What to do if your upper lips are cracked and peeling

The phenomenon of chapped lips is very common in daily life and is related to many factors, some of which are caused by seasonal dryness, and some are caused by diseases such as cheilitis. Cracked and chapped upper lips are not only unsightly, but also uncomfortable. They must be addressed promptly, otherwise the lower lips may also become cracked and chapped. So, what should you do if your upper lips are chapped and cracked? Let’s take a look below.

(1) Don’t lick your lips all the time, the harm can’t be underestimated

Many people like to make a mistake. When their lips are dry, they lick their lips or wet their lips with saliva, thinking that this will keep their lips away from the problem of dryness. Little do people know that this habit is harmful to the skin around the lips.

Licking your lips during the dry winter months can cause two problems. First, it will cause inflammation of the corners of the lips. When you lick your lips with your tongue, saliva is left on your lips. Saliva contains a variety of enzymes that can help digestion. Two of these enzymes, amylase and maltase, can cause inflammation at the corners of the lips. This is because the two enzymes remaining on the lips are equivalent to "digesting the skin."

In fact, another consequence of licking your lips is irritant dermatitis, which is actually very common. In other words, it is the saliva that is to blame.

Experts explain that, contrary to what people imagine, licking your lips does not make them moist. Because when you lick your lips with your tongue, the moisture brought by it will evaporate, and when it evaporates, it takes away the moisture that is already tight on the lips, making the lips feel even drier. Then it becomes a vicious cycle where the lips become drier and you lick them more, and the more you lick, the drier they become, eventually causing eczema-like consequences on the lips. However, this type of "eczema" is not "wet" but "dry", which will make the skin at the corners of the mouth become rough and appear a different color from the surrounding skin.

(II) Daily care to prevent and treat dry lips

Wear a mask

Especially for cyclists, wearing a mask can block the biting cold wind outside. The purpose of wearing a mask is simple: to maintain the temperature and humidity of the lips to prevent dehydration and dryness.

Massage your lips regularly

The method of massaging lips is not difficult. Just dip some honey on a cotton pad, apply it on your lips before going to bed every night, and then gently massage with your fingers to help promote blood circulation, so that the lips can get oxygen and increase nutrition, and the lips will become moisturized.

Apply honey

If your lips start to feel dry, you can use a clean cotton swab to apply some vegetable oil or honey available in the household on your lips. However, diabetic patients should avoid applying honey. Honey can moisturize and nourish the skin very well, and can also inhibit the growth of bacteria and avoid skin infections.

Apply olive oil and milk paste before bed

Apply olive oil on your lips before going to bed and let it absorb for more than 20 minutes, then wipe it off. You can also mix a small amount of milk powder with water to make a paste, and apply it thickly on your lips to act as a lip mask. Olive oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins, which can effectively solve problems such as dry skin and itching.

Apply eye ointment to moisturize lips

There is a trick to deal with dry lips in autumn and winter: applying eye ointment is better than lip balm. Eye ointment can also be used to prevent dry lips in autumn and winter. Many lip balms sold on the market contain vaseline as their main ingredient. Erythromycin eye ointment also contains a large amount of vaseline, which can have the same effect as lip balm. Moreover, erythromycin can also reduce inflammation and kill bacteria. For those dry, cracked, and bleeding lips, erythromycin is more effective than lip balm and more affordable.