Lip scrub with sugar and olive oil: should you use it?

Why scrubbing flakes is the wrong fix

A sugar scrub is mechanical exfoliation: it physically removes dead skin cells rather than letting them shed. General exfoliation advice is not a reason to scrub your lips. Lip skin is thinner and more sensitive than skin elsewhere, and your lips have no oil glands.123

Flaky skin protects the new skin cells underneath while they prepare for exposure to dry air and other irritants. Leave those flakes to come away on their own instead of biting, pulling or scrubbing them off. Picking can cause irritation, dryness and infection. The useful target is comfortable, healed lips, not removing every visible flake immediately.1

What to use instead of sugar and olive oil

For very dry or cracked lips, choose a thick ointment such as white petroleum jelly. Ointment seals in water longer than waxes or oils, making it a better choice than relying on oil alone.14

1. 1Wash your hands before applying lip balm or ointment.
2. 2Apply a nonirritating balm or lip ointment when your lips feel dry. Reapply throughout the day and after eating or drinking.
3. 3Apply balm or ointment before bed. A thicker ointment helps keep lips hydrated overnight.
4. 4Before going outdoors, apply lip balm with SPF 30 or higher. Choose one containing zinc oxide or titanium oxide, and reapply about every two hours outdoors.

Which lip products should you avoid?

While your lips are chapped, avoid fragrance, mint, peppermint, cinnamon and citrus flavorings, as well as menthol, camphor, eucalyptus, lanolin and salicylic acid. Choose a fragrance free, hypoallergenic product. Burning, stinging or tingling means irritation, not that a product is working; stop using the product. If one balm does not suit you, try another rather than repeatedly applying something uncomfortable.345

How often should you scrub your lips?

For chapped lips, skip scrubbing rather than setting a weekly schedule. General skin exfoliation frequency depends on the method and skin type, but lip care calls for protecting the surface, not repeatedly removing it. Never exfoliate open cuts, wounds or sunburned skin. Prescription retinoid creams, retinol and benzoyl peroxide can increase skin sensitivity or peeling, and exfoliating alongside them can worsen dryness.12

What else helps lips heal?

Avoid licking your lips: saliva evaporates and leaves them drier. Cover your lips with a scarf in cold weather, and use a humidifier to reduce dry indoor air. Do not share lip balms, because sharing can spread germs. If choosing a suitable product is difficult, a pharmacist can help with treatment options and whether you need a doctor.456

How long should healing take?

Regular balm use should ease discomfort while your lips heal. Expect noticeable improvement within two to three weeks; severely chapped lips can take longer. See a dermatologist if they have not improved within that time, and seek medical advice sooner if they worsen, bleed frequently or develop sores that will not heal.346

Hot, painful and swollen lips need a doctor's assessment because these can be signs of infection. Persistent lip inflammation, called cheilitis, can also result from an allergy, medication or skin condition. Treatment depends on the cause, so persistent peeling is a reason for assessment rather than a stronger scrub.57