It’s wintertime and, in addition to our skin feeling drier, our lips feel the effect of the cold air and wind by becoming chapped sometimes to the point of cracking. Many of us apply lip balm frequently during the day to combat this chapping. I know I am almost addicted to using lip balm in the winter.
Why are our lips so sensitive to climate change? The lips are so prone to chapping and drying because the skin is very thin and the oil glands are few for the lips compared to the rest of our body. Lip plumpers are used to combat this effect, but you want to be careful to use lip balms that are natural ways to plump the lips that use moisturizing agents instead of stinging agents that just irritate the epithelial layer.
One habit that you should avoid is licking the lips. Licking your lips feels better for the moment but actually dries the lips more. Lip balm should be applied several times a day or more frequently if needed. If there’s still no improvement, you can switch to a regular vaseline type of product. When shopping for a lip balm for winter use, look for one with petrolatum.
If your lips continue to be chapped and you’re using lip balm already, you could have an allergy causing your chapped lips. Allergens can be mouthwash, toothpaste, lip balm or liipstick. If you suspect you have an allergy to any of these products, try not using the product in question for a week or two and see if you note any improvement.
The purpose of a lip balm is to prevent or repair chapped lips. For types of lip balm, you can select one with a petrolatum base, or a type with sunscreen for outdoor activities, or an overnight type with vitamins and aloe vera.
To diminish the amount of chapping and dryness to your lips, make sure you drink lots of water. Another way to cut down on dryness, not only of the lips but for all of your skin, use a humidifier.
Use of a lipstick can reduce the effects of the cold air, sun and wind. Be sure to select a moisturizing type of lipstick and apply frequently. A word of caution about the long lasting lipsticks is they contain a chemical that can actually dry the lips.
Some topical preparations we use for our face can dry the lips such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and Retin A. If you find that you have stubbornly chapped lips, stop the use of these topical medications and see if it helps.
