Say goodbye to chapped lips

Whether from winter winds or summer air conditioning, dry air can bring the discomfort of dry, chapped lips. Once someone's lips begin to crack and peel, the discomfort is hard to ignore. Licking them may make matters worse.

Luckily, a soft pucker is only a few steps away. Read the guide below for tips on how to help prevent lips from chapping in the first place, what to do when they dry and crack, and when it might be best to consult a health care provider.

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What causes chapped lips?

The skin on the lips is thinner and more sensitive than skin on the rest of the body. And because the face is rarely covered, the environment can be extremely punishing on this area. Cold weather, dry indoor air, sun and wind may all cause lips to become cracked, dry and scaly.

If someone is dehydrated, their lips will be, too. And there are no oil glands on lips to prevent excessive dryness. It may feel tempting to dampen this skin with the tongue, but as saliva evaporates, the lips become even drier.

The skin can also become irritated with certain lipsticks and balms or if a person holds foreign objects, like pens or jewelry, in their mouth.

There are a lot of factors to contend with. Here's how to help get those lips soft again.

Ways to help get rid of chapped lips

If chapping is already underway, hydration is the first order of business. Bálsamo labial or ointment applied frequently throughout the day can help. That said, avoid lip balms that contain ingredients such as camphor, eucalyptus or menthol as well as flavoring or fragrance.

“Any form of alcohol, such as menthol, can be very irritating to the lips and cause them to become even more dry after the initial cooling sensation wears off,” says Jeannette Graf, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

Dr. Graf also advises against using balms or ointments with chemical exfoliators, like salicylic acid, which are too harsh for delicate skin on lips.

Products to help heal chapped lips

Consider lip balms with ingredients that seal in moisture and begin to repair cracked skin. Some of those include castor or hemp seed oil, ceramides, dimethicone and mineral oil. White petroleum jelly also does a good job of soothing chapped lips. Its thick formulation stays on lips longer than lip balms, and it doesn't contain additives that some people may be allergic to.

Some products that tick these boxes include Nivea Dewy + hyaluronic acid lip care, Aquaphor lip repair stick y Vaseline lip therapy balm.

Flavored lip balms may be fun to use, but they may make chapped lips worse. Products containing cinnamon, citrus, mint and peppermint flavors can be especially irritating to lip skin, and people can be allergic to fragrances and flavorings - they may even find themselves licking off a flavored balm because it tastes good!

"By frequently licking lips, people are actually dehydrating them," says board-certified dermatologist Edidiong Kaminska, MD, the medical director of Kaminska Dermatology in Chicago. "Using a product without a flavor can help prevent that constant licking."

To help with chapped lips, lip balm or ointment can be applied liberally several times a day. Slicking on some before bedtime can also help prevent lips from becoming extra dry. It can also be helpful to use a humidifier in the bedroom at night to add some moisture to the air.

Also, try to avoid picking or biting at the peeling skin. And drinking plenty of water helps the whole body, including the lips, stay hydrated.

Ways to help prevent chapped lips

Just because someone has healed their lips doesn't mean the job is done. When going outdoors, switch to a bálsamo labial with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher, even in winter. Reapply every two hours while exposed to the sun, and remember to take additional steps, such as wearing a hat and finding shade when possible.

Anthony Rossi, MD, a dermatologic surgeon with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, recommends lip balms with physical sun blockers, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which sit on top of the skin. But these mineral-based products can have a white cast on the lips, which some people may not like. In that case, using a lip balm with a chemical sun blocker (which absorbs harmful ultraviolet light) is sufficient, Dr. Rossi explains.

Some lip products with SPF include Sun Bum SPF 30 coconut lip balm, Burt’s Bees Beaches and Cream sun care SPF 30 lip balm y Aquaphor lip repair and protect SPF 30.

At-home options for managing chapped lips

Aloe vera gel, coconut oil and honey have anti-inflammatory properties that, when applied to the lips, can also soothe and moisturize. Other steps are even easier. Staying hydrated is one way to avoid drying out the skin on the lips. Another is to resist holding metal objects in the mouth.

To keep lips looking smooth and supple, some people like to use scrubs to exfoliate them. If that option sounds appealing, Dr. Rossi recommends doing so gently and infrequently. "Exfoliating makes lips look good because it removes the top layer of dead skin cells," he says. "But once every two weeks is enough. If someone over-exfoliates, they are creating inflammation," which can lead to irritated, dry lips, he adds.

When to seek medical attention

If someone struggles with chronically dry lips, or if over-the-counter (OTC) products aren't helping, it could be a sign that there is an underlying problem that needs medical attention. "They may be experiencing an allergic reaction, a yeast infection or actinic cheilitis, a precancerous condition that can cause lips to become severely dry and cracked," says Graf. Dry lips can also be a side effect of medications. In these cases, it's best to seek help from a dermatologist.