How to Treat Chronic Chapped Lips
Chapped lips are one of the most painful conditions you can ever face. Cracked, bleeding lips not only look unpleasant but also keep you from smiling. One of the most common causes of chapped lips is excessive dryness, caused by moisture loss through lip licking, mouth breathing or going out in cold weather without wearing lip protection. Fortuntely, there are several easy ways to treat dry and cracked lips.
Things Required:
– Lip balm
– Water
– Zinc oxide ointment
– Beeswax lip ointment
– Petroleum jelly
– Lip balm or lipstick containing SPF 15 or higher
– Fresh fruits and vegetables containing vitamins or vitamin supplements
Instructions
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1
Stay hydrated
Whenever your body is dehydrated, it shows first on your lips. Taking eight to ten glasses of water daily is essential to stay properly hydrated. If you don’t like drinking water, increase your intake of fluids like juices, tea and coffee. Drinking plenty of water will keep your lips naturally moisturized. -
2
Consider your diet
Besides drinking plenty of fluids, you also need to consider your diet. Deficiency of vitamins usually causes your lips to become chapped. Increase the amount of necessary vitamins by eating fruits and vegetables containing them, or by taking supplements like vitamin syrups and pills. -
3
Apply lip balm
Apply a good quality lip balm to your lips to keep them from becoming flaky and chapped and to soothe the pain. Apply lip balm several times a day, after eating, drinking or washing your face. -
4
Zinc oxide lip ointment
Zinc oxide is really effective in curing chronic chapped lips. Apply a lip ointment containing zinc oxide daily before going to bed and it will create a buffer between your lips and saliva that may escape through your mouth while sleeping. -
5
Avoid licking lips
Avoid licking your lips, it may cause them to become dry, worsening the condition. If you lick them, you may feel better momentarily, but its long term effects are not good for your lips. Not only the evaporation of water from saliva saps moisture from your lips but the enzymes in saliva also break down the protective barrier of our skin. -
6
Beeswax or petroleum jelly
Frequently apply petroleum jelly or beeswax to your chronically chapped lips. These products will penetrate into your skin, providing your lips higher level of moisturization. -
7
Sunscreen
When going outdoors, apply a lip balm or lipstick containing SPF 15 or higher sunscreen to your lips to protect them from Ultra Violet sun rays.
