When we talk about skin care , most of the time our attention is focused on sensitive areas like the face and neck, right? But in the meantime, another organ that we often forget and that also needs a lot of attention is our lips. Especially in harsh weather, or if you are someone who often has dry lips, it is very important to take special care of your lips. So today, let's talk about how to get rid of these annoying dry lips and maintain beautiful, healthy lips.
What are the things we should not do?
If you're trying to keep your lips beautiful, there are a few habits we need to give up first.
The first thing is to breathe through your mouth . Some people are used to breathing through their mouths rather than their noses. When this happens, the air constantly passes through their lips, which can dry out the saliva on their lips, making them even drier. So try to breathe through your nose as much as possible. You will notice a change in the moisture content of your lips.
The second thing is that some lip balms and skin care products contain chemicals that can dry out your lips even more. Check to see if the products you use contain these ingredients.
| Harmful substances that can cause dry lips | |
|---|---|
| Vitamin A | May be contained in some cosmetics. |
| Camphor, Menthol, Eucalyptus | Even though these feel cool when applied, what's really happening is that your lips are losing moisture. |
| Flavorings | Especially strong scents like cinnamon, orange, mint, and peppermint can cause allergies on the lips. |
| Salicylic acid | It is commonly found in acne creams, and it is harmful to the lips. |
| Propyl gallate | May be contained in some cosmetics. |
Therefore, before purchasing anything that will affect your lips, such as makeup, lotion, or lip balm, it is very important to take a look at what it contains.
When your body doesn't have enough water, your lips dry out!
The best thing you can do for dry lips is to drink plenty of water . Remember, lips don't have oil glands like the rest of our bodies. That's why lips dry out so quickly.
A mistake many people make is to wet their lips with their tongue when they are dry. What happens when you do that? The enzymes in saliva damage the lips, and as the saliva evaporates, the lips become even drier. So, this habit needs to be stopped today .
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. This will keep your body and lips hydrated. If your chapped lips are very severe, you can also use a humidifier at home. This is a good solution, especially for those who live in AC rooms.
Let's choose a moisturizer that suits our lips.
Lip balms and other moisturizers work by moisturizing the lips from the surface down and healing chapped lips. Dermatologists recommend using products that contain at least one of the following ingredients:
| Lip-friendly, moisturizing ingredients | |
|---|---|
| Castor seed oil | Hemp seed oil |
| Mineral oil | Petroleum (Petrolatum) |
| Shea butter | White petroleum jelly - (e.g. Vaseline) |
There's no need to worry about overusing lip balm. If your lips aren't allergic to it, apply it several times a day and before bed at night.
What kind of product should you choose?
Simply put, the more damage your lips have, the thicker the ointment you should use.
- To prevent dry lips (Prevention): A regular Chapstick or lip balm is enough.
- If your lips are chapped and peeling (Treatment): Use a thick ointment like white petroleum jelly. This type of ointment will cover your lips well to prevent moisture from escaping.
How to protect your lips from the weather?
There are two main ways our lips can be damaged: sun and cold/wind.
Sun protection
If you spend a lot of time in the sun, your lips can get sunburned, dry, and cracked. Imagine you're spending a day at a beach in Galle or Hikkaduwa. Did you think about your lips when you applied sunscreen to your face?
To protect your lips from the sun, use a lip balm with an SPF of 30 or higher . Products containing titanium oxide or zinc oxide are best for this.
Protection from cold and wind
If you live in a cold, dry area, you still need to take care of your lips. For example, if you live in a cold area like Nuwara Eliya, your lips can easily become chapped due to the cold and dry wind. Therefore, no matter where you are, reapplying lip balm every few hours will provide good protection for your lips.
Have you had lip fillers? Then think about this too
If you are someone who has had lip fillers, you need to take care of the inside of your lips as well as the outside. In general, you can follow the same tips we discussed to take care of the outside of your lips.
But once you get a lip filler, there are a few things you should avoid :
- Avoid strenuous exercise or physical activity.
- Avoid sun exposure or tanning.
- Unless your doctor has instructed you to massage, avoid touching the area.
If nothing unusual appears after the filler, you can continue to take care of your lips as usual.
If you follow these tips, your dry, chapped lips should heal quickly. However, if you don't see any improvement after two or three weeks , you should definitely see a dermatologist . Sometimes it can be a symptom of another medical condition. So don't take it lightly.
Take-Home Message
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Keeping your body hydrated is also essential for your lips.
- Completely stop the habit of wetting your lips with your tongue when they are dry.
- When choosing your lip balm, choose one that contains beneficial ingredients like petrolatum and shea butter, rather than harmful ingredients like camphor and menthol.
- Always use an SPF 30+ lip balm when going out in the sun, and a regular lip balm for cold weather.
- If your chapped lips do not heal within 2-3 weeks, be sure to see your doctor for advice.
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