Severely Chapped Lips


Chapped lips is a condition, which is often associated with winter. This may prove wrong in some cases, wherein cold weather is not the usual agent for the condition. There are a number of causes for chapped lips and winter is the most common among them. While some people experience mild symptoms, some others have severely chapped lips. The lips become dry and scaly and fissures may also appear. In some cases, the fissures may bleed and cause severe pain. Apart from being unsightly, this condition may cause immense discomfort, pain and sometimes, infection too.

Causes

Unlike the skin in other parts, lips don't secrete oil to keep the surface moist, which makes it more prone to dryness. Apart from that there are various other factors that lead to dry and cracked lips, a condition, which is commonly known as chapped lips. While it is common to have the condition in cold weather, as in winters, persistent and severely symptoms need to be treated. While home remedies may be effective for healing chapped lips, severe cases may not find any relief. So, if the condition does not subside with any chapped lip remedies, you have to consult a doctor.

We all know that cold weather can cause chapped lips, but, extremely hot conditions and exposure to sun may also result in this condition. This can also occur due to wind exposure. Even habits, like, smoking, lip licking, lip biting and breathing through the mouth, can lead to chapped lips. This condition can also be caused by vitamin deficiency (especially, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin B2), skin disorders, dehydration and allergies. Intake of certain drugs is one among the many reasons for this condition. Chapped lips may be experienced by people affected by diseases and disorders like diabetes, Kawasaki disease, Sjogren's syndrome, macrocytosis and HIV/AIDS.

Symptoms and Treatment

Mild symptoms of chapped lips can be treated with home remedies, but severe and persistent ones need medical attention. Severely chapped lip symptoms include fissures on the lips, bleeding from the cracks, extreme pain, swelling, redness and tenderness. Treatment is based on the exact cause of the condition. If there is any underlying medical condition, treatment will be aimed to treat that condition. In case of vitamin deficiency, a well-balanced diet and vitamin supplements may prove beneficial. However, medicated lips creams are recommended to avoid infection of cracked lips. Medical treatment along with home remedies can control the condition. Petroleum jelly is one of the best lip balms, which can be used to tackle chapped lips. Home remedies include aloe vera gel, olive oil or coconut oil, beeswax, shea or cocoa butter, ghee/butter/milk cream, honey or glycerin and Castor oil. You may resort to lip exfoliation with warm water applied on the lips with a soft wash cloth. Once the lips become soft, gently rub the cloth over the lips to remove the dry and dead skin cells. This has to be followed with an application of petroleum jelly or lip balm.

If you are suffering from this condition, concentrate on lip care and resort to any of the home remedies. In most cases, home remedies are found to be very effective, unless, there is no underlying medical condition or other such causes. If all these measure fail or if the condition is accompanied by other severe symptoms, medical attention is inevitable.

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