Home Remedies for Chapped Lips

Dry, chapped lips can be painful. And, when they are severely chapped, and are all cracked and scaly-looking, chapped lips can also be embarrassing. This condition can be caused by lots of things, including cold or dry weather, exposure to the sun, and spending lots of time in a dry, indoor environment.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to treat, and prevent, chapped lips

Don’t Lick Chapped Lips

Licking chapped lips might moisten them for a while, providing temporary relief from the pain. But, as the saliva dries, it also dries up whatever moisture you lips had before you licked them. As a result, the chapping will just get worst.

So, if you are a lip licker, try to break the habit.

Dehydration Can Cause Chapped Lips

Keeping your cells hydrated by drinking plenty of water can help keep your lips from getting dry and chapped. Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day can help your chapped lips heal, and will lower your chances of having chapped lips in the future.

Use Lip Balm Once an Hour

Chapped lips are caused by the skin on your lips getting dried out. Using lip balm every hour, or at least every two hours, will keeps your lips from getting too dry.

If you’re in the habit of licking your lips, and are trying to stop, there are probably times when you lick your chapped lips without even realizing it. So, try a flavored lips balm. This will make you aware of when you are licking your lips, and help you to kick the habit.

Use a Lip Balm with Sun Protection

The skin on your lips can be damaged by the sun more easily than the skin on the rest of your body can. So, use a lip balm that contains sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more.

Humidify Your Home

If you frequently have chapped lips, the problem could be that the air in your home is too dry. Using a humidifier, especially in the rooms where you spend most of your time, could help.

Smoking Can Cause Chapped Lips

Which means there’s another good reason to try to kick your smoking habit.

Other Things That Can Cause Chapped Lips

It’s surprising how many things can cause or worsen chapped lips. Some of these things include: