Top 5 Tried And True Ways To Avoid Chapped Lips Year Round

Last updated on : June 27 2021

Dealing With Chapped Lips

Chapped lips are a problem that many people have not only during winter but during other seasons too. Each season has its characteristics, and some of these factors can alter your lips' health and look. 

During winter, the wind and cold on your lips can make them dry. The same happens during summer when the sun is too hot and dehydrates your body. 

However, it's not only the harsh weather conditions but also other health conditions or behaviors that can affect your lips' health. 

Many people use lip balm or other lip products to make their lips smooth again. Even though you can choose the right lipstick color to transform your look, it would not look great on chapped lips.  

What Causes Chapped Lips? 

Here are some of the common causes of chapped lips.

1. Allergies

Chapped lips can be the result of allergies. 

Some of your hygiene products may have some allergens that cause your lips to get flaky. Usually, you will find these in toothpaste, lip balm, or other cosmetics. So it is essential to stop using the products that alter your lips' health and look. 

Whenever you notice that your lips get chapped after using a specific lip product, it may be because you have an allergy. Try to stop using those products that cause this. 

Of course, it is difficult at the beginning to understand which of the ingredients are causing you the allergy. But some of them are common to multiple cosmetic products, so you could pause using them and see if you notice any improvements.  

2. Medication 

If you are under medication for a specific health problem, it may be that some of it can cause your lips to be dry and chapped. 

For example, the medication that doctors usually prescribe for hypothyroidism, cancer, acne, or other health conditions can cause your lips to lose their essential oils.

But as you cannot stop taking your medication, some of which contain high amounts of peroxides or acids, you need to find other solutions. 

3. Drinking and Smoking 

Sometimes, chapped and dry lips are a sign of unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Some of the most lip-damaging lifestyle choices we make can alter the health of our lips. For example, alcohol is known to have a dehydrating effect, not only on the lips but on the whole body. 

The same goes for smoking and drinking coffee. 

Even though the reason why you have chapped lips might not be due to these behaviors, they indeed rob your lips of the nutrients they need. 

Unfortunately, lips do not have any protective oil, and as a result, you leave a small chemical residue on your lips whenever you smoke or drink. After long periods of smoking and drinking, these chemicals will alter your lips' health and cause them to be dry and flaky. 

4. Lip Licking

One of the things that might cause your lips to be dry and chapped is the constant licking of your lips. 

It seems natural when you feel your lips dry to lick them to moisturize or hydrate them. But even though this might seem counterintuitive, you need to avoid doing this. 

Licking your lips leads to even drier and more chapped lips. Why? Because our saliva contains some acids that are not beneficial for lips, mostly when they are dried. 

Without these acids, our bodies will not be able to break down specific foods. But the side effect is that they do not help the lips at all. 

Moreover, licking your lips can make them even more exposed to the sun or wind. And it will only make them more prone to getting even more chapped.  

So, besides staying away from the sun and other harsh weather conditions, what can you do to protect your lips during winter? 

We have tried these top 5 ways to do this, and they proved to be quite useful. 

How to Avoid Chapped Lips 

Try these tried and true ways to avoid chapped lips.

1. Moisturize and Exfoliate Your Lips 

The weather conditions, not only during winter but also during summer, can harm your lips' look and health. 

Spending too much time outside and not applying any protective product on your lips will undoubtedly lead to chapped lips through the seasons.  

One of the best ways to avoid this condition is by exfoliating and moisturizing your lips.  

Chapped lips are more typical during winter, especially in those countries where the winter conditions are more severe and harsher. Many products help you provide your lips a gentle exfoliation so that you will get rid of dry skin. 

Even though you might want to pull it with your teeth, this is not healthy behavior for your lips.  

Among the best products for exfoliating the flaky skin on your lips is by applying a lip scrub. Make sure you choose a product that does not have any compounds that might cause allergies with you. 

And if you have a difficult time choosing the right one, as there are many options, you can ask a dermatologist for help.  

To keep your lips moisturized no matter the season, you could choose to apply a lip balm designed especially for this. Some of the best lip balms for this lip condition are Aquaphor, Dr. Lipp lip balms, and Kiehl's balm. 

Another way to keep your lips moist is by drinking enough water. Sometimes, dry and chapped lips are a sign of dehydration, so make sure you increase your water intake and reduce alcohol, caffeine, and smoking. 

2. Use A Humidifier 

In winter particularly, we turn on the heat both during the day and the night. But as the outside is cold, we often leave the windows closed, leading to dry air in the house, especially during the night.

Dry air can lead to dry and chapped lips, and you can quickly wake up with them like this. One way to protect your lips under these conditions is to buy a humidifier. It will help you keep your skin and lips moisturized. 

Another way to make the air in your room more humid and less dry is to put a mug of water on the radiator. As your heat is on, the water in the cup will evaporate, making the air in the room less dry and more humid. 

3. Avoid Biting Your Lips 

When you feel you have dry and chapped lips, you might choose to bite them. But this can lead to even more cracked lips and bleeding, which are some of the things you want to avoid. 

Sometimes, biting lips can be a sign of stress, or it has just become a nervous habit. But avoiding doing this is not an easy thing, especially for those people that do it consistently. 

Biting your lips can have adverse effects on your lips' long-term health, so whenever you find yourself doing it, stop. And as this habit can be unconscious, make sure you have a lip balm or moisturizer with you every time. 

4. Apply Balm Before Cleansing Your Face

As we mentioned above, some cosmetic products contain ingredients that are damaging to the lips, and so you need to protect them from chapping. 

If you're worried about this but don't want to change your cosmetic products, you can apply a balm before cleansing your face. A lip balm helps your lips hydrate and remain smooth. 

You can find many lip care balms online that protect your lips in any condition, even when cleansing products cause disruptions in pH levels that lead to chapped lips.  

To make sure your lips are protected, consider using lip balm every day. Not only when you go out, but also while you stay inside. Like this, you make sure your lips are soft and smooth, and you prevent dryness. 

5. Watch Your Diet 

People often think that harsh weather conditions cause chapped, dry, and flaky lips. But even though this is true, as strong wind or sunlight can dehydrate your lips, this may not be the only cause. 

Chapped lips can be the sign of a more serious health condition, such as mineral or nutrients deficiencies in your body. If you do not have the necessary amount of iron, zinc, and B vitamins in your body, your lips might get dry and chapped. 

For example, iron has an essential role when it comes to skin health. Iron anemia can lead to chapped lips, inflammation, and dryness on all parts of your mouth and lips. 

And a deficiency of B vitamins can lead to dermatitis, a skin condition that makes people who lack these nutrients more prone to it. 

Conclusion 

Chapped and dry lips are typical, and many people experience this condition. The condition might be due to weather or unhealthy lifestyle choices.

To alleviate the symptoms or avoid chapped lips altogether, give up alcohol and smoking, avoid biting and licking your lips, and watch your diet. Choose moisturizing and exfoliating products that are specially created for lips and avoid those that have toxic compounds. 

About The Author

Jessica Chapman, a writing editor from Chicago, currently works at uni assignment help. She is into sport and politics and enjoys traveling. Find her on Facebook.

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