Q: My lips are at all times dry, and I’m making use of lip balm on repeat. May this be exacerbating the issue?
Each winter it’s the identical: The wind whips. Your lips crack. So that you attain for lip balm and marvel — is it actually serving to?
Lip pores and skin is skinny, so it wants just a little further safety, mentioned Dr. Heather Rogers, a dermatologist in Seattle. And lip balm is likely one of the greatest and most handy merchandise so as to add that layer of armor.
However some lip balms can really exacerbate irritation and dryness, prompting the necessity for extra, Dr. Rogers mentioned. That’s why it’s essential to know what to search for and what to keep away from when making use of sure merchandise to your lips.
Why lips get dry
Along with being skinny, the pores and skin in your lips lacks sure moisture-locking traits that different areas of pores and skin have, reminiscent of hair follicles, oil glands and a thick layer of useless pores and skin cells, Dr. Rogers mentioned. That’s what makes lips “so tender and delicate,” she added.
When our lips are uncovered to environmental stressors like ultraviolet gentle, air pollution, chilly or sizzling temperatures and sure meals and drinks, they’ll change into dry and irritated, mentioned Dr. Sam Awan, a dermatologist in McKinney, Texas. Licking your lips, which you’re more likely to do once they’re dry, can worsen the issue as a result of the digestive enzymes in saliva may cause irritation.
