Tips for dry, chapped lips.
Many people suffer from dry, cracked lips. What we can do about them?
1. Apply a non-irritating lip balm (or lip moisturizer) several times a day and before bed. If your lips are very dry and cracked, try a thick ointment, such as white petroleum jelly. Many people mistake discomfort, such as burning, stinging, or tingling, as a sign that the active ingredients in a product are working. That’s not truth. You’re actually irritating your lips and may cause allergies, so you should stop using any product that irritates your lips.
Ingredients to avoid while your lips are chapped:
o Camphor
o Eucalyptus
o Flavoring: Cinnamon, citrus, mint and peppermint flavors
o Fragrance
o Lanolin
o Menthol
o Phenol
o Salicylic acid
Ingredients that can help heal chapped lips:
o Castor seed oil
o Ceramides
o Dimethicone
o Hemp seed oil
o Mineral oil
o Petrolatum
o Shea butter
o Sun-protective ingredients, such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide
o White petroleum jelly
It also helps to use products that are fragrance free and hypoallergenic.
2. Use lip balm with SPF 30 or higher before going outdoors. Even in the winter, it’s important to protect your lips from the sun. The sun can burn dry, chapped lips more easily, which could trigger cold sores. Use lip balm that contains one (or both) titanium oxide and zinc oxide.
3. Drink plenty of water. Chapped lips are dry lips, so you want to stay hydrated.
4. Stop licking, biting, and picking at your lips. They make your lips worse and they stop the healing process.
5. Avoid holding items made of metal with your lips. Paperclips, jewelry, and other everyday products made of metal can irritate your already sensitive lips.
6. Use a humidifier at home. A humidifier in your bedroom can be especially helpful, especially if you breathe through your mouth at night.