How to soothe chapped lips

Why lips get chapped

Lips have thinner, more sensitive skin than the rest of your body and no oil glands. Cold or dry air, wind, sun exposure and dehydration can leave them dry, tight and cracked. Licking adds another problem: saliva makes lips dry out faster, and its digestive enzymes can irritate them. A lip balm's main job is to keep moisture from escaping, which is less glamorous than its flavour menu suggests.23

How to care for your lips today

1. 1Wash your hands before applying lip balm. Do not share your balm with anyone else, because sharing can spread germs.
2. 2Apply a gentle balm or ointment when you wake up, whenever your lips feel dry and after eating or drinking. For very dry, cracked lips, use thick white petroleum jelly; ointment holds water in longer than waxes or oils.
3. 3Before going outside, apply a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher. Choose sun protection containing zinc oxide or titanium oxide, and reapply every two hours outdoors. Lips need sun protection in winter as well as summer.
4. 4Apply ointment again before bed to help keep your lips hydrated overnight. Keep a balm by your bed and another in your bag so regular application is easier.

Which lip balm should you choose?

Start with a fragrance free product labelled hypoallergenic. Petroleum jelly is a useful option; other helpful balm ingredients include ceramides, dimethicone and mineral oil. Beeswax balms are another option for soothing chapped lips, but beeswax and related substances can cause contact allergy. If a balm keeps making your lips worse, switch products rather than applying more of the same one.256

While your lips are chapped, avoid products containing menthol, camphor, eucalyptus, fragrance, lanolin or salicylic acid. Cinnamon, citrus, mint and peppermint flavourings can also irritate cracked lips. Stop any lip product that causes burning, stinging, tingling or discomfort. Those sensations mean irritation, not that the product is working.12

Leave peeling skin alone

Do not bite or pull off flakes: removing peeling skin can create cracks and sores and slow healing. Apply balm instead when you catch yourself licking your lips. Avoid holding pens, jewellery or metal objects in your mouth, because they can irritate already sensitive lips.23

Drink enough water to avoid dehydration, and use a humidifier if the air at home is dry. A bedroom humidifier is especially helpful if you breathe through your mouth at night. Cover your lips with a scarf in cold weather. A scarf also shields your lips from wind, giving it a second job beyond occupying the coat hook.1345

How long does healing take?

Regular balm use should ease discomfort while your lips heal. Expect noticeable improvement within two to three weeks; severely cracked or bleeding lips can take that long to recover fully. Continue using balm during dry weather after your lips improve.13

When to get medical help

See a doctor if your lips are hot, painful and swollen, which can signal infection. Get persistent sores, frequent bleeding or worsening chapping checked, and see a dermatologist if home care has not helped within two to three weeks. A pharmacist can help you choose a treatment and decide whether you need a doctor.245

Persistent inflammation of the lips, called cheilitis, can come from contact allergy, infection, a skin condition or medication, including isotretinoin. Treatment depends on the cause. If lip products repeatedly trigger redness, scaling or itching, a dermatologist can use patch testing, including your own products, to identify a contact allergy.67