Chapped lips are painful because the dry and cracked lips are usually sore or bleeding. Chapped lips are most common in cold, windy and dry weather or when exposed to the outdoors for long periods of times. Sunburns can also cause lips to become chapped and painful. Lips are not able to produce the same types of oils that other parts of our skin do, so the result is that they become dry.
The natural reaction to dry lips is to lick or bite the lips. This does not help, and in fact, can make the situation worse. Severe chapped lips are flaky, bleeding and very uncomfortable. Anyone can suffer from chapped lips, including children. The key to treating chapped lips is to moisturize and treat your lips with a little respect.
The biggest thing you can do to treat and prevent dry, chapped lips is to use moisturizing chapstick. Chapstick is inexpensive and is easy to find at most retail and drugstores. Look for a chapstick that contains beeswax, phenol and sunscreen for the best results. Remember to have chapstick on hand during the whole year, not just the winter months. Using chapstick on a regular basis will help your lips stay smooth and moist. Other types of products you can use to help chapped lips include Vitamin E and aloe vera products.
There are some types of chapstick that should be avoided. Flavored lip balms and some types of lipstick can often cause a more drying effect. Also, with children, a flavored lip balm might tempt children to lick their lips to taste the flavor. Licking will only cause the lips to become drier.
To prevent chapped lips, make sure you use a good chapstick before going outside each time. Have it in your pocket and ready for use. If you spend a good deal of time outside, especially in the winter months, reapply the chapstick several times while you are outside. This can also help prevent dry, cracked lips. If you find yourself without chapstick and you know you need it, you can rub the side of your nose with your finger and then rub your lips. The oil from your skin will help keep your lips hydrated when you are in a pinch. If you know you will be outside for long periods of time, either use a chapstick that contains sunscreen or apply sunscreen to your lips. Sunburns will definitely affect your lips.
Another key prevention in chapped lips is to stay hydrated. That means you should drink plenty of water and fluids, especially during the hot months and the winter. When your body is dehydrated, your skin will suffer. As a result, your lips will become dry, as well. Also, you may feel a natural urge to lick your lips when your mouth feels dry and thirsty. This will cause your lips to become dry and parched. Keep a bottle of water handy and take drinks when you feel like you are thirsty or dry.
You can also help keep your lips soft and smooth during the winter months by covering your mouth with a scarf or masks when you go outside. This is especially important for children who will not notice that their lips are becoming dry and cracked. During the winter months, you can also combat dry, chapped lips by using a humidifier at home or at work. You can sleep with a humidifier on at night and it will help keep your lips moisturized.
If you wear dentures, dry lips can be caused by improper fittings. If you suspect this is the reason for your dry lips, speak to your dentist and have the dentures refitted. The same goes for other dental devices, such as retainers, braces or dental partials. If you have poor fitting dental devices, this can cause you to breath out of your mouth. This will quickly dry out your lips causing dry, cracked lips.
In addition, getting sick is another common reason for getting dry lips. If you are suffering from a cold, be sure to take care of yourself. Use chapstick, stay hydrated and eat well. Fruits and vegetables will help keep your body hydrated and healthy during illnesses. Knowing how to prevent and treat dry, chapped lips will help you look and feel your best.
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