The repair: Assume past lip balm.
In case your lips are tremendous chapped and peeling, chances are you’ll discover that your common lip balm isn’t sufficient, even in the event you reapply it liberally. The dermatologists SELF spoke with advocate upping the ante through the use of an ointment containing occlusive elements, like petrolatum and dimethicone, which fully coat and seal the pores and skin to lock in moisture. Vaseline, or petroleum jelly, is a first-rate instance, nonetheless, simply take into account that whereas it would assist entice any water that’s already within the lips, it doesn’t in itself add hydration or supply any sort of reparative properties that may deal with dryness, Dr. Perez factors out.
You may have a few choices: You’ll be able to apply petroleum jelly on prime of a lip balm that incorporates hydrating elements, notes Dr. Westbay; shea butter and jojoba oil are good ones to search for, she says. Or you possibly can take a mild, very plain moisturizer (that’s fragrance-free and doesn’t comprise “actives”), dab that onto your lips, then apply a coat of petroleum jelly over prime, Dr. Perez says. Ideally, she suggests searching for a moisturizer with ceramides, elements which might be well-known for his or her skin-barrier-strengthening properties.3 Her prime decide: CeraVe’s Moisturizing Cream ($7, Amazon).
To make your life slightly simpler, it’s also possible to go for an all-in-one product that’s each occlusive and incorporates hydrating elements. For instance, CeraVe’s Therapeutic Ointment ($20, Amazon) depends on petrolatum but in addition has ceramides and hyaluronic acid within the combine, Monika Kiripolsky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Beverly Hills, tells SELF. Dr. Westbay says Aquaphor Therapeutic Ointment ($15, Amazon) is a pleasant selection, too, because it incorporates panthenol, a humectant that pulls water into the higher layer of the pores and skin: “It’s a extremely efficient combo for optimizing water content material and locking it in the place it’s wanted,” she explains.
The issue: lip licking
Continuously licking your lips (and by the identical token, drooling in your sleep) can also be a possible drawback. “Not solely can enzymes in saliva break down the pores and skin, however lips continuously getting moist after which drying out additional breaks down the barrier and results in chapping,” Dr. Kiripolsky says.
It may be a vicious cycle at that; it is sensible that when your lips really feel dry chances are you’ll innately wish to lick them to moisten them. However that is so widespread that the next chapping and irritation is also known as “lip-licker’s dermatitis,” Dr. Westbay provides.
The repair: Maintain your lips coated, day and (particularly) evening.
We all know, it’s simpler stated than completed, however Dr. Westbay suggests attempting to be as conscious as potential of how typically you’re licking your lips. Retaining them often coated with lip balm will help as a result of in the event that they really feel much less dry, chances are you’ll be much less tempted to lick. There’s no set rule relating to how typically it’s best to swipe on lip balm; Dr. Westbay says as typically as you are feeling is required is ok. Simply be sure you undoubtedly apply it earlier than mattress. Not solely can this counteract the dehydrating drool we talked about above, however the quantity of moisture that naturally evaporates out of the pores and skin (often called transepidermal water loss or TEWL) is increased at evening, she notes, making it prime time to load up on hydrating merchandise—on your lips, face, and physique.4
The issue: allergic or irritant contact dermatitis
In much less scientific phrases, a sure ingredient your lips are uncovered to could also be triggering an allergic response or just creating irritation. “This causes irritation that impairs the pores and skin barrier, resulting in extra dryness, in addition to redness in some pores and skin tones, burning, and itching,” Dr. Westbay explains.