How to Prevent Chapped Lips
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By Robin Westen
Our lips not only express our joy or sadness, they’re also anatomically sensitive. That’s why they chap so easily. Here’s how to give your lips the service they deserve:
Stop Licking
Licking your lips will moisturize them -- for a moment. But as the saliva evaporates it also absorbs the lips’ natural moisture. What's more, your saliva is composed partly of enzymes that degrade skin cells. -
Drink Lots of Water
As our bodies dehydrate, cells of all varieties -- including skin cells like those that compose the lips -- dry out. Replenishing your body with water rehydrates those cells. -
Keep Your Environment Hydrated
Sleeping with a humidifier in your room will also help to rehydrate your lips’ skin cells. It’s especially helpful if you tend to breathe through your mouth while you sleep. -
Use a Balm
There are rumors that some lip balms are addictive or actually dry lips out, but it’s unfounded. If you want to go natural choose a balm with a base of beeswax rather than petroleum. Emollients like aloe or lanolin soften lips. Vitamins and nutrient-rich compounds are also often added to aid in tissue regeneration and protection. Also, try applying petroleum jelly to your lips at night if you have severely dry lips. -
Opt for Sun Protection
Since your lips don't produce as much melanin as the rest of your skin, they need extra protection from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. You'll want a balm that contains at least a level of SPF 15. Use year round. -
Check Your Lipstick
Matte and long-lasting lipsticks usually contain types of alcohol, which tend to strip natural moisture away from your lips as it evaporates. An alternative is to choose a lipstick or gloss designed to double as a lip balm. -
Give Meds a Barrier
Cold sore remedies are designed to dry out the sore, but it does the same with the otherwise healthy lip skin. Before applying cold sore medication, provide a barrier of protection to your lips with petroleum jelly or a thick lip balm.
About the Author
Robin Westen is ThirdAge's Medical Director. Check for her daily updates. Her latest book, co-written with Dr. Alyssa Dweck, is "V is for Vagina."
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