Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Causes Chapped Lips?At-Home TreatmentsPersistent Chapped LipsPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Causes Chapped Lips?
At-Home Treatments
Persistent Chapped Lips
Prevention
Chapped lips(chelitis) can be annoying and painful and can sometimes cause bleeding. Most people deal with chapped lips at various points throughout the year.
This article covers how to treat and prevent dry, chapped lips and when to see a healthcare provider.
F.J. Jimenez / Getty Images
What Is Cheilitis?
You probably think of dryness when you think about what causes chapped lips. While dryness is a cause of chapped lips, there are other causes, too. These include:
Other medications that may cause dryness leading to chapped lips include:
What You Can Do for Chapped Lips at Home
The good news is you can usually treat chapped lips at home. From moisturizers to natural remedies and staying hydrated, there are lots of options to choose from.
Moisturize
Using lip moisturizer or lip balm is one of the most straightforward ways to heal chapped lips at home. And if you’re wondering if petroleum jelly (Vaseline) fixes chapped lips, the answer is yes, it can help. This is because ointments can seal in moisture longer than waxes or oils.
Experts recommend avoiding lip balms with menthol and eucalyptus.While this tingling sensation associated with medicated lip balm often makes you feel like they’re working, they’re actually irritating.
Instead, look for the following ingredients:
Gently Exfoliate
Exfoliation is gently scrubbing your skin to removedead skincells. Chapped lips often crack and peel. You may already have a routine of exfoliating your skin, but including your lips may help treat and prevent chapped lips.
A warm, wet compress on the lips can help soften dead skin cells, making it easier to exfoliate.
Try Natural Lip Remedies
There are many natural remedies to help treat chapped lips that you may have handy in your kitchen. Some natural remedies that people use for chapped lips include:
Rub aloe vera gel, coconut oil, and honey directly onto your lips. (But avoid the use of honey in children under 12 months old.) These natural products provide a barrier and help moisturize chapped skin.
Cucumber naturally hydrates, so drinking it in juice or eating it whole may help boost your hydration and healing.
Green tea has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.This may make it soothing for dry, chapped lips. Some people place steeped tea bags onto their lips to soothe them. You can also drink green tea.
Drink Water
Drinking adequate amounts of water can help fix chapped lips. Aim for nine or more cups of water a day to stay hydrated.
Use a Humidifier
Since dry air contributes to dry skin, including dry lips, some people find that a humidifier helps when they have chapped lips.
Keep your humidifier clean to limit pathogens that can build up in the machine.In addition, experts suggest using distilled water to reduce mineral buildup.
The Best Humidifiers to Relieve Dry Skin
Avoid Smoking
Smokinghas many well-known effects on the skin, including dry skin. Healthcare providers believe smoking breaks down the elastic fibers in the skin, narrows blood vessels, and reduces vitamin A.It also slows the body’s ability to heal itself. Quitting smoking may benefit your skin and lips.
What About Chapped Lips That Won’t Heal?
At-home treatment usually resolves chapped lips within a few weeks.But what should you do if your chapped lips won’t heal?
How to Prevent Chapped Lips
To prevent chapped lips, experts recommend the following:
Summary
Moisturizing, exfoliating, hydrating, and avoiding smoking are key ways to treat chapped lips. A dermatologist can help determine a more complicated cause if they don’t resolve quickly at home.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lugović-Mihić L, Pilipović K, Crnarić I, Šitum M, Duvančić T.Differential diagnosis of cheilitis: How to classify cheilitis?Acta Clin Croat. June 2018;57(2):342-351. doi:10.20471/acc.2018.57.02.16Puga AM, Lopez-Oliva S, Trives C, Partearroyo T, Varela-Moreiras G.Effects of drugs and excipients on hydration status.Nutrients. March 2019;11(3):669. doi:10.3390/nu11030669American Academy of Dermatology Association.7 dermatologists' tips for healing dry, cracked lips.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Aloe Vera.Samarghandian S, Farkhondeh T, Samini F.Honey and health: a review of recent clinical research.Pharmacognosy Res. 2017;9(2):121-127. doi:10.4103/0974-8490.204647UCLA Health.15 foods that help you stay hydrated.Eng QY, Thanikachalam PV, Ramamurthy S.Molecular understanding of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.J Ethnopharmacol. 2018;210:296-310. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.08.035Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Water.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Humidifiers and indoor allergies.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Smoking and its affects on skin.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lugović-Mihić L, Pilipović K, Crnarić I, Šitum M, Duvančić T.Differential diagnosis of cheilitis: How to classify cheilitis?Acta Clin Croat. June 2018;57(2):342-351. doi:10.20471/acc.2018.57.02.16Puga AM, Lopez-Oliva S, Trives C, Partearroyo T, Varela-Moreiras G.Effects of drugs and excipients on hydration status.Nutrients. March 2019;11(3):669. doi:10.3390/nu11030669American Academy of Dermatology Association.7 dermatologists' tips for healing dry, cracked lips.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Aloe Vera.Samarghandian S, Farkhondeh T, Samini F.Honey and health: a review of recent clinical research.Pharmacognosy Res. 2017;9(2):121-127. doi:10.4103/0974-8490.204647UCLA Health.15 foods that help you stay hydrated.Eng QY, Thanikachalam PV, Ramamurthy S.Molecular understanding of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.J Ethnopharmacol. 2018;210:296-310. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.08.035Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Water.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Humidifiers and indoor allergies.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Smoking and its affects on skin.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Lugović-Mihić L, Pilipović K, Crnarić I, Šitum M, Duvančić T.Differential diagnosis of cheilitis: How to classify cheilitis?Acta Clin Croat. June 2018;57(2):342-351. doi:10.20471/acc.2018.57.02.16Puga AM, Lopez-Oliva S, Trives C, Partearroyo T, Varela-Moreiras G.Effects of drugs and excipients on hydration status.Nutrients. March 2019;11(3):669. doi:10.3390/nu11030669American Academy of Dermatology Association.7 dermatologists' tips for healing dry, cracked lips.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Aloe Vera.Samarghandian S, Farkhondeh T, Samini F.Honey and health: a review of recent clinical research.Pharmacognosy Res. 2017;9(2):121-127. doi:10.4103/0974-8490.204647UCLA Health.15 foods that help you stay hydrated.Eng QY, Thanikachalam PV, Ramamurthy S.Molecular understanding of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.J Ethnopharmacol. 2018;210:296-310. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.08.035Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Water.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Humidifiers and indoor allergies.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Smoking and its affects on skin.
Lugović-Mihić L, Pilipović K, Crnarić I, Šitum M, Duvančić T.Differential diagnosis of cheilitis: How to classify cheilitis?Acta Clin Croat. June 2018;57(2):342-351. doi:10.20471/acc.2018.57.02.16
Puga AM, Lopez-Oliva S, Trives C, Partearroyo T, Varela-Moreiras G.Effects of drugs and excipients on hydration status.Nutrients. March 2019;11(3):669. doi:10.3390/nu11030669
American Academy of Dermatology Association.7 dermatologists' tips for healing dry, cracked lips.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Aloe Vera.
Samarghandian S, Farkhondeh T, Samini F.Honey and health: a review of recent clinical research.Pharmacognosy Res. 2017;9(2):121-127. doi:10.4103/0974-8490.204647
UCLA Health.15 foods that help you stay hydrated.
Eng QY, Thanikachalam PV, Ramamurthy S.Molecular understanding of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.J Ethnopharmacol. 2018;210:296-310. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.08.035
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Water.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Humidifiers and indoor allergies.
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Smoking and its affects on skin.
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