Chapped Lips - Symptoms & Treatment

Chapped lips is a very common skin ailment in which the skin on the lips becomes very dry. Dry skin occurs when the moisture, or water, content of the skin is decreased for any reason. chapped lips could talk (on their own, that is), they'd beg for two things: moisture and something to seal the moisture in chapped lips develop severe cracks and fissures. If you have a common habit-lip-licking-you have a sure setup for chapping. The danger with chapped lips is that they can become infected.

A creamy lipstick would help soothe lips that are already chapped. Nutritional deficiencies-such as those of B-complex vitamins and iron-can play a part in scaling of the lips. So make sure you're okay on that front with a multivitamin supplement. It's tough to stop licking your lips because the behavior is mostly unconscious, like blinking. But stopping is the first step in healing.

Symptoms of Chapped Lips

Chapped lips are caused because of prolonged exposure to cold, dry weather. Chapped Lips suspect that an allergy to an ingredient in your lipstick is causing your lips to chap lip licking, dehydration, smoking, windburn or sunburn, certain medications can dry out your lips, cosmetics like lipsticks, balms, and other products applied to the lips can have chemicals in them that can set up an allergic reaction.

Lips that are chapped usually have the following problems - roughness, dryness, redness, peeling, cracking, sensitivity and tenderness.

Causes of Chapped Lips

Chapped lips can have several causes, including dry weather, overexposure to the sun, lip biting and sucking, riboflavin (vitamin B-2) deficiencies and ill-fitting dentures. Chapped lips can be irritating and unsightly. Some common causes includes unlike ordinary skin, lip tissue is mucous membrane. Also, the outer layer of the lip is relatively thin. As a result, moisture evaporates from lips faster than from skin, causing lips to dry out easily.

Cold Sores are viral infections, which cause irritating, even painful blisters on the lips and skin. Cold Sores only appear on or around the mouth.

Home Treatment and other treatment options for Chapped Lips

Apply lip balm or petroleum jelly. You can also try coating your lips with skin moisturizer, vitamin E oil or aloe vera gel. These greasy products help keep your lips properly moisturized. Use lip balm that contains sunblock if you are going to be outside. Avoid licking your lips, since the saliva will evaporate and leave them dry.

Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Consider moistening the air in your home with a humidifier. Keep in mind that cracks at the corners of your mouth can indicate riboflavin deficiencies; you can treat this with vitamin B-2 supplements. Have a dentist readjust ill-fitting dentures if you believe they might be the cause of your chapped lips. . Avoid going out in dry, cold weather without putting on lip balm or lipstick. Use a sunscreen on your lips when outside in sunny weather.