Cracked Lips: Causes and Prevention

Cracked lips can be an incredibly painful problem to deal with. Because your lips don’t have their own oil glands, the flaky skin of cracked lips can become much more common than in other areas of the body. It’s also difficult to do anything with your lips when they’re cracked: eating, drinking, kissing, smiling, talking, and other simple tasks can become much more difficult with dry skin on your lips.

Additionally, it’s common for cracked lips to be an aesthetic issue: people often just think they look worse. Plus, it’s also difficult to cover up the problem; there’s no lip product that can cover up the problem, contrary to many other makeup options. Here’s what you need to know about cracked lips, including how to fix the problem.

Dry lips caused by extreme temperatures

It’s very common to see cracked lips caused by either cold weather or dry weather, which often come hand in hand. During winter, temperatures are quite low, which means the amount of humidity that can be in the air tends to be quite low, potentially drying lips out further. If you catch a common cold and have to breathe through your lips, the increased airflow can also strip your lips of moisture.

However, on the other hand, in many places, summer’s warmth also causes a reduction in moisture, which can cause dry lips. Harsh weather conditions on either side can result in problems with chapped lips, which is why it’s so important to care for your lips at all times, regardless of environmental factors.

Harmful chemicals that affect lips

There are a number of chemicals in both cosmetics and medicines that can cause cracked lips. Here are a few ingredients that might cause or worsen cracked lips:

• Capsaicin
• Menthol or mint
• Benzoyl peroxide
• Retinoids
• Alpha-hydroxy acids
• Lanolin
• Salicylic acid
• Camphor

This is one reason why most prescription medications will warn to apply away from the lip area. Some of these ingredients can also be in commercial lip balms; if you’re looking to use lip balm for your cracked lips, it’s a good idea to choose a bland lip balm, as the ingredients in flavored lip balms can sometimes make the problem worse.

Bad habits that cause cracked lips

One top issue that can cause cracked lips is simply not drinking enough water. Water provides hydration to your body, including your lips, and if you’re dehydrated, that will make your cracked lips worse. This can be especially important if you have other issues with delicate skin or skin conditions like eczema. Staying hydrated is extremely important.

It’s also very important to avoid lip licking. Saliva can seem like a quick way to moisturize lips, but there are two problems. First, the moisture on the lips quickly evaporates, drawing extra moisture out of the lips and affecting lip health. Second, the digestive acids in saliva can irritate the sensitive skin of the lips, causing additional problems. This can also lead to a vicious cycle where you continuously lick your lips, resulting in more cracks.

Simple tips and treatments for cracked lips

The good news is that, as far as medical conditions go, cracked lips are fairly easy to fix. Here are some simple chapped lip treatments for this common condition.

• Keep yourself hydrated.
• Stop licking your lips if you have this habit.
• Try out a lip balm with a sun protection factor (SPF) to reduce sun damage and promote healthy skin.
• Don’t peel off blisters that form on your lips, as this can slow down the healing process and encourage more cracks. Instead, when healing dry lips, focus on moisturizing as much as possible.
• Eat fewer spicy foods.
• Talk to a board-certified dermatologist if you’re especially worried.

Educate yourself on lip care

If you’re especially passionate about cracked lips and the treatment options available for cracked lips, you may be interested in pursuing an education in the field. At Evergreen Beauty College, you can learn through our esthetics course with information that can help you eventually provide dermatologic care to people who are looking for a chapped lips remedy. Contact us to get more information about how you can get started.

FAQs: Cracked lips

Can I require medical attention for cracked lips?

In some cases, you may need help from a medical professional for cracked lips. A combination of prescriptions, which can include options like antifungal medications, specialized tips for healing your specific cracked lips, and even testing for vitamin deficiencies and nutritional deficiencies, like iron deficiency, can help you discover the underlying problem for especially severe cracked lips. If you’re very worried about your cracked lips, talk to your healthcare provider for medical advice and information on oral health.

Are certain people more prone to cracked lips?

People with especially sensitive skin may find that it’s more common for them to experience cracked lips, and they may also experience cracked lips more severely, resulting in potential impacts on their physical health overall. If you find that you regularly experience cracked lips, you may want to talk to your doctor about effective remedies.

Do certain locations tend to cause cracked lips more often?

If you live in a place that generally has quite low humidity or high wind speeds, you may see issues with cracked lips more frequently. Wind exposure and low humidity in your area can cause the sensitive skin of your lips to dry out easily. In these locations, you may need to be more deliberate about your lip protection.