Can I use lanolin on my lips?

Is lanolin good for lips?

Lanolin is a refined substance obtained from sheep's wool and used in moisturizers, barrier creams and glossy lipsticks. Its use in cosmetics does not make it the best choice for damaged lips: lanolin can cause irritation or an allergic reaction. Irritant reactions are more common than allergic reactions. People with broken skin or existing dermatitis, including eczema, have a higher risk of becoming allergic to lanolin.1

If a lanolin lip product has been comfortable on healthy lips, you do not need to assume you are allergic. However, previous tolerance does not rule out a later allergy. Allergic contact dermatitis means an allergic skin reaction to something touching the skin, and it can develop after years of using the same substance without trouble.2

What should I use on chapped lips instead?

Choose a fragrance free, hypoallergenic lip balm without lanolin. Helpful options include petrolatum, ceramides, dimethicone, mineral oil and shea butter. A thick ointment seals in water longer than waxes or oils, which is a more useful achievement than giving the tube a dramatic name.3

1. 1Replace the lanolin product with a nonirritating balm. For very dry, cracked lips, try white petroleum jelly.
2. 2Apply the balm several times during the day and before bed. Reapply after eating or drinking.
3. 3Before going outdoors, use a nonirritating lip balm with SPF 30 or higher containing zinc oxide or titanium oxide. Reapply every two hours outdoors.

Keep lip balm in your bag or on your nightstand, rather than turning lip care into a search party. Avoid licking, biting or picking your lips: licking leaves them drier as saliva evaporates, and biting or picking interferes with healing. Skip fragranced or flavored balms while your lips heal, particularly mint, peppermint, cinnamon and citrus flavors.34

How do I know if lanolin is causing a reaction?

Stop using any lip product that burns, stings or tingles. A lanolin allergy can cause itching, redness, swelling or blisters hours to days after contact; the allergic reaction commonly develops 48 to 72 hours after exposure. An itchy, painful rash on or around the lips, with dryness, flaking or splitting, can be contact dermatitis rather than ordinary chapping.145

If several lip products could be causing a rash, stop applying them until the rash clears, then add back one product a week. A rash returning within seven days of adding a product is a clue to the cause. Do not reintroduce lanolin if you have a confirmed lanolin allergy. Look for names such as wool alcohols, wool fat, wool wax and anhydrous lanolin on ingredient labels.15

When should I get help?

Chapped lips should noticeably improve within two to three weeks of suitable care. See a healthcare professional if your lips worsen, do not improve within that time, or bleed frequently despite home treatment. For recurring or persistent reactions, a dermatologist can use patch testing to identify a contact allergy. Persistent chapping can also have causes other than weather, including a medication reaction, so repeatedly changing balms is not always the answer.234