Care for Dry Lips

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Many of our lip problems are concealed by lipsticks and lip balms. But it is better to find a cure for the condition before applying anything externally. This way we can find a permenant solution.

Lip balms and lipsticks use varied ingredients to make the lips soft and crack free. But the right ones should be chosen. Otherwise darkening of the lips, swelling, rashes and other allergic reactions may occur.

The symptoms of some of the serious illnesses can be seen on the lips. Blood disorders like Kawasaki, herpes simplex virus, sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS, diabetis, gum diseases and a number of other diseases cause chronic flaking of the lips, dryness, breaking and open sores. Medication allergy or ill-fitting dentures can also crack the lips or cause Angular cheilitis, that is,cracking of the corners. Such kind of lip problems defy temporary application of oils and moisturisers, and are often painful. It is not hard to miss these symptoms and those who have should necessarily consult a dermatologist before the conditions become worse.

The skin on the lips (not exactly skin but nearer to mucous membrane) is very thin and contains only three to five layers as opposed to the sixteen layers of skin on the other parts of the body. The skin on the lips has no hair follicles, no sweat glands and no sebaceous glands. So lips have no natural oils and do not sweat and produce moisture and hence are easily susceptible to dryness and diseases. Before we find cures for the damaged lips let us know the prevention. 

Extreme weather condition- very cold dry weather and very hot dry weather make lips dry. In dry weather conditions, the body gets dehydrated. In such climates one needs to drink a minimum of three litres of fluids. Plenty of fruits and raw vegetable are good for the skin and great for the lips beacuse they provide vitamins and minerals as well. Vitamin deficiency also causes dryness of lips. Vitamin A, C and B2 suppliments can be taken to retrive the supple smoothness and moisture of lips.

Oral hygene is necessary not only for teeth but also for gums and lips. Cleaning of the teeth after every intake of meals and brushing the teeth and cleaning the tongue and gums twice daliy is very important in keeping the disease causing germs at bay. Plaque formation is the major cause of gigivitis, the gum disease, and in its worst form, it will affect the lips also.

Certain habits which verge on the involuntary, like frequent licking of the lips, pealing the flakes formed on the lips or chewing them and biting nails cause secondary infections on the lips. Fungal infections, yeast infections,  eczema and other bacterial infections are also caused by the above mentioned habits. One should consciously avoid them.

Drinking excess of coffee or tea is said to increase the dryness of the lips. Also when one drinks them very hot, lips, which are more sensitive than our body skin tend to get scalded easily and break. Hot spicy food also affect the lips. Smoking and excessive drinking can create permenant damage to the lips, making them dark and rough. Too much of exposure to sun is not good for the lips. 

Skin needs breathing. This holds good for the skin of the lips too. Oil-like substances prevent skin from breathing. But skin needs natural oil too. So a combination of oil and moisture will help the skin and the lips. When applying a balm on the lips one should choose a hydrating balm. Petroleum jelly, which is the major ingredient in several lip balms and lipsticks, makes the skin soft but it is hydrophobic. It does not moisturise. Glycerol or glycerine moisturises the skin because it is hygroscopic, that is it takes water from the atmosphere. Applying glycerine on the lips before gong to bed rejuvenates the lips.

Somtimes even after taking good care of the lips, the flaking persists. It shows that there may be some bacterial or yeast infection. Home remedies can be very effective for this problem. The following remedy is used in Indian conventional medicine. Mix the following and apply on the lips before going to bed. You should make very little quantity because it has to be made fresh every time.

Neem or neem leaf oil   1 drop (neem oil is neem seed oil). In case neem oil is not available, neem leaf juice can be taken

• milk cream                 1/4 teaspoon
• lime juice                     1 drop (if allergic to lime skip this)
• Almond oil or olive oil    2 drops

Cucumber juice or tender coconut water can be applied and left for half an hour in the morning. This helps the lips in the long run, preventing breaking and darkening.