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Should I see a dermatologist if I have chapped lips?
How do I Stop my Lips from chapping again?
Do you have chapped lips?
How long does it take for chapped lips to heal?
What causes chapped lips?
How do you know if your lips are chapped?
By following these dermatologists’ tips for chapped lips, you should have noticeable improvement in 2 to 3 weeks. To prevent your lips from chapping again, continue applying lip balm whenever it’s dry indoors or outside. When to see a dermatologist? Most of the time, the above self-care can heal dry, chapped lips in 2 to 3 weeks.
- Overview
- Symptoms and Causes
- Diagnosis and Tests
- Management and Treatment
- Prevention
- Outlook / Prognosis
- Living With
- Additional Common Questions
Chapped lips are the result of dry, cracked skin on your lips due to cold or dry weather, sun exposure, frequently licking your lips or dehydration. You can treat chapped lips at home with the use of lip balm or ointment to ease any discomfort.
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OverviewSymptoms and CausesDiagnosis and TestsManagement and TreatmentPreventionOutlook / PrognosisLiving WithAdditional Common Questions
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What are the symptoms of chapped lips?
Symptoms of chapped lips include: Dry or scaling lips. Cracking skin. Peeling skin. Itching. Mild pain. Sores on your lips and in your mouth.
What causes chapped lips?
Causes of chapped lips include: Sunburn. Cold weather. Hot or dry weather. Frequently licking your lips. Medical conditions (allergies, thyroid disorder, some autoimmune disorders) or reaction to a medication. Vitamin deficiency (iron, vitamin B). Dehydration. Advertisement
How are chapped lips diagnosed?
A visual examination of your lips and the skin surrounding your mouth can help diagnose chapped lips. No tests are needed to diagnose chapped lips.
How do you heal chapped lips?
Chapped lips can be treated at home by: Staying hydrated. Using lip balm or ointment as needed throughout the day. Applying lip balm with sunscreen when outdoors. Avoiding licking, picking or biting at your lips. Keeping foreign objects away from your mouth (pens, jewelry, metal objects). Using a humidifier.
What type of lip balm is best for chapped lips?
To treat your chapped lips, choose a lip balm with ingredients that are: Fragrance-free. Hypoallergenic. Ointments (petroleum jelly, glycerin). Oils (mineral oil or castor seed oil). Moisturizing (ceramide, dimethicone). Sun-protective (titanium oxide, zinc oxide). Don’t use lip balm that includes the following ingredients, as they can irritate chapped lips: Fragrances and flavoring. Menthol. Eucalyptus. Camphor. Waxes. If your lip balm causes a stinging, burning or tingling sensation, stop using that product.
How often should I apply lip balm or ointment to my chapped lips?
Lip balm seals cracks in your lips and ointment keeps your lips hydrated for a longer duration based on the ingredients and thickness of the ointment. Lip balms and lip ointments can be applied as needed throughout the day when you notice your lips are dry. Using lip ointment at night will keep your lips hydrated throughout the night. Always reapply lip balm or ointment after eating and drinking. While outdoors, apply lip balm or ointment with SPF 30 or higher about every two hours.
How can I prevent chapped lips?
You can prevent chapped lips by adding lip care to your daily routine: Wear lip balm with SPF before you go outside. Apply lip balm or ointment before you go to bed and when you wake up. Keep lip balm handy to use when you need it (in your bag, on your nightstand, in your car). Run a humidifier in your home to prevent dry air.
What can I expect if I have chapped lips?
Chapped lips are harmless and could cause temporary irritation until treated. Persistent and severe chapped lips could be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
Why won’t my chapped lips heal?
If your chapped lips get worse or don’t heal after treating them, talk with your healthcare provider to find a more advanced treatment. They might also perform tests if they suspect your chapped lips are a symptom of a medical condition.
When should I see my healthcare provider?
If you treat your chapped lips and they get worse or do not improve for more than a few weeks, visit your healthcare provider for advanced treatment options.
What questions should I ask my doctor?
What is causing my chapped lips? Am I using the appropriate lip balm? Could my chapped lips be a sign of another medical condition?
What are the different types of cheilitis?
There are several types of cheilitis to identify the source of lip inflammation: Actinic cheilitis: Frequent sun exposure. Angular cheilitis: Fungal infection at the corners of your mouth. Contact cheilitis: Allergic reaction. Drug-induced cheilitis: Reaction to a medication (retinoids). Eczematous cheilitis: Flare-up due to eczema. Infective cheilitis: Viral or bacterial infection (herpes simplex). Glandular cheilitis: Thickening of your salivary glands. A note from Cleveland Clinic While chapped lips may be irritating, they are temporary and can be easily treated at home. Awareness of your environment and the weather helps reduce the likelihood that you will experience long-term chapped lips, especially if you keep lip balm or ointment in a convenient location to use at the first sign of chapping. Medically Reviewed Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 09/09/2021. Learn more about our editorial process.
Jun 14, 2024 · The same goes for spicy foods, which can cause skin irritation and water loss, Dr. Day adds. Treat it: Lay off some of the salty foods for a while and let your lips heal by using a paraffin wax ...
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- Holly Rhue
- Don't Use Lip Products With Alcohol or Fragrance. Just like the rest of your skin, your lips may react to the chemicals. But the skin on your lips is more delicate than the skin on your face and body.
- Use a Barrier-Protecting Product in Cold Weather. Nazarian says weather conditions like harsh winds and the sun’s drying rays create a recipe for disaster you might not recognize at first.
- Stop Licking Your Lips. You may want to lick your lips when they feel dry, however, when the saliva on your lips dries, it makes your lips more dry and chapped.
- Use Moisturizing Products With Ingredients Like Shea Butter. So often, the lips get skipped in our morning and evening skincare routines. Simply adding a moisturizing lip balm to your routine morning and night can make a big difference in the look and feel of your lips.
Apr 25, 2023 · If your lips continue to be severely dry and cracked, you should consider make an appointment with a dermatologist. Symptoms of chapped lips You may experience any of the following symptoms on or ...
- Kristeen Moore
May 1, 2023 · Cheilitis is a group of inflammatory conditions that cause the skin of the lips to become red, dry, scaling, and itchy. There are many possible causes of cheilitis, including infections, allergies, irritants, and even habitual behaviors like lip-licking. Cheilitis can usually be diagnosed with a review of your medical history and an examination ...
Jan 7, 2024 · During the process of healing chapped lips you should avoid lip balms that have: Wax as a base; ... See a dermatologist if your problem persists. Chapping that doesn't heal, despite regular use of ...
