How to Treat and Prevent Dry or Cracked Lips
Get a bowl full of warm water., Exfoliate your lips., Regularly and generously apply lip balm., Apply a layer of chapstick., Try alternative methods., Keep hydrated., Cover your mouth in cold or windy weather., Try not to lick your lips., Do not...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get a bowl full of warm water.
Dip a washcloth in a bowl of hot water and then gently lay it on your lips for 30 seconds or until it is no longer warm.
Repeat this step twice or until your lips are soft.Be sure to use a washcloth that is not too abrasive.
This can irritate your lips further.
Make sure the water is not too hot.
Scalding your lips will only make them more painful. -
Step 2: Exfoliate your lips.
Using the washcloth, gently wash your lips.
As you massage your lips with the washcloth, the flakes of skin should come off your lips.
Do this until your lips are smooth.You can also use a baby toothbrush or other soft brush to exfoliate your lips. , Look for a product that contains petroleum and is viscous.
Petroleum does not moisturize, but it will ensure that the moisturizing agent is locked into the cracks and crevices of your lips.
Let the balm soak in for a few minutes.
Natural oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil or mustard oil, can also help your lips hold moisture.
Some balms have aloe that will help sooth your lips if they are sunburned.
Avoid rubbing the balm too thoroughly into your lips.
Too much rubbing will remove much of the balm and may irritate your lips.
Don't lick or chew on your lips, as this can cause dryness. , After a few minutes, or once the balm has been adequately absorbed by your lips, apply a layer of chapstick.
This will help protect your lips from further exposure and help them hold moisture.
Be sure to use a chapstick that is more waxy and can create a firmer barrier on your lips. .
Beeswax chapsticks are optimal for holding in moisture and protecting your lips.
Look for brands that are beeswax based. , There are a number of alternative methods for treating dry or chapped lips.
These methods largely emphasize plant extracts.
Others emphasize animal products, such as milk or cream.
These methods may help your lips in a more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective manner.
Cucumber juice, rubbed on your lips multiple times a day, can ease the discomfort of dry lips.
Although it may taste and smell unpleasant, aloe vera is also a great natural remedy and you can grow it yourself.
Simply squeeze the juice from the leaf of an aloe vera plant and apply it to your lips.
Rose petal extract mixed with milk may moisturize your lips when applied multiple times a day.
Milk cream softens skin and hastens healing.
Use it before exfoliating your lips. , In dry or hot locations and during the winter, your body is more likely to lose moisture to the environment.
Staying properly hydrated will ensure that your lips remain moisturized and do not get chapped.
Drink water and use a humidifier to help your skin stay moisturized when the environment is dry.Drinking plenty of water is an essential step in preventing dry or chapped lips.
Men need roughly 3 liters and women need about
2.2 liters of water a day to stay properly hydrated.
You can also lose moisture through your skin.
Use a humidifier in your home during the winter or if you live in a dry region. , When we go outside we rarely cover our mouths, exposing the thin and sensitive skin of our faces to the elements.
Harsh wind, cold temperatures, and dry air can all sap the moisture from your lips.
It is therefore important to cover your mouth when you go outside to prevent chapped lips.Cover your mouth with a scarf in the winter to prevent cold wind from drying out your lips. , The regularly wetting your lips with saliva actually dries out your lips more quickly, leading to chapped lips.
Once the saliva evaporates from your lips, they will be drier than before. , This will make your lips bleed and, consequently, heal more slowly.
Resist the urge to touch or peel any sores or cracks and allow your lips to heal.
Repeated touching of sores or cracks can also lead to infection or possibly make you ill.
Irritating the skin around your mouth can trigger a cold sore if you have the herpes simplex virus, which adds to the soreness and dryness of your lips. , Moving air helps water evaporate, wicking away moisture.
For example, think about what happens to wet clothes when you lay them under a fan.
The same principle is at work on your lips, which are also incapable of creating their own protective oils.If you are experiencing sinus congestion and have to breathe through your mouth, be sure to regularly apply balm to your lips. , Various allergens can irritate your lips and cause swelling, leading to chapping.
Certain foods, medicines, and environmental agents, like pollen and dander, can lead cause an allergic reaction.
If you can, be sure to avoid these things..
As a rule of thumb, you should avoid ingesting anything you are allergic to because you may have a fatal reaction. , Choose a product that contains ingredients like cocoa butter, vitamins A and E, beeswax, highly refined petroleum jelly, or dimethicone.
Apply it at least once a day, preferably in the morning before you go outside.
Carry a balm with you during the day so you can moisturize throughout the day.
This will help your lips hold stay moisturized throughout the day and not become chapped.Try applying balm after you brush your teeth or wash your face.
Toothpastes, mouthwashes, and facial cleansers alter your mouth’s PH and can cause chapping., Getting sunburn on your lips can be painful on its own, but it also leads to chapped lips.
To avoid getting a sunburn on your lips, wear a balm that has an SPF of 15 or higher.
Be sure to apply the sun protection to your lips before going outside.When buying balm, look for one designed for all day use that has an SPF rating.
Although it might taste gross, you can apply regular sunscreen to your lips if you do not have any balm; however, the alcohol in sunscreen might dry out your lips further.
Only do this as a last resort. , Many natural oils and waxes provide excellent protection from conditions that can dry out your lips.
Coconut oil, olive oil, beeswax and other natural products can help your lips hold onto their moisture.
You buy natural lip balms or make them at home.Natural lip balms with honey not only taste good, but also hold onto moisture better., These ingredients actually dry out your lips more and make chapping worse.
This can lead to a vicious cycle in which you apply this kind of balm to your dry lips, drying them out even more, leading you to use more balm.Instead look for balms that contain essential oils or glycerin. , Although it does not work as well as balms and moisturizers, it does provide a limited amount of protection from the sun and wind.
Avoid light lipsticks that will intensify the effects of the sun and, instead, choose tinted lipsticks that reflect more sunburn-causing UV rays.Look for lipstick that has an SPF rating of 15 or higher.
Matte lipstick can dry out your lips so it is important to apply moisturizer the night and morning before you apply the lipstick.
This will help your lips hold their moisture. -
Step 3: Regularly and generously apply lip balm.
-
Step 4: Apply a layer of chapstick.
-
Step 5: Try alternative methods.
-
Step 6: Keep hydrated.
-
Step 7: Cover your mouth in cold or windy weather.
-
Step 8: Try not to lick your lips.
-
Step 9: Do not pick or bite off flakes of dried skin.
-
Step 10: Breathe through your nose.
-
Step 11: Avoid allergens.
-
Step 12: Use a lip balm or moisturizer that to prevents chapped lips.
-
Step 13: Use products that your lips from the sun.
-
Step 14: Try natural products.
-
Step 15: Avoid products that contain camphor
-
Step 16: eucalyptus
-
Step 17: and menthol.
-
Step 18: Wear lipstick.
Detailed Guide
Dip a washcloth in a bowl of hot water and then gently lay it on your lips for 30 seconds or until it is no longer warm.
Repeat this step twice or until your lips are soft.Be sure to use a washcloth that is not too abrasive.
This can irritate your lips further.
Make sure the water is not too hot.
Scalding your lips will only make them more painful.
Using the washcloth, gently wash your lips.
As you massage your lips with the washcloth, the flakes of skin should come off your lips.
Do this until your lips are smooth.You can also use a baby toothbrush or other soft brush to exfoliate your lips. , Look for a product that contains petroleum and is viscous.
Petroleum does not moisturize, but it will ensure that the moisturizing agent is locked into the cracks and crevices of your lips.
Let the balm soak in for a few minutes.
Natural oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil or mustard oil, can also help your lips hold moisture.
Some balms have aloe that will help sooth your lips if they are sunburned.
Avoid rubbing the balm too thoroughly into your lips.
Too much rubbing will remove much of the balm and may irritate your lips.
Don't lick or chew on your lips, as this can cause dryness. , After a few minutes, or once the balm has been adequately absorbed by your lips, apply a layer of chapstick.
This will help protect your lips from further exposure and help them hold moisture.
Be sure to use a chapstick that is more waxy and can create a firmer barrier on your lips. .
Beeswax chapsticks are optimal for holding in moisture and protecting your lips.
Look for brands that are beeswax based. , There are a number of alternative methods for treating dry or chapped lips.
These methods largely emphasize plant extracts.
Others emphasize animal products, such as milk or cream.
These methods may help your lips in a more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective manner.
Cucumber juice, rubbed on your lips multiple times a day, can ease the discomfort of dry lips.
Although it may taste and smell unpleasant, aloe vera is also a great natural remedy and you can grow it yourself.
Simply squeeze the juice from the leaf of an aloe vera plant and apply it to your lips.
Rose petal extract mixed with milk may moisturize your lips when applied multiple times a day.
Milk cream softens skin and hastens healing.
Use it before exfoliating your lips. , In dry or hot locations and during the winter, your body is more likely to lose moisture to the environment.
Staying properly hydrated will ensure that your lips remain moisturized and do not get chapped.
Drink water and use a humidifier to help your skin stay moisturized when the environment is dry.Drinking plenty of water is an essential step in preventing dry or chapped lips.
Men need roughly 3 liters and women need about
2.2 liters of water a day to stay properly hydrated.
You can also lose moisture through your skin.
Use a humidifier in your home during the winter or if you live in a dry region. , When we go outside we rarely cover our mouths, exposing the thin and sensitive skin of our faces to the elements.
Harsh wind, cold temperatures, and dry air can all sap the moisture from your lips.
It is therefore important to cover your mouth when you go outside to prevent chapped lips.Cover your mouth with a scarf in the winter to prevent cold wind from drying out your lips. , The regularly wetting your lips with saliva actually dries out your lips more quickly, leading to chapped lips.
Once the saliva evaporates from your lips, they will be drier than before. , This will make your lips bleed and, consequently, heal more slowly.
Resist the urge to touch or peel any sores or cracks and allow your lips to heal.
Repeated touching of sores or cracks can also lead to infection or possibly make you ill.
Irritating the skin around your mouth can trigger a cold sore if you have the herpes simplex virus, which adds to the soreness and dryness of your lips. , Moving air helps water evaporate, wicking away moisture.
For example, think about what happens to wet clothes when you lay them under a fan.
The same principle is at work on your lips, which are also incapable of creating their own protective oils.If you are experiencing sinus congestion and have to breathe through your mouth, be sure to regularly apply balm to your lips. , Various allergens can irritate your lips and cause swelling, leading to chapping.
Certain foods, medicines, and environmental agents, like pollen and dander, can lead cause an allergic reaction.
If you can, be sure to avoid these things..
As a rule of thumb, you should avoid ingesting anything you are allergic to because you may have a fatal reaction. , Choose a product that contains ingredients like cocoa butter, vitamins A and E, beeswax, highly refined petroleum jelly, or dimethicone.
Apply it at least once a day, preferably in the morning before you go outside.
Carry a balm with you during the day so you can moisturize throughout the day.
This will help your lips hold stay moisturized throughout the day and not become chapped.Try applying balm after you brush your teeth or wash your face.
Toothpastes, mouthwashes, and facial cleansers alter your mouth’s PH and can cause chapping., Getting sunburn on your lips can be painful on its own, but it also leads to chapped lips.
To avoid getting a sunburn on your lips, wear a balm that has an SPF of 15 or higher.
Be sure to apply the sun protection to your lips before going outside.When buying balm, look for one designed for all day use that has an SPF rating.
Although it might taste gross, you can apply regular sunscreen to your lips if you do not have any balm; however, the alcohol in sunscreen might dry out your lips further.
Only do this as a last resort. , Many natural oils and waxes provide excellent protection from conditions that can dry out your lips.
Coconut oil, olive oil, beeswax and other natural products can help your lips hold onto their moisture.
You buy natural lip balms or make them at home.Natural lip balms with honey not only taste good, but also hold onto moisture better., These ingredients actually dry out your lips more and make chapping worse.
This can lead to a vicious cycle in which you apply this kind of balm to your dry lips, drying them out even more, leading you to use more balm.Instead look for balms that contain essential oils or glycerin. , Although it does not work as well as balms and moisturizers, it does provide a limited amount of protection from the sun and wind.
Avoid light lipsticks that will intensify the effects of the sun and, instead, choose tinted lipsticks that reflect more sunburn-causing UV rays.Look for lipstick that has an SPF rating of 15 or higher.
Matte lipstick can dry out your lips so it is important to apply moisturizer the night and morning before you apply the lipstick.
This will help your lips hold their moisture.
About the Author
Steven Gray
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
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