Dry, chapped lips are an absolute pain. They’re not nice to look at; when your lips are chapped, it looks unhealthy, even if you’re the picture of fortitude. They’re also irritating as can be, and that’s exacerbated by how often you use your lips. Anytime you talk, or taste, or kiss, you might notice how chapped your lips are; with the latter, your partner will notice too. Havings dry lips might encourage you to touch or lick them in order to alleviate the pain, but that only makes things worse!
Chapped lips are known medically as cheilitis, which means inflammation of the lips. Your lips can grow irritated due to a wide variety of factors; they’re kind of like Goldilocks, in that they hate it when things are too hot or too cold. Your lips are also sensitive to dry air, as well as to sun exposure. Lips don’t sweat, and so don’t generate their own moisture; this makes them particularly vulnerable to the elements.
A variety of medical conditions can also cause cheilitis. Certain viral or bacterial infections can cause your lips to swell, dry and crack. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can also lead to back lip condition, as many of them are vital to developing and keeping healthy skin; your lips, being particularly sensitive to the elements, may be the first part of the body that suffers noticeably due to a deficiency. Allergies can also cause cheilitis; this will be especially notable if you’re trying a new lipstick, lip balm, toothpaste or other oral health product. Dehydration is another major cause of cheilitis, so be sure to take plenty of fluids; this goes double if you’re sick and experiencing vomiting or diarrhea.
Protecting your lips is the best way to mitigate the effects of cheilitis. You show have a lip balm that you apply before going outside; lip balms with SPF are the way to go, so that you can avoid damage from the sun. When it’s quite windy outside, consider covering your mouth in order to reduce the abrasion caused by the wind. Chapped lips can begin to feel irritated or even crack; this can make it tempting to lick your lips. Doing this actually makes your lips dry out further, so avoid it at all costs. Instead, opt to hydrate your lips by drinking lots of fluid; when they’re chapped, more water is definitely better. Should your lips crack severely, taking an analgesic to lower the pain and applying a cold compress to the affected area can make you feel a lot better.
Over time, exposure to the elements and chapping will wear out the natural youthful look of your lips. Prevention is the best way to reduce these effects on your looks, but if you feel your lips need a pick me up, there’s a Beverly Hills lip fillers procedure available for you. The procedure works incredibly quickly, and the appointment isn’t too long at all; you’ll be looking great and ready to go within minutes of the procedure starting.
