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Lip Service: Healing Chapped Lips

Winter can be idyllic: white snow blankets the ground, children bundle up to play outside and couples cuddle in front of a fireplace. But as the winter winds whip, and the arid heat indoors becomes too much, your lips can peel and crack.

Chapped lips are caused by overexposure to wind, sun or dry conditions in any season, but winter is especially troublesome. As tempting as licking your lips can be when they feel like a desert, the saliva will quickly evaporate, leaving your chapped lips feeling even worse.

The best way to care for your aching lips, according to the National Institutes of Health, is to protect them from the elements:

• Use a non-flavored lip balm, petroleum jelly or even a skin moisturizer to heavily coat the lips. These products help to both moisturize the lips and prevent them from drying out.
• Avoid flavored lip-balms. They can be more fun and certainly taste better, but also give you an excuse to keep licking your lips, making them wear off quickly.
• Remove the dead skin by rubbing a wet, warm washcloth over your lips to gently loosen the flakes. You may need to do this more than once as your lips heal.

• Apply an unflavored lip balm with sunscreen whenever you go out.
• Wear scarves or jackets that block the wind from getting to your lips.
• Use a humidifier to moisturize the air in your home, helping to prevent both dry lips and skin.
• For women, wear glossy lipstick, as matte lipstick may dry out the lips.

In some cases, ill-fitting dentures can also cause lips to dry out. If you suspect that this is the source of the problem, see a dentist to get a proper fit.