Do your lips feel dry and cracked? Does it burn and feel uncomfortable? Then this article will guide you on how to cure chapped lips.
Chapped lips are dry cracked lips. Although it is widely believed that chapped lips only occur during the winter, the lips can get dry at any time of the year if it is not taken care of.
You need your lips in the articulation of speech; to talk and to make sounds and even to kiss loved ones and that is why dry lips are not just painful but can be embarrassing too but do not worry. This article outlines the causes and cure of chapped lips.
Therefore, we will look into simple, yet effective ways to heal chapped lips.
How to Cure Chapped Lips
Identifying the cause of dry lips is important as it can help in solving the problem. If excessive licking of the lips is the cause, you can just easily stop the practice and if it is due to cold, then you can simply find certain brands or products that can help protect the lips.
Below are simple, yet effective remedies that will not only help prevent chapped lips but also help in curing chapped lips;
1. Stay Hydrated
Drink the adequate amount of water your body needs to stay hydrated, as this generally helps prevent dryness of the skin, and hydration of the skin helps prevent chapped lips.
2. Natural Lips Remedy
These natural remedies include honey, cucumber, green tea, and aloe vera. They contain antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that moisturize and soothe your skin whilst also preventing it from infections.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera helps to heal and soothe chapped lips as it contains vitamins, minerals, and anti-inflammatory properties that moisture and soothes the skin. The application of aloe vera gel on your lips will help heal chapped lips.
SEE: Is Aloe Vera Good for Acne? Get Your Answers Here
Cucumber
Cucumber contains some antimicrobial properties that help in rehydrating the skin. To hydrate your lips, simply cut out slices from your cucumber and place them on your lips for about 10 minutes.
Honey
Honey contains antioxidants and it is highly moisturizing, this makes it a good treatment for dry lips. It also helps prevent cracked lips from infection.
Green Tea
Green tea contains polyphenols and it is also rich in antioxidants and minerals. To use this remedy, simply boil a glass of water till it’s warm and dip a bag of tea into the warm water and gently rub the liquid over your lips. Doing this will soften and remove dry skin from the lips.
3. Use Natural Oils to Cure Chapped Lips
Natural oils provide relief for cracked and chapped lips by moisturizing and protecting them from further damage. Some effective essential oils are:
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Almond oil
- Shea butter
Coconut oil especially is known to contain Medium Chain Fatty Acids(MCFAs) which makes it easy for the skin on the lips to absorb. It gives instant hydration.
4. Regular Use of Lip Balm
Make use of lip balm to moisturize and protect your lips. It is best to opt for lip balms and products that contain SPF(sunscreen) for protecting your lips from sun damage.
A cool hack is to make use of your nose mask to prevent your lips from the hot sun and dry air. You can also avoid chapped lips by:
- Staying away from scented or flavored lip products that contain camphor, phenol, or menthol.
- Reduce the habit of licking your lips.
- Prevent your lips from exposure to the sun.
SEE: Best Lip Scrub to Brighten and Pink Your Lips
Common Causes of Chapped Lips
Your lips are more likely to dry out and become chapped more often than other parts of the skin because they have the thinnest skin layer and also do not contain oil glands; this, therefore, causes a lack of moisture. It needs to be protected from everything that can cause dryness. Some of these causes are:
- Dehydration: This is the major cause of chapped lips. Dehydration happens when the body is lacking adequate fluid, it causes dryness and the skin and that causes the skin on the lips to be parched as well.
- Harsh climate conditions: Another common factor that causes dryness in the lips. The cold temperature during winter causes dry air that dries out moisture from the lips thereby leaving it dry and chapped.
- Sun damage: Exposing the skin to the sun can cause damage to the skin as it sucks and drying out moisture from the skin, thereby causing dryness on the skin which also leads to the lips cracking.
- Excessive licking of lips: People commonly lick their lips when it is dry to provide moisture. This habit only worsens the issue because this will only moisturize the lips temporarily. As the saliva evaporates on the lips, it pulls and draws out moisture from the lips thereby making your lips dry out even more.
- Mouth breathing: This habbit can cause not just the mouth to be dry but also the lips.
SEE: How to Exfoliate Lips: The Ultimate Guide [With Free Lip Scrub Recipe]
When to See a Dermatologist
A dermatologist is a skin doctor that gives diagnosis and treatment to any skin infection. You should see a dermatologist if you still have chapped lips after using all the recommended remedies as directed in the article.
Chapped lips can also be a symptom of underlining skin disease or infection.
FAQ on How to Cure Chapped Lips
1. Does kissing help cure chapped lips?
No, it doesn’t. Kissing does not cure chapped lips, instead, it leaves saliva on the lips which evaporate eventually, causing the lips to lose their moisture and this leads to the lips being dry and chapped.
2. Does aloe vera cure chapped lips?
Yes, it does. As mentioned in the article, aloe Vera contains antioxidants that help subdue and heal damages caused by harsh climate conditions on the lips. Aloe Vera also contains soothing anti-inflammatory properties that help in treating skin conditions, therefore, it can be used to cure chapped lips.
3. How do I cure chapped lips for toddlers?
There are several remedies to fixing a toddler’s chapped lips. You can treat a baby’s chapped lips by simply dabbing breast milk on their lips as that is the quickest way to cure a baby’s chapped lips. A toddler’s chapped lips can also be cured with home remedies by;
- Make use of natural oils like coconut oil and olive oil.
- Applying lip balm.
- Regular use of natural remedies like cucumber and honey.
SEE: 13 Simple Home Remedies To Get Pink Lips Naturally
Conclusion
Chapped lips are very common during winter/humid weather due to the effect of dry air that occurs during the period. It is important to moisturize our lips to avoid getting dry and cracked lips.
In the bid to heal cracked lips, ensure to protect the lips from exposure to factors that can cause it damage to ensure faster and permanent healing of the lips.
However, chapped lips could be a result of dehydration, therefore always make sure that your child is properly hydrated and also make sure that their lips are not exposed to harsh climate or weather.
Thanks for reading.
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