Chapped or Cracked Lips

Almost everyone gets dry, chapped lips occasionally. Lips are sensitive to sunlight, and dry out easily in cold, windy weather and in heated rooms. Underlying illnesses such as anemia, deficiency of vitamin A, B and C, infections, certain drugs, dehydration, frequent use of soaps and other chemicals, smoking, elderly people who worn dentures or teeth missing are more prone to the problem.

Chapped Lip Symptoms

• Dry chapped lips.
• Cracks on lips.

Home Remedies for Chapped Lips

• Petroleum jelly: Apply petroleum jelly, such as vaseline that moisturizes and protects the skin.
• Honey and milk cream: Mix honey with milk cream and apply. Honey is a great moisturizer that also has healing and antibacterial properties to treat chapped lips.
• Aloe vera: Rub some aloe vera gel on your lips. Aloe vera helps in healing and also acts as pain reliever.
• Cucumber: Rub cucumber slice on your lips 4-5 times in a day to help your lips heal faster.
• Almond: Apply the mixture of almond oil and honey, leave the mixture for 30 minutes or overnight for best results. Almond oil soothes, revitalizes, nourishes and moisturizes the lips. Vitamin E in almond oil protects from sun damage and has the anti-aging properties.

Do’s for Chapped Lips

• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
• Add B complex vitamin supplement to your diet. Chapped and cracked lips can indicate a deficiency of Vitamin B.
• Eat leafy green vegetable, carrot, tomatoes and fresh fruit.
• Use humidifier to moisten the air in your home.
• Try to breath through your nose. Breathing through your mouth can cause your lips to dry out.
• Reapply lip balm frequently, especially in cold, windy weather and at high altitudes.

Don’ts for Chapped Lips

• Try to stop licking your lips. Saliva evaporates quickly, leaving lips drier than before you licked them.
• Avoid acidic or spicy foods or drinks.
• Avoid cosmetics, if you suspect that your lip symptoms are an allergic to cosmetics.
• Avoid contact with irritants or allergens, such as fragrances or dyes, in cosmetics or skin care products.

See Doctor

• Regularly get cracked mouth corners.
• Condition is getting worse or is not getting better after about 10 days.
• See dentist if you have teeth problems such as unfit dentures.

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