Dry lips: causes and treatment

No matter how much you take maintenance of your skin, you are probably neglecting your lips. Between cleansing, toning and hydrating your face, your lips are in luck if you apply at least one lip balm, especially when you notice that they are especially dry. However, as the temperature drops, you may notice that your lips are drier than usual, and you may not see how to properly care for them in winter.

Causes of dry lips

The skin of the lips is abundant thinner than that of the rest of the body and does not have sweat or sebaceous glands. This means that the skin of the lips can dry much faster than, for example, the skin of the face, since it does not contain protective lipids to retain moisture. Lips tend to chap in winter, as cold air and low humidity can affect their moisture.

Drink more water

Dry and chapped lips can be a emblem of dehydration, a very common problem when people spend a lot of time outdoors and drink too much alcohol. If you are well hydrated by drinking enough water throughout the year, you should not have dehydration of your lips. However, if you are concerned about this problem, you should consult your pharmacist or family doctor.

Don't lick your lips

Licking dry lips can create a vicious cycle. The more you do this, the drier you'll feel and the more you'll want to lick them to hydrate them. Unfortunately, when saliva evaporates on the tongue, it draws the natural moisture away from the lips. If you have chapped lips, you should also avoid biting and pinching them, as these habits delay healing.

 

Use a lip scrub

Dead cells can accumulate on the lips, as well as on the skin of the face. Using a gentle lip scrub once or twice a week will help remove dead cells and make your lips look healthier. You will find different types of scrubs on the market, but you can also easily make them at home by mixing a little honey with almond butter and sugar. Apply this mixture on your lips and rub gently in circular motions.

Moisten them

Using lip balm will form a protective barrier that will help keep your lips soft and hydrated. When you feel that your lips are dry or chapped, the best solution to alleviate that discomfort and improve their appearance is to use lip balm regularly.

Use sunscreen for lips

The skin on your lips is very thin and contains very little melanin, a pigment that protects your skin from the sun. This means that the lips are very sensitive to the sun and can easily burn even in winter or on cloudy days. So if you want to protect your lips, it's best to use a daily sunscreen lip balm like Neutrogena® Lip Balm SPF20.

But remember that sunscreen washes off your lips faster than the rest of your body when you speak, eat, or lick your lips. Therefore, if you want to maintain a good level of protection, remember to apply the balm from time to time.