Post by flowersindecember on Mar 2, 2010 13:57:34 GMT -5
A lot of people are cursed with dry, chapped lips. Winter is the time of year in which this is especially a problem. You buy a well known lip balm for this reason, but you find yourself having to reapply a hundred times a day. The good news is, there are ways to cure this, but first let’s look at the main causes of chapped lips.
* Dehydration. Not drinking enough water every day could cause a lack of necessary moisture that your lips need.
* Smoking. Your lips contain natural oils in which smoking dries up every time you light up.
* Overexposure to the sun. UV rays, especially in the summer, are just as harmful to your lips as they are to the rest of your body.
* Exposure to cold, dry winds. Winter time often brings dry winds, which zaps the moisture out of your lips, and your skin as well, which is why you experience the dry and flakiness of your skin during winter months.
* Medications. Harsh acne treatments have been known to have the side effect of dry lips. Check with a dermatologist if you think this could be a concern.
* Cosmetics. Some lip colors contain chemicals that destroy your lips natural oils. Look out of ones that contain “propyl gallate” because your dry lips could be an allergic reaction to the chemical.
Here are some things you can do now to help heal and prevent your lips fro drying and chapping.
* Drink plenty of water. Keeping your body hydrated will help keep your lips hydrated.
* Use SPF. Whenever you go outside in extreme temperatures, make sure you use a lip balm with at least SPF15.
* Apply a medicated lip balm that contain beeswax, phenol, and sunscreen. Blistex, Chap Stick, Carmex are good and inexpensive.
* Don’t lick or bite. This makes the problem severely worse.
* Run a humidifier in your room. A lot of the air inside homes is dry, causing your lips to dry out as well.
* Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Both of these are dehydrating to your system.
* Take vitamin supplements. Taking a daily vitamin supplement ensures that your body is getting all the necessary nutrients it needs, which can also affect your lips.
Additional note: If you think your dehydrated lips are a severe problem and none of these tactics seem to be working, you might want to consult with your doctor and see if you can get a prescribed medication.
* Dehydration. Not drinking enough water every day could cause a lack of necessary moisture that your lips need.
* Smoking. Your lips contain natural oils in which smoking dries up every time you light up.
* Overexposure to the sun. UV rays, especially in the summer, are just as harmful to your lips as they are to the rest of your body.
* Exposure to cold, dry winds. Winter time often brings dry winds, which zaps the moisture out of your lips, and your skin as well, which is why you experience the dry and flakiness of your skin during winter months.
* Medications. Harsh acne treatments have been known to have the side effect of dry lips. Check with a dermatologist if you think this could be a concern.
* Cosmetics. Some lip colors contain chemicals that destroy your lips natural oils. Look out of ones that contain “propyl gallate” because your dry lips could be an allergic reaction to the chemical.
Here are some things you can do now to help heal and prevent your lips fro drying and chapping.
* Drink plenty of water. Keeping your body hydrated will help keep your lips hydrated.
* Use SPF. Whenever you go outside in extreme temperatures, make sure you use a lip balm with at least SPF15.
* Apply a medicated lip balm that contain beeswax, phenol, and sunscreen. Blistex, Chap Stick, Carmex are good and inexpensive.
* Don’t lick or bite. This makes the problem severely worse.
* Run a humidifier in your room. A lot of the air inside homes is dry, causing your lips to dry out as well.
* Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Both of these are dehydrating to your system.
* Take vitamin supplements. Taking a daily vitamin supplement ensures that your body is getting all the necessary nutrients it needs, which can also affect your lips.
Additional note: If you think your dehydrated lips are a severe problem and none of these tactics seem to be working, you might want to consult with your doctor and see if you can get a prescribed medication.