As the temperature drops, so does the moisture in my skin, which means it’s that time of year again! My skin gets dry all over, but this year it’s been especially hard on my lips.
What Causes Chapped Lips?
I brought up my struggle with dry, chapped lips during a recent visit to my dermatologist, and gave me some great information and advice! She said that lip skin is much thinner and more delicate than the rest of your skin, which means that it is more prone to dryness.
Our lips also have a smaller concentration of oil glands than other skin, meaning they don’t have as much natural hydration. And once you factor in other threats to moisture like cold weather, makeup, UV rays, and pollution, our lips are constantly under siege, leading to a variety of issues from general dryness to irritated inflammation.
How Do You Heal Chapped Lips?
During that chat with my dermatologist, my lips were so chapped that I could hardly crack a smile for fear of further splitting my already painful lips! You can tell how bad it was in the photos throughout this post.
But now, thanks to the helpful advice from my dermatologist, I’m happy to report that my chapped lips are fully healed and I can smile freely again! :-)
I’ve summarized that dermatologist-approved advice for dealing with chapped lips in the list below. I’ve also included a few findings from my own research and experience that can help you maintain soft and moisturized lips throughout the dry months to come!
The Problem With Lip Balms
Lip balms and chapstick may help keep your lips soft and moisturized, but if your lips are already dry, chapped, or cracked, you should steer clear! They often contain ingredients like alcohol, synthetic fragrances, and added flavorings, which can aggravate dryness and irritation and make things worse.
These effects can be subtle enough that you may not even realize it’s happening. It’s also why some people find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle of constantly reapplying lip balm throughout the day, without any real improvement to show for it.
The Best Solution For Chapped Lips: Aquaphor Healing Ointment
So my dermatologist recommended I skip the lip balms entirely and reach for Aquaphor Healing Ointment instead. It’s inexpensive, available in most grocery stores and drugstores, and best of all, it actually heals your lips instead of making things worse.
Aquaphor comes in a variety of sizes, so I got a tub to keep on my nightstand and a smaller tube to keep in my purse that I can use when I’m out and about. Now that I know how well it works, I’ve vowed to always have some on hand!
Note: Make sure to look for Aquaphor Healing Ointment specifically, which is not to be confused with Aquaphor Lip Repair. The two products have totally different formulas, and you’ll definitely want the full-fledged healing ointment if your lips are severely dry!
6 Extra Tips For Chapped Lips That Dermatologists Swear By
1. Use A Lip Scrub
In severe cases where your lips are peeling or flaking, it’s a good idea to use a lip scrub to help remove all that dead skin. Using a gentle abrasive like sugar will help to gently exfoliate your lips, allowing the moisturizers you apply afterward to penetrate your skin more effectively to ensure a flake-free future!
2. Drink Water
The science here is simple: the better hydrated you are, the more hydrated your lips will be too. Need some help reminding yourself to drink more water throughout the day? Check out these tips.
3. Apply Ointment Often…
One reason why Aquaphor is so effective for healing irritated and dry skin is because it forms a protective barrier. It seals moisture in to hydrate and heal your skin while also keeping dry air and other environmental threats out.
For this reason, it’s important to reapply ointment to your lips often, especially after eating and drinking. The more diligent you are about keeping your chapped lips covered and moisturized, the faster and more effectively they’ll heal.
(Need something to help keep your legs and the rest of your body moisturized? Check out the “miracle” cure that I recommend to everyone!)
4. …And Apply A LOT Before Bed!
You don’t need a special “overnight lip mask” for chapped lips—just apply a thick layer of ointment to them before hopping into bed. It will help heal and soften the skin while you sleep, so you can wake up to smoother lips!
I’ve even started apply a little bit around my nostrils when my nose starts to feel raw after using a lot of tissues. It works like a charm!
5. Avoid Long-Lasting Lipstick
To my fellow lipstick wearers out there, I hope you’re paying attention! If you’re going to wear lipstick, make sure to choose one that won’t make dry lips even worse.
Lipsticks marketed as “long-lasting” often contain alcohol, which will sap the moisture out of your lips in no time. Long-lasting color is nice, but not when it leads to the dreaded flaky stage once the color has settled into the grooves of your dried out lips!
When it comes to lipsticks, a good rule of thumb is to stick to products that feel moisturizing and are easy to remove. And for more tips and tricks for avoiding lipstick faux pas, check out this post!
6. Invest In A Humidifier
In addition to the Aquaphor discovery, plugging in my humidifier at night has been another major game changer for my lips! Rather than trying to treat the symptoms of dryness separately, using a humidifier can help stop those symptoms at their source!
Not only have my lips been less dry since I started using my humidifier at night, but the skin on my nose and legs have improved too. I definitely plan to continue using it throughout the winter to help keep the unpleasant effects of dry winter air at bay!
I hope one or more of these chapped lip tips prove as useful to you as they have been to me! May we all maintain beautiful, pain-free smiles through the dry months to come. :-)
Do you have any tips for healing chapped lips, or preventing them entirely?
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