Chapped lips can be uncomfortable and unsightly, but there are several ways to heal them quickly. Here are some tips and ingredients to look for when choosing products to treat chapped lips:
Tips:
- Use a thick ointment, such as white petroleum jelly, to seal in water longer than waxes or oils.
- Avoid lip products that contain fragrances, flavors, menthol, salicylic acid, or camphor, as they can further irritate the delicate skin.
- Use lip balms, lipsticks, and other products that you apply to your lips that are non-irritating.
- Exfoliate your lips gently before applying lip balm to remove dead skin cells that can prevent your lip balm from reaching and moisturizing the new skin underneath the flaky areas.
Ingredients to look for:
- Castor seed oil, glycerin, dimethicone, hemp seed oil, mineral oil, and shea butter are great ingredients for healing chapped lips.
- Honey, seed oils, and coconut oil are natural hydrating ingredients that can help soothe chapped lips.
- Beeswax is a natural emollient that can help moisturize and protect your lips.
Ingredients to avoid:
- Petroleum jelly or coloring materials can be harmful and cause skin irritation.
- Camphor, salicylic acid, and menthol can irritate your lips.
Its important to note that if your chapped lips persist for more than 2-3 weeks, you should see a board-certified dermatologist. Your chapped lips could be caused by something aside from dry weather, such as an allergic reaction, yeast infection, or something more serious like actinic cheilitis, which is a precancerous condition that turns one or both lips dry and scaly.
