The skin on your lips is thin and doesn’t contain oil glands like the rest of your skin does, making them be more prone to becoming dry and chapped. If you have chapped lips, the skin in this area may be cracked, painful, dry, flaking, scabby, have sores, swollen, or bleeding. There are several things that can cause chapping. Fortunately, there are also many home remedies you can use to relieve chapped lips.
Causes
This commonly occurs when the skin on your lips dries out. Numerous things can cause the skin in this area to become dry.
Weather
Exposure to cold or dry weather is a known cause of chapping. Additionally, too much sun exposure can lead to dry lips.
Lip Licking
Frequent lip licking can lead to this problem because the saliva in your tongue can strip them of their moisture.
Medications
Certain medications, such as retinoids can dry out them out too. Retinoids are a form of vitamin A. Retinoids can be utilized for the treatment of skin conditions, such as psoriasis and acne. Healthline asserts that lithium, often used to treat bipolar disorder, and chemotherapy drugs, often used in cancer treatment, can cause this cracking as well.
Medical Conditions
Some health conditions can leave your lips feeling dry or cracked. These conditions include Linchen planus, autoimmune bulbous diseases, sarcoidosis, eczema, lupus erythematosus, Crohn’s disease, and nutritional deficiencies.
Allergy
If your lips are chronically dry, and you can’t seem to find the cause, you could be having an allergic reaction to something. Allergic contact dermatitis is a common reason for this dryness. You can develop an allergy to an ingredient at any time, even if you’ve been using it for years.
To determine if you may have an allergy to something, such as your toothpaste, mouthwash, lipstick, or balm, stop using one product at a time for two weeks in a row. If your dryness seems to get better, you may have an allergy to the product you stopped using.
Mouth Breathing
Mouth breathing can lead to dry lips because the moisture from them evaporates as you breathe through your mouth while you sleep.
Home remedies for cracking and dryness
Getting rid of chapped lips isn’t difficult. There are many home remedies you can use to relieve the dryness that trigger cracking.
Honey
Not only is honey moisturizing, it contains properties that can help heal cracked lips. You can apply organic honey directly to them several times throughout the day. You can also create a paste with honey and glycerin, and put it on directly to them before you go to sleep at night.
Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly is incredibly moisturizing, making it a great home remedy for this problem. Simply apply petroleum jelly to your lips several times throughout the day and before you go to sleep at night.
You can also use petroleum jelly with honey to relieve chapped lips. Coat them with a thin layer of organic honey. Let the honey dry for a minute before you put a thin layer of petroleum jelly on top of it. Allow the honey and petroleum jelly to remain on them for 10 to 15 minutes before you rinse it off with warm water.
Rose Petals
Not only are rose petals moisturizing, they help enhance your lip color as well. Wash a handful of rose petals in water before soaking them in milk for three hours. If you are lactose intolerant, you can soak the rose petals in glycerin instead. After soaking the petals, mash them up to form a paste. Put the rose petal paste on them two to three times a day as well as before you go to sleep at night.
Cucumber
Cucumber is a natural moisturizer you can use to help heal your chapping. You can try rubbing cucumber slices on your lips and leaving the juice on for 30 minutes before you rinse it off with water. You can do this several times each day to help moisturize them.
Castor Oil
Castor oil is another good home remedy to try too. You can simply apply the oil to your lips throughout the day. Alternatively, mix one teaspoon glycerin, one teaspoon castor oil, and a few drops of lemon juice together. Combine the ingredients well before you put the mixture them directly. Leave the mixture on overnight, and rinse it off with water in the morning.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera has anti-inflammatory properties and is a natural moisturizer. Slice open an aloe leaf and extract the gel. Massage the gel into your lips, and leave it on for 15 minutes before you rinse it off with warm water. You can do this several times a day to get relief from the dryness.
Chapping can be painful and irritating. Try using one or more of these home remedies we have seen, and you’ll have softer, smoother lips in no time.