Chapped dry lips can happen anytime in the year, but we mostly get it during winter or colder seasons when humidity levels change. Nothing like dry cold weather to dry out your skin, hair, and lips!
But there are other elements that can cause your lips to dry!
- SUN – Lots of sun exposure and even sunburns (yup, your lips can get sunburned) can cause problems.
- WIND – Wind no matter the season can wreak havoc on your lips and skin.
- DRY HEAT & LOW HUMIDITY – Happy lips are moist lips. When its dry outside or inside and low in humidity it can really affect your lips. I have also experienced dry lips and even nose bleeds when traveling by plane. Airplanes have a humidity level of 20% (Usually at home it’s 30%) this makes for some unhappy lips, eyes, nose, skin and more .
- SMOKE – Tabacco smoke can irritate the skin around your lips and cause numerous issues. (Source)
Recently my brother came to me with extremely chapped and cracked lips. The kind that when you look at them you cringe a bit because it looks painful.
I helped him out and within a couple of days, his lips were back to normal! YAY!
This got me thinking…since I also have dealt with dry lips off and on through all seasons (lucky me) I wanted to share some easy steps I have discovered that help STOP the chapping, heal quickly, and helps prevent it from happening again.
How to STOP Dry Lips In 4 Steps
The steps below do not have to be followed in order. They are all suggestions that can be done that will change help change the health of your lips.
1. Don’t Lick Your Lips
Our salvia is used to break down the food we eat. It does that because it’s filled with enzymes. When we lick our lips these enzymes can then damage the skin on our lips.
And if that’s not enough… when we lick our lips it creates very quick temporary relief because of the moisture. But it just makes things worse because salvia evaporated quickly making your lips dry even more.
This can create a vicious repetitive cycle that can lead to cracked lips.
I am guilty of this and that’s one of the reasons I have gotten dry lips throughout the year versus just the winter. It can be a hard habit to break. If you are mindful and stop you will see a tremendous change in your lip health.
2. Drink LOTS of Water
Being hydrated plays a huge roll in your lip health. Not to mention your skin, organs, and about everything else in your body. So, start upping your water and it will help you heal faster!
If you need some creative ways to drink more water than check out: 8 Ways to Drink More Water
3. Moisturize Like CRAZY
You can’t conquer the war on chapped lips without moisturizing! And it can’t be something you do once and that’s it.
If it’s BAD grab yourself some restorative healing lip balm like Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick or O’Keeffe’s Unscented Lip Repair Lip Balm
Brands like Burts Bees and EOS Organics work great for mild cases. Don’t get me wrong here…they will repair your lips but they might take longer than medicated or the extra strength stuff. I do have these brands scattered around the house and work great for those occasions I need chapstick.
And here is the key…make sure to apply it at least once in the morning and once at night before bed. If you can apply it more often do so. You drink something and it comes off then reapply. It will only heal if you protect and moisturize it consistently.
4. Be Careful What You Put On Your Lips
Many lipsticks and lip glosses can cause your lips to dry out and even peel. The best thing to do is discontinue the use of those products and purchase ones that moisturize and color. Try to find all-natural or organic brands.
Now, that might be a little drastic and you might not want to part with your favorite shade of lipstick. If that’s the case then make sure to place a layer of lip balm on before putting on your lipstick or lip gloss. Make sure to do that every time you reapply.
This will keep your lips moist and create a barrier between your lips and lipstick.
For most doing those 4 things above will put you on the right track to healthy happy lips. There are rarer cases when your chapped cracked lips are caused by a deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals. If that is the case you will most likely have other symptoms beyond just your lips being chapped.
If you suspect it is a deficiency then seek out medical advice and testing by your doctor. They can help through the process.
Well, I hope these easy steps and suggestions help your lips become soft and happy once more! Please leave me a comment below…I would love to hear from you.
Melissa is a passionate minister, speaker and an ongoing learner of the Bible. She has been involved in church and vocational ministry for over 18 years. And is the founder of Think About Such Things. She has the heart to equip the saints by helping them get into the Word of God and fall more in love with Jesus. She also enjoys family, cooking, and reading.
She has spoken in churches in California, Oregon, Texas, and Mexico and has been featured in Guidepost Magazine and All Recipes Magazine. Read More…