Dry lips

Dry, chapped lips are a very unpleasant phenomenon that occurs especially in winter. Some people are so affected by the problem of "dry, chapped lips" that the skin on their lips tears deeply and even starts to bleed. Anyone who has problems with dry, chapped lips should consider the following advice, which is suitable for treating the problem of "dry, chapped lips".

What are dry, chapped lips?

Dry, chapped lips mainly affect the delicate and very sensitive skin in this area. In the first stage, the lips are just dry. If they continue to dry out, dry, chapped lips lead to injuries as the skin tears.

This can lead to clearly visible wounds, especially in the corners of the mouth. In some cases, there is also inflammation caused by dry, chapped lips.

causes

Dry and chapped lips are primarily caused by air that is too dry. This air causes dry, chapped lips because the skin can no longer be supplied with sufficient moisture from the outside.

In addition, many people practice using their tongue to moisten dry, chapped lips many times a day. However, the resulting saliva film does not improve the symptom of "dry, chapped lips". On the contrary, it dries out the lips even further.

Another cause of dry, chapped lips is improper care. Many people who suffer from dry lips also use conventional lip cream. In particular, moisturizers with preservatives help to make chapped and dry lips even worse.

Diseases with this symptom

• Perioral dermatitis

course

Dry, chapped lips should be treated as there are different stages in chapped lips. In the advanced stages, dry, chapped lips can become extremely uncomfortable and noticeably impair the quality of life. In the beginning, dry lips are barely noticeable. The skin on the lips just feels a little dry and the lips are tense, especially when smiling. If lips that make themselves this way are not treated with appropriate measures, the problem can grow further.

In the next stage, dry lips are already visible to other people. The lips then form tiny flakes, which are particularly noticeable in women who use lipstick. The color of the lipstick sticks to the flakes of skin so that they stand out particularly clearly. If the lips dry out even further, sometimes deep tears occur that can even bleed. But the scraped off skin cells also lead to bleeding; a common symptom of dry or chapped lips.

Complications

Dry lips arise as a result of various diseases and usually do not lead to major complications. Problems can arise when dry lips persist for a long period of time. This can lead to skin irritation, inflammation and pain when eating.

If the lips tear open as a result of dehydration, this can lead to infections and the formation of painful cysts in the corners of the mouth. In addition, chronically dry lips favor diseases such as herpes or existing inflammations in the mouth. In the event of unsuitable treatment with certain home remedies or medical care products, dry lips can be further irritated and subsequently scarred.

Infants and toddlers with dry lips run the risk of partially swallowing the applied cream, which can lead to nausea and vomiting, but, depending on the care product, also to allergic reactions and other complications. Dry lips can also indicate underlying problems such as general dehydration or allergy, which in turn carry various risks. Because of the possible complications, dry lips must always be discussed with the family doctor.

When should you go to the doctor?

Normally, dry lips do not require medical or medical treatment. Usually, dry lips are caused by overly dry and chapped skin. To counteract this appearance, the affected person can resort to moisturizing creams or ointments. In most cases, a clear improvement can be seen after two to four days. However, such freely available funds do not always help.

It may well happen that there is no significant improvement even after prolonged use. It is not uncommon for the corners of the mouth to tear, making the whole thing a painful affair. In such a case, a doctor should be consulted immediately. If there is an infection behind the dry lips, a visit to the doctor is also recommended. Viruses and bacteria may spread throughout the body, which can lead to a flu-like infection.

Anyone who wants to avoid these complications should seek medical treatment immediately. An improvement can be brought about within a short time with appropriate medication. So if you permanently suffer from dry lips, you shouldn't delay a visit to the doctor too long. If there is a serious underlying disease behind it, early treatment is of great importance.

Doctors & therapists in your area

Treatment & Therapy

Dry, chapped lips, although they are very uncomfortable and in some cases lead to painful complications in wound healing, can be treated successfully. The treatment methods focus on the one hand on changing the external environment and on the other hand on the care of the lips.

Since the humidity of the environment is a crucial factor in this problem, it is worth changing it indoors. There are special devices that can increase the humidity in the room. In this way, the dry skin on the lips can be noticeably improved.

In addition to this measure, proper lip care also plays an important role. The choice of care depends on the severity of the symptom. If you only have minor problems, you will get along very well with a conventional lip care stick. In worse cases, you can choose a care product that also has wound-healing ingredients and is therefore very effective against dry or chapped lips.

Outlook & forecast

Overall, the prognosis for chapped lips is very favorable in most cases. Dry lips are not always a sign of illness. If the lips are only cracked in winter because they cannot handle the change between heating air and cold, the view is very favorable. The problems usually go away with the end of the cold spell without treatment. Dry lips can often be removed beforehand with creams, lip balms or other care products.

If the dry lips are due to a vitamin or mineral deficiency, appropriate intervention is required. Without a sufficient supply of nutrients, the lips usually remain cracked.

Low fluid intake often also leads to dry lips. In this case, however, the lips often become supple again within one to two days if the body receives enough water. In the days and weeks that follow, the skin of the lips will regenerate if you continue to drink enough and other factors such as diet look good.

The prognosis is less favorable when dry lips are a symptom of a serious illness. Even then, however, there is usually significant improvement as soon as treatment of the underlying disease progresses. In addition, in this case too, symptomatic treatment of the dry lips is often possible, which can at least bring relief.

prevention

Home remedies ↵ against dry
Lips Dry, chapped lips can also be combated with preventive measures. Here, too, it's about the humidity and the right care. However, experts warn against using lip balm against chapped lips too diligently. If this is used too often, it can even contribute to the development of the problem of dry lips in the long term.

You can do that yourself

Dry lips are often an indicator of a lack of fluids in the body. It is therefore advisable to drink enough. In the best case, the fluid requirement is covered by herbal teas or water. Two to three liters a day are suitable.

An old home remedy for chapped lips is olive oil. It not only has a moisturizing effect but also cares for and stresses dry lips. Olive oil is particularly effective in combination with egg yolk. To do this, the ingredients are mixed and a thin layer is applied to the lips. If necessary, this can be used daily. A quark mask for the lips also provides additional moisture. Proper lip care is also important. Many care sticks only provide short-term moisture and dry out the lips in the long term. Milking oils such as petroleum jelly ensure a beautiful shine and long-lasting moisture.

In summer it is important not only to protect the skin of the face but also the lips from UV rays. In the pharmacy or drugstore there are lip balm sticks with UV protection factor. Sunburn on the lips should be avoided, as this also dries out sensitive, rough skin. In winter, the dry indoor air is more of a problem. It is advisable to ventilate regularly to ensure a good indoor climate. Plants in the room and humidifiers can also improve the situation.