Chapped lips can occur more often when the weather is dry. Hydrating and using a humidifier may help. You can also get chapped lips due to other causes, such as dehydration and vitamin deficiencies.
Chapped, or cracked, lips is the term commonly used to describe dry lips. Chapped lips can be caused by several factors, that include the following:
- Weather
- Excessive licking of the lips
- Certain medications
Some people may develop a more severe form of chapped lips called cheilitis, which can be caused by an infection, characterized by cracked skin at the corners of the lips.
You can usually treat dry lips with simple treatment and preventive measures. If your lips continue to be severely dry and cracked, you should consider make an appointment with a dermatologist.
Read also: 10 Useful Tips for Applying Makeup If You Have Dry Skin
Symptoms of Chapped Lips
Some common symptoms of chapped lips include:
- dryness
- flaking
- scales
- sores
- swelling
- cracks
- bleeding
Causes of Chapped Lips
Lips don’t contain oil glands like other parts of the skin. This means lips are more susceptible to drying out and becoming chapped (cracked).
- Lack of moisture can make the problem worse, whether it’s weather-induced or related to a lack of self-care.
- Little humidity in the air during the winter months is known to cause chapped lips. Frequent sun exposure in the summer can also worsen your condition.
- Habitual licking. Saliva from the tongue can further strip the lips of moisture, causing more dryness.
Everyone can get chapped lips, particularly if they have dry skin.
Taking certain medications can also increase your risk of developing chapped lips. Medications and supplements that can cause chapped lips include:
- vitamin A
- retinoids (Retin-A, Differin)
- lithium (commonly used to treat bipolar disorder)
- chemotherapy drugs
People who are dehydrated or malnourished are also more likely to have chapped lips than other people. Call your doctor if either of these are associated with your chapped lips—dehydration and malnutrition are both serious conditions that require immediate medical attention.
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