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Curing Chapped Lips - Stop your lips getting so chapped and flaky

Chapped lips often look dry, red and feel painful. Lips can also crack, split and bleed. The pain is often continuous, but it can intensify when lips come in contact with moisture or some foods. Chapped lips often occurs in the winter months when cold weather, dry air and wind take their toll. Here you will get to know the causes of chapped lips plus how to cure chapped lips.

Causes of chapped lips

They are the result of our lips being too dry. Chapped lips occur if our skin has lost its moisture retention capacity. As a consequence, our lips become easily chapped. The chapping further reduces the moisture retention capacity and this vicious circle results in the problem becoming chronic and increasingly severe. Some causes of chapped lips maybe:

• The natural oils in the skin is often lessened by exposure to sun, cold, wind and dry air.
• Repeatedly wetting the lips without protecting them first.
• A lack of essential fatty acids and/or B vitamins, poor diet and dehydration.
• A person is allergic to lipstick dyes.

Here are three steps to help you get rid of chapped lips:

1. Massage dry lips with a generous dollop of petroleum jelly. Allow it to get to work for a couple of minutes to soften your skin. Then, gently rub your lips with a warm, damp facecloth. As the petroleum jelly is removed, the flakes of skin will come with it.

2. Smooth your lips morning and night with a lip balm.

3. Switch to a moisturizing lipstick to prevent your lips from drying out during the daytime.

A good remedy for chapped lips: Crack open a Vitamin E gel capsule and rub the gel on your lips.

Castor Oil for Chapped Lips

First, chuck your Chapstick. Conventional lip balms contain petroleum and sometimes alcohol, both of which dry the sensitive skin on your lips. Instead, moisturize and protect your parched, peeling lips with castor oil. Carry a small squeeze bottle of the oil and apply it with your finger often throughout the day. If you plan to be out in the sun, use a natural petroleum- and alcohol-free balm with an SPF of 15 a few minutes after rubbing in the castor oil.

More tips on Chapped Lips

1. Avoid over exposure to sun and use a lip balm containing sun-block when going outside.

2. Keep yourself well hydrated by drinking lots of water (8-10 glasses daily).

3. Apply cool, salt-soaked cloths to the lips everyday to hydrate the lips.

4. Avoid frequent lip licking.

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