Chapped lips result from cracked, dry skin on your lips due to dry or cold weather, sun exposure, frequently licking of your lips, or dehydration. You can quickly treat chapped lips at home with lip balm , petroleum jelly, coconut oil, or ointment to ease any discomfort.
While it might seem that dry, cracked lips are something you must live with until spring. But you can have soft, supple lips year-round. You only need to take care of your lips. To know more about chapped lips, read below.
What are Chapped Lips?
The skin on your lips is thinner and more sensitive compared to the skin on the rest of your body. The reason being your lips do not contain any oil glands. As a result, they are at risk of becoming chapped and dry.
Moreover, your lips are exposed to the elements more than the rest of your body and may become chapped from sun exposure (sun damage), cold or dry weather conditions. Chapped lips are known medically as cheilitis, which often occurs from contact with an allergen or a medical condition.
Chapped or cracked lips are commonly used to describe dry lips. Your lips may become chapped – which can be caused by several factors that include:
- weather
- excessive licking of both the lips
- certain medications
Chapped lips are a common condition that may occur in most people. But some people might develop a more severe form of chapped lips called cheilitis. Cheilitis is a condition caused by an infection characterized by cracked skin, especially at the corners of the lips.
You can usually treat dry lips with simple treatment options and preventive measures. You should visit your dermatologist if your lips continue to be severely dehydrated and cracked.
How Common are Chapped Lips?
Chapped lips might occur in anyone at any age. Adolescents and children who lick their lips are often susceptible to chapped lips. They could develop a condition called lip licker’s dermatitis. The condition may result in a rash around the mouth as well as chapped lips.
People living in an area where the weather is dry may also be affected. In hot places or in a climate where the temperature is cold (lips don), people may experience cracked lips frequently. Seasonally cracked lips occur in the winter and might be expected in individuals who experience dry skin.
Many people mistake discomfort, such as stinging, burning, or tingling, as a sign that the active ingredients in a product are working. No, the story is different. You are actually irritating your lips, so you should stop using any product that irritates your lips.
Do chapped lips hurt?
The condition can be very uncomfortable as your lips become dry and tight. Severely chapped lips might cause painful stinging reactions when eating. It might happen especially when you eat citrus fruit and spicy and salty foods.
What is The Best Remedy?
Most people get chapped lips from time to time. There is much you can do to treat and prevent chapped lips.
Consider these tips:
- Protect your lips. Before going out in dry, cold weather, you must apply a lubricating lip cream or balm that may contain sunscreen. Then cover your lips with a scarf to retain the moisture. Reapply often while outdoors.
- Avoid licking your lips. Saliva on your lips evaporates quickly, thus leaving your lips drier than before you licked them. Therefore, avoid flavored lip balm if you have the habit of licking your lips. As flavored lip balms may tempt you to lick your lips even more.
- Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water and fluids. You may also try to moisten the air in your home with a humidifier.
- Avoid allergens. Avoid contact with allergens or irritants, like fragrances or dyes. They are generally found in cosmetics or skin care products.
- Breathe through your nose. Did you know that breathing through your mouth can cause your lips to dry out? So always try to breathe through your nose.
If chapping is severe and does not respond to these home treatments, consult your doctor. Rarely, persistent chapped lips might indicate an underlying problem.
What Causes Chapped Lips?
Lips do not contain oil glands like other parts of the skin. It means your lips are more susceptible to drying out and becoming chapped (cracked).
Moreover, lack of moisture can make the problem worse. It could be weather-induced or related to a lack of self-care. As you may know, little humidity in the air during the winter months may lead to this condition. Frequent sun exposure during the summer months can also worsen your condition.
Another common cause is habitual licking. Saliva from your tongue can further strip your lips of moisture, causing more dryness and cracking.
How Often Should You Apply Lip Balm or Ointment?
Lip balm usually seals cracks in your lips, and ointments help keep your lips hydrated for longer. It is possible as the – based on the ingredients and thickness of the ointment you use.
You can apply lip ointments and lip balms as needed throughout the day – when you notice your lips are dry. Using ointments at night will keep your lips hydrated throughout the night. But always reapply lip balm or ointment, especially after eating and drinking. Even when outdoors, apply balm or ointment with SPF 30 or higher after every two hours.
What Should You Do If Your Chapped Lips are Bleeding?
Bleeding occurs when cracks or fissures in the lips break and turn into cuts and sores, often known as split lips. The skin on your lips is prone to cracking, and untreated chapped ones may bleed, causing pain and stinging.
You can also treat your bleeding lips at home with an ointment explicitly designed for lips. If the bleeding is frequent and at-home treatment does not help, then visit your doctor. They will prescribe more advanced treatment.
When to Seek Medical Treatment
Cheilitis
You should see a dermatologist if the severe dryness and cracking do not improve with self-care or home remedies. Cheilitis may cause severely chapped lips. Cheilitis is a condition marked by cracked skin at the mouth corners, and you may notice several cracks on your lips.
If you have this condition, you may notice your lips become dark pink or red and might have a lumpy texture. They may develop ulcers and may even have white plaques on the surface.
You may not be aware that cheilitis is often attributed to infections and inflammatory diseases, similar to Crohn’s disease. Excessive saliva production and dental trauma may also turn a regular case of chapped lips into cheilitis.
Even bacteria can enter through the cracks causing infection. Children and adults who have orthodontic braces, use pacifiers, or wear dentures – are all susceptible to developing cheilitis.
A dermatologist can only determine whether your dry lips are simply chapped or if you have any condition similar to cheilitis.
Dehydration and malnutrition
Note that dry lips can also be caused by malnutrition or dehydration. Dehydration may cause symptoms like constipation, lightheadedness, decreased urine production, dry mouth, and even headache.
In severe cases, individuals suffering from dehydration may experience low blood pressure, rapid breathing, fever, or a rapid heartbeat.
As you might be aware, malnutrition is characterized by many symptoms like dehydration. Additional symptoms include muscle weakness, bloated stomach, decaying teeth, and bone fragility.
Vitamin deficiencies may cause malnutrition – so those on limited diets like vegetarians need to make sure that they get enough of the vitamins they need.
People with alcohol addiction are more susceptible to malnutrition primarily due to vitamin deficiencies. Probably because excessive alcohol could interfere with your body’s vitamin absorption. Older adults may also be at a higher risk for malnutrition because they commonly have decreased appetite. If you suspect you are malnourished or dehydrated, see your doctor immediately.
How Soon After Treatment Should You Feel Better?
Applying lip balm and ointment regularly should ease discomfort until your lips get time to heal. Severely chapped ones might take longer to heal. But the average time is two to three weeks to recover completely. You will notice a problem if you treat chapped lips at the earliest. Your lips will heal much faster, and you can avoid potential complications like inflammation and infection.
When to See a Dermatologist?
Most of the time, your above self-care can heal dry especially in case of chapped lips in 2 to 3 weeks. You do not need to see a board-certified dermatologist.
It is important to note that your chapped lips could be caused by something aside from dry weather. An allergic reaction like yeast infection, or something more serious could make your lips feel uncomfortable and dry. Actinic cheilitis is a precancerous condition with symptoms that may turn one or both lips dry and scaly. Only a board-certified dermatologist can diagnose the cause.
It is important to know that chapped lips may be irritating, but they are temporary and can be easily treated at home. Awareness of your env and the changing weather helps reduce the likelihood that you will experience long-term chapped lips. You only need to take extra care and keep your lip balm or ointment in a convenient location at the first sign of chapping.
Moreover, your lips are exposed to the elements more than the rest of your body and may become chapped from sun exposure (sun damage), cold or dry weather conditions. Chapped lips are known medically as cheilitis, which often occurs from contact with an allergen or a medical condition.
People living in an area where the weather is dry may also be affected. In hot places or in a climate where the temperature is cold (lips don), people may experience cracked lips frequently. Seasonally cracked lips occur in the winter and might be expected in individuals who experience dry skin.
Consider these tips:
Moreover, lack of moisture can make the problem worse. It could be weather-induced or related to a lack of self-care. As you may know, little humidity in the air during the winter months may lead to this condition. Frequent sun exposure during the summer months can also worsen your condition.
You can apply lip ointments and lip balms as needed throughout the day – when you notice your lips are dry. Using ointments at night will keep your lips hydrated throughout the night. But always reapply lip balm or ointment, especially after eating and drinking. Even when outdoors, apply balm or ointment with SPF 30 or higher after every two hours.