Chapped lips, or lip dryness, can be caused by a number of factors, including cold weather, wind, dehydration, and certain medications.
Everyone craves beautiful succulent lips and admire people who are gifted with this especially if said lips were to be pink. Now, once a while, a condition seeks to ruin all these beauties we do so much to acquire.
Yes, am sure you must know it now, its chapped lips, our worst nightmare, and since we live in a country that possesses the Harmattan season, we fear what happens to our lips in these situations.
Well, today, am going to be telling you all you need to know about chapped lips; from its causes and symptoms to their treatment and remedies.
Causes of Chapped Lips
- A possible vitamin deficiency
- Lack of care or protection
- Breathing through the mouth
- Allergic reaction
- Dehydration
- Smoking
- Excessive licking of lips
- Sun exposure
- Harsh weather like the Harmattan season
Symptoms of Chapped Lips
- Dryness of lips
- Redness of lips
- Cracking of lips
- Flaking of lips
- Tender or soreness when touched
10 Home remedies for solving Chapped lips
Here are a few ways you can help prevent and treat chapped lips:
Use a lip balm or ointment:
Applying a lip balm or ointment can help protect the lips from the elements and keep them moisturized. Look for products that contain ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, and petroleum jelly.
Avoid licking your lips:
Licking your lips can make them even drier, as saliva can strip the lips of their natural oils. Avoid licking your lips, and try to keep them covered with a lip balm or ointment instead.
Use a humidifier:
Dry indoor air can contribute to chapped lips. Using a humidifier in your home can help add moisture to the air and keep your lips from drying out.
Sugar
Sugar is a good solution for chappy lips and for decades, people have known that exfoliating your lips with sugar gives them a natural softness faster.
The exfoliation procedure isn’t hard; all you have to do is;
- Mix 2 teaspoons of sugar with 1 teaspoon of honey-making sure to form a paste.
- Apply the paste your lips, and allow it to set
- Gently rub the mixture around your lips to loosen the dead skin cells, hence the term exfoliation.
- Then wash it off with lukewarm water.
Honey
Another amazing remedy is, this is because Honey is a great moisturizer, and it has been used as a beauty agent since ancient times and also has healing and antibacterial properties thus making it the perfect remedy for your lips
To successfully cure your lips;
- You are to apply honey on your chapped lips several times a day.
- Another method greatly recommended is to prepare a paste of honey and glycerine in the evening. Then apply this paste to your lip before going to bed in order to get soft lips the next day.
Rose Petals for chapped lips
Rose petals are of great help in treating chapped lips. I personally like its method and I can guarantee you that using rose petals will make your lips moisturized and enhance their color.
The procedure to follow to get the benefits of this is simple;
- You are to Soak clean rose petals in milk for a few hours, you can also use glycerine, it is a good alternative to milk.
- The next step is to Mash these rose petals into a thick paste.
- Store this paste and apply it on your lips two to three times daily as well as every night before you go to bed.
Coconut Oil for chapped lips
Yet another amazing solution to the Chappy lips problem, Coconut oil is very effective because of its natural moisturizing properties, which are well suited to heal chapped lips. Most people love this remedy, as it’s simple, easy to use, and easy to understand.
- Simply apply pure coconut oil several times a day.
Castor Oil
We all know Castor oil as an effective hydrating agent, but you may not know of its effectiveness as a treatment for chappy lips.
There are two ways of doing this,
- The first one is to simply apply castor oil to your lips several times a day to keep them hydrated and prevent them from drying out.
- The next one is to make a lip balm at home by mixing together 1 teaspoon each of castor oil and glycerine and 3 drops of fresh lemon juice to a get a mixture proven effective at curing chappy lips.
Milk Cream
Milk cream is a great natural lip moisturizer due to its high fat content, to use milk cream as an effective treatment for chappy lips, all you need to do is.
- Apply fresh milk cream on your lips and wait a few minutes
- Rinse it off with lukewarm water and repeat daily until your lips is healed.
Aloe Vera Gel
Everyone knows that Aloe Vera is a good treatment for all sorts of diseases and it has been proven that Applying aloe Vera gel daily will relieve the pain and help your lips heal.
Cucumber for chappy lips
Cucumber is a great treatment for chappy lips and is something that we all know is useful when it comes to skincare, so I personally recommend cucumber to you as a home remedy
You are to rub a small slice of cucumber across your dry lips gently; it is advised to leave it for 15 to 20 minutes.
Petroleum Jelly
We also know this substance by its stereotypical name of Vaseline; Petroleum jelly is the number one choice for treating chappy lips.
- Simply apply petroleum jelly over your dry lips several times a day to keep them nice looking. Make sure to reapply before going to bed so as not to wake up with dried out lips.
Drink plenty of water:
Dehydration can cause dryness and chapping of the lips. Make sure to drink plenty of water to help keep your lips hydrated.
Chappy lips are mostly caused by dehydration, so keeping your body well hydrated throughout the day should be your top priority as Water helps flush out toxins.
- Starts your day by drinking one or two glasses of water, and make sure you drink at least eight glasses daily. Drinking a glass of warm water before bed to stay hydrated throughout the night is also highly recommended.
Avoid hot water:
Hot water can strip the lips of their natural oils, making them even drier. When washing your face or showering, try to use lukewarm water instead.
Prevention of Chapped lips
To prevent chappy lips, follow the instructions below very well
- Always keep your lips well moisturized.
- Make sure that your body is well hydrated.
- Do not use products on your lips that contain possible allergens.
- Please Avoid extreme temperatures
- Always Breathe through the nose and not the mouth and make sure to have a balanced diet.
A words from healthsoothe
If your lips are severely chapped, it’s a good idea to see a doctor or dermatologist. They can recommend more specific treatment options and help determine the cause of the dryness.