Chapped lips : between causes and treatment
Do you suffer from chapped lips and dryness? Is there a solution to this annoying problem? Here are all the causes and treatments for chapped lips in the following article.
Many factors cause chapped and dry lips, such as dry and cold weather and excessive licking of the lips. Although the matter may be a symptom for some, it may turn into a serious disease, which is cheilitis or inflammation of the corner of the lip . Learn the most important information here.
Symptoms of chapped lips
Symptoms that may be associated with chapped lips:
- general dehydration.
- The appearance of scales on the lips.
- The appearance of ulcers in the lip.
- swelling.
- Bleeding
Causes of chapped lips
These are the most important things that may cause chapped lips:
1- Dehydration and malnutrition
Dehydration can cause chapped lips, and these are some of the symptoms of dehydration: dizziness, constipation, lack of urine, dry mouth , and headache.
Malnutrition may also cause chapped lips, and these are the most important symptoms: muscle weakness, flatulence, weak bones, and weak teeth.
2- Some treatments and medications
These are some of the medications that may cause an increased chance of chapped lips:
- Vitamin A supplements .
- Retinoids such as Retin A.
- Lithium used in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
- Chemical treatments .
Chapped lips treatment
It is possible to treat occasional chapped lips and dryness with simple steps. As for advanced cases, they must be dealt with medically.
Here are the most important rules and steps that help cracked lips heal quickly:
- Do not peel dead skin off the lips using your hand, as this slows down the healing process and may cause lip bleeding.
- Avoid exfoliating the lips, but rather apply appropriate amounts of lip balm instead.
- Stay away from any materials that may cause chapped or sensitive lips.
- Exfoliating the lips in some cases, but very gently and with natural ingredients such as sugar.
- Apply a suitable lip balm containing petroleum jelly, coconut oil or cocoa butter to the lips generously before going to sleep.
Ways to protect lips from chapping
You should not neglect to take the following steps to protect your lips from dryness and chapping:
1- Use lip balm correctly
These are the correct rules for using and choosing the right lip balm:
- It is preferable to choose a special lip balm that contains petroleum jelly, as this substance is necessary to maintain the moisture of the lips and protect them from cracking.
- It is best to use a clear lip balm first as a base to protect the lips before applying lipstick.
- It is preferable to apply lip balm to the lips in the morning before makeup, and in the evening before going to bed.
2- Drink enough water daily
Since dehydration is one of the main causes of chapped lips, you must ensure that you drink adequate amounts of water each day.
3- Do not exaggerate in licking your lips
Saliva generally dries out the lips, so excessive licking of the lips daily may draw moisture from the lips instead of moisturizing them, as some believe.
4- Avoid dry or cold weather
In winter, care must be taken to have an air humidifier, especially in bedrooms, in addition to covering the mouth with a scarf when going out, especially when the weather is very cold.
Since the sun may cause chapped lips, you can search for a lip balm that contains sunscreen for double protection.
5- Breathing through the nose
Some may resort to mouth breathing, which can cause chapped lips. So you should always breathe through the nose.
Special cases that require medical attention
If the condition of your lips does not improve despite taking all preventive and treatment measures, you may have cheilitis, which is a serious condition that requires medical attention.