Getting chapped lips is very common during winters. About 3 in 5 people get chapped lips. Chapped lips can be caused by various factors, including saliva licking, spicy foods, dry weather, exposures to irritants, and cold. Some of the drugs like vitamin A, Retin-A, lithium, and chemotherapy drugs increase the chances of getting chapped lips. Moreover, people who are malnourished are likely to get chapped lips. Making sure that your body is hydrated all the time can reduce the instances of getting chapped lips.
Chapped lips lead to the following symptoms: dryness, scales on the lips, swollen lips, cracking and even bleeding. Lips are prone to get chapped as they don’t contain oil glands, unlike the rest of the skin on your body. This leads to lips drying quickly, and eventually getting chapped.
Did You Know!
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Some lip balms can be the cause of getting chapped lips? |
How to Get Rid of Chapped Lips using Oils
1. Coconut Oil
Why Use
Coconut is useful for instant lip hydration. It helps boost the health of the skin. Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids that are readily absorbed by the skin. Coconut is also useful because it helps the body to absorb vitamin E. Vitamin E is known for its role in preventing the production of damaging free radicals.
How to Use
Squeeze 2-3 drops of coconut oil from a bottle and evenly spread it across your lips.
How Often to Do It
To make sure that your lips are healthy and hydrated, you should make sure that you moisturize them regularly with pure coconut oil. For better results, make sure to apply coconut oil before going to bed.
[Read: Coconut Lip Balm for Your Chapped Lips]
2. Lavender Oil
Why Use
Lavender oil is one of the essential oils used to treat dry or chapped lips. This oil can be mixed with coconut or any other essential oil to bring out the best results. Treating your cracked lips using a mixture of lavender and other oils leaves lips smooth and subtle. The smell is also heavenly.
How to Use
To prepare it, melt one tablespoon of the shea butter in a small pot. Add a few drops of lavender oil. If you are going to mix your oils, you can add your chosen essential oil and mix it together. Once cool, transfer it to a small container and start using it.
How Often to Do It
You can use it twice or thrice per day, depending on how bad the situation is.
[Read: Natural Remedies to Lighten up Dark Lips]
3. Rosehip Oil
Rosehip oil(1) is a natural fruit oil extracted from the hip of the rose. It is easily absorbed by the skin as it contains 80 percent of essential fatty acids. It is also known to contain more vitamin A.
Why Use
Rosehip oil is a natural product that contains moisturizing properties. It is specially formulated to hydrate dry lips by mimicking the sebum(2) that is naturally produced by our bodies.
How to Use
You need to clean or wipe your lips and massage the lips using the oil.
How Often to Do It
You can apply as often as you can.
Natural Lip Remedies
1. Aloe vera
Why Use
Aloe vera is known to contain natural anti-inflammatory properties that soothe irritated skin. The fresh gel from inside the leaves of aloe vera helps in soothing swollen lips. It contains minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that rehydrate the skin instantly. If you can’t access the leaves of aloe vera, you can opt to buy organic aloe vera gel.
How to Use
Cut an Aloe vera leaf off the plant.
Draw fresh juice from the leaf and apply it to your lips. You should use 2-3 drops per application.
How Often to Use
Aloe vera contains enzymes that have exfoliating properties. You should use two to three times daily.
[Read: Health Benefits of Aloe Vera Juice]
2. Honey
Why Use
Honey is known for its anti-inflammatory properties(3). Honey has been used for years as a remedy for treating wounds and as an ingredient in skincare. Honey prevents the lips from cracking by moisturizing them. Honey also protects chapped lips from contracting infections. Moreover, honey is used for exfoliation of the skin; thus can be used to remove the dead skin on the lips.
How to Use
You should use organic honey for better results. You can mix honey with rose water. Mix three teaspoons of rose water with two drops of honey. Apply the mixture on the lips for about 15 minutes before washing it off.
How Often to Use
For best results, you can make sure that the lips moisturized with organic honey throughout the day.
3. Cucumber
Why Use
Cucumber has been used for years as a beauty product. It works by reducing swelling. Cucumber contains vitamins and minerals that help in moisturizing chapped lips. Putting cucumber slices on the lips will help moisturize the lips. Cucumber contains caffeic acid, which reduces the production of free radicals from UV rays.
How to Use
- Get three or four slices of cucumber.
- Add water and blend to form a paste.
- Apply the paste on the lips for about 15 minutes.
- Wash the paste off.
How Often to Use
You should apply a cucumber mask on your lips twice a day.
[Read: Benefits of Cucumber Water to Enhance Beauty]
4. Green tea
Why Use
Green tea is rich in antioxidants and minerals that reduce inflammation. It helps soothe and heal dehydrated lips. The tannins present help in hydrating the skin.
How to Use
To use, soak a bag of green tea in warm water and rub it over the lips.
How often to Use
You should use green tea regularly, and especially when the weather is dry.
Did You Know?
You can maintain healthy lips by keeping the body well hydrated.
[Read: Get Dead Skin Off Lips]
Take-Home Note
Getting chapped lips is a common issue. Some people get chapped lips regularly, while others may experience it only in winters. To prevent getting chapped lips, you should be very cautious when purchasing lip products such as lipsticks and lip balms. Lifestyle adjustments can reduce chapped skin issues.
Those with chronically chapped lips should not hesitate to consult healthcare professionals. Those who have tried the above remedies should contact a healthcare professional as there might exist an underlying cause to their chapped lips.
FAQs
1. Can Some Lip Balms Make Your Lips More Chapped?
Yes. Lip balms with humectants make chapped lips worse as they pull moisture out of the skin. The lip balm may have flavors that can make the lips to chap.
2. What Deficiency Can Cause Dry Lips?
Lack of vitamin B can cause a variety of problems like rashes, dryness, or even acne. Also, if your level of iron and zinc is low, it can make the lips to crack and split. The most affected part is the corners of the mouth. It is advisable to eat a balanced diet to prevent such issues.
