What to use for extremely chapped lips

Which lip balm should you buy?

Start with a simple petroleum jelly ointment rather than a flavored or scented balm. Petrolatum is another name for petroleum jelly; Vaseline is one familiar example. Choose fragrance free products, preferably labeled hypoallergenic. Lip balm comes in sticks, salves and ointments, so the packaging has more career options than the job requires.234

Other useful balm ingredients include mineral oil, castor seed oil, ceramides and dimethicone. Beeswax balms can soothe chapped lips, but for severe dryness and cracks, thick petroleum jelly ointment is the better starting point: ointments seal in water longer than waxes or oils.135

How to use it throughout the day

1. 1Wash your hands before applying balm or ointment. Do not share lip products.
2. 2Apply the ointment when you wake up, then reapply whenever your lips feel dry. Reapply after eating or drinking.
3. 3Before going outside, apply a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher. Look for zinc oxide or titanium oxide, and reapply every two hours outdoors, including in winter.
4. 4Apply the thick ointment again before bed to help keep your lips hydrated overnight.

What should you stop using?

Stop any lip product that burns, stings or tingles. Those sensations mean irritation, not healing. While your lips are chapped, avoid fragrance, flavorings, menthol, camphor, eucalyptus, lanolin, phenol, salicylic acid and propyl gallate. Cinnamon, citrus, mint and peppermint flavors are especially irritating. Avoid lip products containing octinoxate or oxybenzone during healing.15

Skip lip scrubs, polishes and manual exfoliation. Scrubbing removes the protective outer layer and can make dryness worse. Let flakes come away on their own rather than pulling or biting them off; picking can cause irritation and infection. Avoid licking your lips, because saliva leaves them drier as it evaporates. Apply a nonirritating balm instead when you catch yourself licking.12

What else helps them heal?

The balm's job is to keep existing moisture from escaping, which is less glamorous than the packaging usually suggests. A humidifier helps reduce moisture loss in dry indoor air, especially in your bedroom if you breathe through your mouth at night. Drink enough water to avoid dehydration, and cover your lips with a scarf in cold, windy weather.146

If eating hurts, avoid spicy, salty and citrus foods while your lips recover. Keep pens, jewelry and metal objects away from your lips. If chapping keeps returning, toothpaste ingredients can also be a source of irritation or an allergic reaction.25

How long should healing take?

Regular balm or ointment use should ease discomfort while the skin heals. Noticeable improvement usually takes two to three weeks; severely cracked or bleeding lips can take that long to recover. Continue using balm during dry weather after healing to help prevent another episode.145

When does balm stop being enough?

See a doctor if your lips are hot, painful and swollen, which can signal infection. Get checked for frequent bleeding, sores that will not heal, worsening symptoms or no improvement after two to three weeks. Persistent chapping can come from allergies, infection or medication reactions, including retinoids. Treatment depends on the cause, rather than simply using more balm.1356