What to do about dry lips ?

Why are your lips dry?

The skin around the mouth is much more sensitive to environmental influences than the rest of the body. This is especially noticeable in winter. In this season many people have dry lips. The actual tenderest area of the face is then cracked, dull, and irritated. If you do not pull the emergency brake in time, you can even get sore lips

Lips are a borderline area

The skin surrounding the lips consists of three different areas. On the outer edge, it is very similar to the skin of the face. In this area, there are hair, sebaceous and sweat glands. Inside the mouth, however, the skin consists of oral mucosa with salivary glands. The transition zone between this inner and outer side is what is generally considered to be the lip.

The horny a layer of the lips is thin

Experts call the transition zone lip red because you can see the blood shimmering through. The reason for this is that the outermost layer of the skin, the horny layer, is very thin at this point. In addition, coloring pigments are missing in the skin of the lips. The lips are particularly sensitive because the cells of the horny layer hardly die and keratinize there. However, this is an essential process.

Dry lips: The cause is the missing self-protection

Together with sebum, the dead cells form a kit that shields the skin from the outside and makes it supple. Because sebaceous glands are hardly ever found in lip red, the lips lack this important fat layer. They generally dry out faster.

The other the reason why you get dry lips: there are no sweat glands to moisturize the lips. Cold and wind have such an easy job and if dry heating air is added in winter, brittle lips are pre-programmed.

Moistening with the tongue does not help

If you are familiar with this and are more likely to have dry or chapped lips, you may want to try moistening your lips with your tongue. But that only makes it worse. The saliva evaporates again and again and dries out the lips even more. This also reduces the already low-fat content of your lips.

Dry lips can become inflamed

The red of the lips then often shows deep cracks that itch and burn. The broken skin can be infected by bacteria and fungi quite easily. Lip inflammation is painful and can persist for months. To find out whether your lips are possibly inflamed, you should see your dermatologist. There are also other factors that can cause chapped lips, such as medication.

What to do against dry lips? 

To prevent dry lips from becoming a problem in the first place, it is best to care for your lips consistently. Cream your mouth area regularly or use a lip care stick. Even if you already have chapped lips, this is the first step in therapy. Lipids containing fat and moisture moisten your lips and reduce dehydration. There is a variety of products with different ingredients.

Proven ingredients

The basis of the care products against dry lips is fats, oils, and waxes, to which caring additives are added. Camomile products, for example, have proven to be effective because they soothe the skin. Bisabolol is the main active ingredient of genuine camomile. Another proven helper against dry lips is dexpanthenol. This active ingredient keeps the lips moisturized. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect and heals wounds.

Also, think about sun protection

Pay attention not only to care substances but also to a sufficient light protection filter. The skin cells in the lip do not form melanin, i.e. no pigment dye. As a result, the lips lack their own sun protection, which is otherwise present in most skin areas. One gets a sunburn very quickly. This should be considered especially during skiing vacations, as the snow reflects the radiation and thus intensifies it. 

Household remedy against dry lips

If you don't want to go to the pharmacy to do something about your dry lips, you might find something in your own kitchen. Honey, avocado or olive oil are supposed to make dry lips tender again. However, this is not scientifically proven. Two tips that also counteract dry lips: Drink enough (at least 1.5 liters of water a day) and keep the air in your rooms moist.