Blog Disclaimer: The following information is for educational purposes only, it is not to be construed as any form of medical advice. Consult your physician if you have any questions.
What to Do for Chapped, Dry Lips
Chapped lips can have several causes, including dry weather, overexposure to extreme temperatures, dehydration, lip biting, riboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiencies, and ill-fitting dentures. Dry, swollen, or cracked lips can also be caused by allergies, infections, drugs, winter colds and flues, and a number of other medical problems.
It is a common perception that Chap Sticks are the best way to handle chapped and dry lips.
However, in reality, the chemicals in a chap stick can infect the lips when you have bits of open skin. Therefore, the following are wonderful alternatives for handling this condition and are often more effective.
Honey: The nutritional characteristics of honey make it an amazing restorative and anti-bacterial agent. Similarly, Vaseline is considered one of the best skin protectants. When these two items are combined, you have an effective, alternative handling for chapped lips:
- Put some honey on your lips then let it dry for a few seconds.
- 2. Without moving your lips, apply some Vaseline on top of the lips.
- Leave the honey and Vaseline on your lips for 10-15 minutes.
- Finally, dip a Q-tip dip in hot water and use it to remove the honey and Vaseline in two strokes.
Do this once a day for about 2-5 days to get rid of chapped lips.
Water: Since dehydration is the main cause of dry or chapped lips, it is recommended to drink at least 2-3 liters of water daily. Also, on dry winter days, try to use a humidifier in your home to keep the air moist.
Coconut Oil: Many people have found that Coconut Oil is a wonderful natural remedy for chapped lips. Simply apply a small amount of oil to the lips several times per day, particularly when the weather is cold and dry.
Aloe Vera: The herbal benefits of Aloe Vera make it an amazing restorative agent for skin. Therefore, to recover from chapped lips, try putting a small amount of Aloe Vera gel or an aloe vera cream on your lips daily. “Studies show that Aloe vera improves the skin’s ability to hydrate itself, aids in the removal of dead skin cells and has an effective penetrating ability that helps transport healthy substances through the skin”.[From the Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, see ‘Moisturizer’ section].
“I’ve used your skin cream for a month now and it has done wonders for me. Really! I used it on my feet and it worked really well! Surprisingly, I tried it on my cold sores and it worked within days. I use it on my lips instead of regular balm. You only put it on once and it’ll last all day. This product is very much recommended! It’s all natural, that’s why it works!” – I.B.