Dry, cracked lips are one of the first signs that winter has arrived in north India. They are rarely serious, and they are easy to make worse. Most of what helps is about stopping the things that dry lips out, and then sealing in what water is left.
Why lips dry out faster than skin
The skin on the lips is different from the skin around it. Its outer layer is much thinner, it has no oil glands, and it has almost none of the natural moisturising substances the rest of the face relies on.
So lips lose water quickly and cannot replace the oil that would slow that loss. Cold air, dry indoor heating and wind all speed it up.
The habits that make it worse
- Licking them. Saliva wets the lips for a moment, then evaporates and takes more water with it. Its digestive enzymes also irritate. This is the single most common cause of lips that will not settle
- Peeling or biting the flakes. It pulls off skin that was not ready to come away and leaves raw patches
- Breathing through the mouth, especially at night during a cold
- Tingling balms. Menthol, camphor, phenol and strong flavours feel soothing because they irritate slightly. Used often, they keep lips dry
- Some toothpastes and flavours. Cinnamon and strong mint flavours, and the foaming agent sodium lauryl sulfate, irritate some people's lips
What helps
Seal them. An occlusive balm holds in the water lips cannot hold themselves. Petroleum jelly, beeswax, shea butter and plain lanolin all work. Vaseline on the face explains why petroleum jelly is so good at this.
Apply it often, and thickly at night. Lips lose the layer every time you eat or drink. A thick coat before bed does the most work, because nothing disturbs it for hours.
Choose fragrance-free. Fragrance and flavour are among the common causes of irritated lips. Fragrance in skincare covers why.
Use a lip balm with SPF in the day. Lips burn too, and sun damage on the lower lip is a real long-term problem. An SPF balm in the morning and a plain one at night is a simple split.
Add moisture to the room. A humidifier, or even a bowl of water near a heater, makes the air less drying while you sleep.
Drink enough water. It will not undo chapping on its own, but dehydration makes everything slower to settle.
Do home remedies help?
Some of them, because they are occlusives too.
- Ghee, malai and coconut oil seal in water like a balm. They are fine at night. They wear off quickly
- Honey is a humectant and feels soothing. It is sticky and works best under a balm. Honey on the face covers it in more detail
- Sugar and lemon scrubs do more harm than good. Scrubbing raw lips adds damage, and lemon stings and reacts with sunlight. Is lemon good for the face explains why
- Glycerin and rose water draw water in, and need a balm over them in dry air
Dry lips that look dark
Constant chapping, licking and sun can leave lips darker over time. That is a separate problem with its own causes. Dark patches on lips covers it, and pigmentation around the mouth covers the skin around them.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if:
- The corners of the mouth are cracked, red and sore. This is often angular cheilitis, which can involve yeast or bacteria and sometimes a nutritional deficiency, and it needs proper diagnosis
- The lips stay dry and cracked for weeks despite good care
- The lips are swollen, itchy or blistered. A contact allergy to a lipstick, balm or toothpaste can look like stubborn chapping
- One area stays rough, scaly or crusted, especially on the lower lip in people who spend a lot of time in the sun
- A sore on the lip does not close up
- Dry lips started with a new medicine. Some acne medicines, isotretinoin especially, dry the lips as a known side effect, and the prescribing doctor will have advice
Where the Cham range fits
Cham makes no lip product.
Face products are not designed for lips, which absorb differently and also end up being swallowed in small amounts. A plain, fragrance-free balm is the right product here. Winter skincare routine covers the rest of the face in cold weather.
