and nail biting. Breaking these habits can help you prevent the problems of dry mouth and lips. Mouth breathing can also lead to chapped lips. One cause of mouth breathing is enlarged adenoids and tonsils. This can also contribute to sleep apnea, according to the Mayo Clinic. You may need to consult your physician if mouth breathing is a concern.
Use Lip Protectants
Wearing lip balms can help soothe chapped, rough lips and prevent further drying. Commonly used products include petroleum jelly, beeswax balm, medicated lip balm and moisturizing lip balm with sunscreen. Unlike most other skin on the face and bodies, lips do not have sebaceous glands which produce natural oils to protect them. Soap and cleansers can also be drying to the mouth area, so following up with a soothing lip balm helps replenish moisture. According to Counseling Services at the Southeast Missouri State University, if your lips are severely chapped, you may need to treat them with warm water compresses followed by wax-based chapstick or plain petroleum jelly.
Stay Healthy
Several vitamin deficiencies have been linked to a condition called cheilosis, a dry scaling of the lips according to Dr. Riva Touger-Decker of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Therefore, eating fruits, vegetables and other foods high in vitamins B6, niacin, riboflavin and iron may help with lip health. In addition, Dr. Lawrence E. Gibson of the Mayo Clinic reports that dry lips can be linked to an underlying health problem. Some medications can also cause dry lips. Talk to your doctor if you have a chronic problem with chapped lips.
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