During the fall and winter season, lips are subjected to dryness which can lead to chapping and peeling. Although uncomfortable, it really is an easy fix.
People experience chapped lips more in the wintertime than in the summertime. The cold zaps moisture and accelerates lip damage. The natural tendency to alleviate the discomfort is to lick the lips, but that’s the worst thing to do. This habit aggravates the problem causing more peeling and chapping.
Cracked lips in cooler weather may be caused by environmental conditions including:
Cold temperatures The flu or cold that forces someone to breathe out of their mouths Indoor heating systems and car heater Wind
Mild dehydration causes dry lips, so even though it’s chilly outside do still drink plenty of water throughout the day. Those treating chapped lips need to scale back on their coffee and tea intake because caffeine dehydrates the body.
Topical lip balms and conditioners are a great choice for treatment.
It’s important to point out that although the winter skies may be overcast, it’s always a good idea to find a lip balm with a sun protection factor. Ultraviolet rays still penetrate cloudy skies and damage skin.
And if winter sports like skiing and snowboarding are on the seasonal calendar, these activities can also worsen lip issues. So wear lip balm, a ski mask or scarf regularly.
If there’s time for research, log on to the Skin Cancer Foundation website. There, one will find a list of products that are recommended by this organization which will have a SPF formula.
One example of this is the Jane Iredale Lip Drink that has no petroleum-derived products. For years, people turned to petroleum to treat dry lips but it’s been discovered that the more it was applied, the more chapped their lips became.
Skin Care Heaven, a medical day spa and e-commerce store in Carlsbad has this Jane Iredale product in stock as well as other great lip balms for consideration.
Also avoid these formulas in lip products because they irritate dry lips even more, such as:
· Alcohol · Capascin (made from chili peppers) · Menthol · Phenol
Some of the above products are used to plump up lips, but on the flipside, they may dehydrate them instead. Like always, consult with a skin care professional on what is best.
Other great lip restoring ingredients are:
· Aloe Vera · Anti-Ozonate · Coconut Oil · Shea butter
Typically, it takes about a week to treat chapped lips. During this timeframe, abstain from eating salty and spicy foods because this can aggravate the problem.
Also, while indoor heating may be cranking in the home, think about investing in a humidifier. Having it in the bedroom will help moisten dry lips while getting some shuteye.
If dry lips persist for more than a couple of weeks or if they begin to bleed, it’s recommended to seek the help of a health care professional.