Chapped lips is a skin condition, wherein the lips become dry and scaly, with or without fissures. Apart from being a cosmetic concern, chapped lips may cause pain and may bleed too. In some cases, the lips may also get swollen. Chapped lips can be caused by various factors. In most cases, chapped lips occur occasionally, due to climatic changes and other factors. But, some medical conditions, like dehydration, and intake of certain drugs, etc., may also cause chapped lips. So, there are various chapped lips causes, which will be discussed in the following paragraphs along with chapped lips treatment.
Chapped Lips Symptoms and Causes
The most common symptoms of chapped lips are dry, rough and flaky lips, with cracks or fissures. Severe cases of chapped lips may also cause pain and bleeding. The lips may become tender, red and inflamed. This condition causes severe discomfort to the affected person and may affect activities, like, talking, eating, smiling, etc. As mentioned above, chapped lips causes may vary from one person to another, but, most people experience this condition during winters. Other common chapped lips causes include sun exposure, lip biting/lip licking habit, vitamin deficiency (especially, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin B2), habit of breathing through mouth, cold and flu, exposure to wind, climate changes, skin disorders, ill-fitting dentures, dehydration, smoking, etc. Apart from these, certain allergies and some medical conditions can also cause chapped lips. It has been observed that some medications, like, chemotherapeutic agents, D-penicillamine, isoniazid, phenothiazine, high doses of vitamin A, etc. cause chapped lips in some people. Chapped lips is also a symptom of some major diseases and disorders, like, diabetes, Kawasaki disease, Sjogren's syndrome, macrocytosis, HIV/AIDS, etc.
Chapped Lips Home Remedies
Chapped lips is not a cause of concern, unless it is persistent and recurrent. In most cases, treatment for chapped lips can be effectively done with some simple home remedies. The following are some of the popular and widely accepted home remedies, which are found to be effective in providing chapped lips relief:
- We all know that lip balms can be effective as a cure for chapped lips. Choose an unflavored lip balm or petroleum jelly for this purpose.
- A remedy for chapped lips is pure ghee, butter or milk cream, which can be applied on the lips before going to bed, on a daily basis.
- Aloe vera gel can be very effective as chapped lips treatment. You may also use fresh aloe vera juice.
- Honey can work wonders as a treatment for chapped lips. It can promote the healing process and also prevent the cracks from getting infected.
- Another chapped lips home remedy is coconut oil. You may also replace this with olive oil. Apply the oil on the lips before going to bed, every night.
- As the major cause for chapped lips is dehydration, drink lots of water and other fluids as a cure for this condition.
- You may also go for exfoliation of the lips, after softening it with lukewarm water (apply a clean washcloth dipped in slightly warm water) and then gently rubbing the lips with a soft and damp cloth.
Chapped lips can be prevented to some extent, with proper lip care. Use lip balm, when you go out in harsh weather. Sunscreen should be applied on the lips before going out in the sun. Avoid the habits of lip biting/licking and smoking. Adopt a healthy diet, which takes care of your daily requirement of nutrients. So, try to prevent the occurrence of this condition. In case you experience chapped lips, you can resort to any of the chapped lips remedies, given above. However, severe and persistent chapped lips require medical attention and then the chapped lips treatment, will vary with the underlying cause.
