That’s the state of lips nobody wants: red, inflamed, cracked, with dead skin flakes around the edges.
Winter is officially here, and one of the most annoying side effects of the cold air is chapped lips.
Here, we speak to Deshan Sevaratnam, a dermatologist at Liverpool Hospital, and Dan Malone, an associate professor in the School of Pharmacy at Monash University, about all things chapped lips.
What exactly is it? Are your lips dry?
Inflammation of the lips is scientifically known as cheilitis.
According to the National Institutes of Health, there are several types of cheilitis, the most common of which is simple cheilitis, which is what most people with cracked lips in the winter experience.
Frequent exposure of the skin to dry or hot winds can cause loss of plasticity in the vermilion layer of the lips, the part of the lip that has different shades of pink or brown depending on the race.
Dr. Sevaratnam explained the stratum corneum. — The outermost layer of skin on your lips is much thinner than the rest of your body, making it more sensitive.
Dr Malone said the lips have more nerves than other parts of the skin, making them more sensitive to damage.
Additionally, the vermilion layer does not have any hair follicles or salivary, sweat, or sebaceous glands, so it does not have the added level of protection found in other parts of the skin.
What causes chapped lips?
As with most dry things, it’s caused by a lack of moisture, Dr Sevaratnam explained.
“Winter has low humidity levels, which can make your skin dry and lose moisture more easily,” he says.
He said people may spend less time on skin care on cold mornings and spend more time indoors in air-conditioned rooms.
These factors can also make your lips more susceptible to moisture loss, which can lead to cracking, he said.
Dr. Malone recommended drinking plenty of water to help with this.
He added that certain medications and medical conditions can also make your lips more susceptible to chapped lips.
“Deficiencies in several vitamins, including vitamin B, iron and zinc, can lead to chapped and dry lips,” he said.
“Acne-treating retinoids are well known for drying out the skin, especially the lips.
“Anything that can cause dehydration – diuretics – can cause dry lips.
“Unfortunately, some chemotherapy drugs can cause dry lips.”
While any part of the skin can become dry and flaky, especially in winter, the lips are more prone to dryness due to general wear and tear, says Dr Sevaratnam.
“If you think about it, your lips, compared to other parts of the skin, are in constant contact with each other without you even realizing it, when you eat, chew, etc.
“Although the rest of your body is covered by clothing, your lips are constantly exposed to the elements.”
What’s the best thing to use on chapped lips?
Dr. Sevaratnam’s first choice is a plain, oily moisturizer.
“What you need is something thick and waxy,” he said.
“Ingredients like Vaseline are good.”
When choosing a lip balm, Dr. Malone says to look for natural ingredients such as:
- Beeswax
- Olive oil
- Almond Oil
- Coconut oil
Dr Sevaratnam said chapped lips could also be a result of sun damage and recommended products containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide to combat this.
Some dermatologists may also recommend ceramides, he said.
But his main message is that simplicity is best.
“Simple, plain, boring, and cheap [supermarkets] Usually thousands of times better than anything fancy like that you can get [high-end brands] Or whatever is cool on TikTok,” he said.
What should you avoid?
Both experts said it was important to avoid perfumes and foods.
Dr Sevaratnam said this could help prevent another condition called allergic contact dermatitis, which, as the name suggests, results from an allergy to certain products.
“If you’re allergic to fragrance and you frequently wear lip balm that has that fragrance in it, it can disrupt that process and make your symptoms worse,” he said.
Dr Sevaratnam said things like lip sugar scrubs, which exfoliate the skin around the lips, could also do more harm than good.
“That can actually cause more damage and further impair barrier function.
“So keep it simple, don’t do anything too aggressive with your lips.”
Dr Malone says that while less common nowadays, products containing menthol or camphor should be avoided as they can cause dryness and irritation over time.
Licking your lips can also make dry lips worse.
“Saliva is important for digestion,” Dr. Malone explained.
“It contains enzymes that break down substances that, if used habitually, can cause inflammation and damage.”
What’s the best way to prevent chapped lips?
As with many diseases, prevention is better than cure.
Dr Sevaratnam said most of the products used to treat chapped lips can also be used to prevent chapped lips.
He recommended applying a thick moisturizer overnight, which helps lock in moisture while you sleep.
Dr. Malone agrees, saying it’s a good idea to hydrate your skin early, especially if you have dry skin.
He also recommended lip balm with SPF to prevent sun damage.
When should I see a doctor?
With the right treatment, chapped lips should heal within two to three weeks, but if they don’t, it’s worth visiting your GP or dermatologist, says Dr Sevaratnam.
If your lips are sore or bleeding and don’t heal, doctors said it could be a symptom of another condition called actinic cheilitis, which can be a sign of precancerous lesions caused by sun damage.
Dr Malone said if your lips continue to crack with no apparent cause it may be worth visiting your GP.
Dry lips can be the first sign of an autoimmune disease or allergies, but can also be mistaken for a bacterial or viral infection, such as cold sores, he said.
“If you have severe cracking or bleeding, make sure you see a doctor about those symptoms,” he said.
“It could be a sign of something more serious, something like psoriasis or eczema, but it could also be a specific nutritional deficiency.”