Why won't chapped lips heal?

What are chapped lips?

Chapped lips are dry, tight, cracked skin that can peel, scale, itch or hurt. Inflamed lips are called cheilitis. Lip skin is thinner and more sensitive than the skin elsewhere on your body and has no oil glands, leaving it vulnerable to dryness. Cracks can split into cuts and bleed.23

Why are your lips chapped?

Cold, wind, dry air, sun exposure and dehydration can cause chapping. Licking feels like adding moisture, but saliva evaporates and leaves lips drier; its digestive enzymes also irritate lip skin. Picking or biting flakes creates cracks and sores, slowing healing. Reapplying balm while continuing these habits leaves the cause in place.456

Lipstick and lip care products can cause irritation or an allergic reaction. Persistent inflammation can also come from eczema, infection, a medication such as a retinoid, or an iron or vitamin B deficiency. Treatment depends on the cause. A clinician can review your symptoms and medicines, examine your lips and arrange tests when needed.37

What can you use for chapped lips?

Try plain white petroleum jelly, especially for very dry, cracked lips. A thick ointment seals in water longer than waxes or oils. Lip balm traps existing moisture, which is a less glamorous job than its packaging tends to suggest. Choose a fragrance free, hypoallergenic product; other helpful ingredients include ceramides, dimethicone, mineral oil and shea butter.15

While lips are chapped, avoid fragrance, flavoring, menthol, camphor, eucalyptus, lanolin and salicylic acid in lip products. Cinnamon, citrus, mint and peppermint flavors can be especially irritating. Stop any product that burns, stings or tingles: those sensations mean irritation, not that the product is working. A pharmacist can help you find another option.14

How to give your lips a chance to heal

1. 1Wash your hands before applying lip balm. Apply a non irritating balm or ointment when you wake up, then several times throughout the day as lips become dry. Reapply after eating or drinking.
2. 2Before going outdoors, apply a non irritating lip sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher containing zinc oxide or titanium oxide. Reapply every two hours outdoors, including in winter.
3. 3Before bed, apply ointment again to keep lips protected overnight. Leave peeling skin alone rather than removing it with your teeth or fingers.

Drink enough water to avoid dehydration, cover your lips with a scarf in cold weather and use a humidifier in dry indoor air. A bedroom humidifier is especially helpful if you breathe through your mouth at night. Keeping balm by your bed and another in your bag makes regular use easier, even if neither location looks like a skincare display. Do not share lip balm with other people.145

When should you see a doctor?

Regular balm use should ease discomfort while the skin heals. Expect noticeable improvement within 2 to 3 weeks; severe cracking can take that long to recover. Book an appointment if care does not help, symptoms worsen or bleeding keeps returning. See a doctor if lips are hot, painful and swollen, or red and sore with suspected infection. Red, sore mouth corners can be angular cheilitis, inflammation often caused by bacteria or fungi. Get a persistent sore that does not heal checked as soon as possible. Lasting dry, scaly lips can also be actinic cheilitis, a precancerous condition linked to sun exposure.14567