Why do lips become dry and peeling?

Lips become dry and peeling because they don't contain oil glands to help keep them hydrated and moist.

What is the recommended amount of water to drink to prevent dry lips?

The recommended amount of water to drink to prevent dry lips is 2-3 litres a day.

What is exfoliative cheilitis?

Exfoliative cheilitis is the continuous peeling of the lips, primarily the lower lip. It is thought to be caused by nutrient deficiencies in iron and vitamin B12, along with other habits like biting and picking your lips.

What are some foods that are good for maintaining healthy lips?

Foods that are good for maintaining healthy lips include those that are high in iron, vitamin B12, and other important nutrients like vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids. Examples include leafy green vegetables, red meat, fish, nuts, and seeds.

Can a lack of iron and vitamin B12 really cause peeling lips?

Yes, a lack of iron and vitamin B12 can cause peeling lips. These nutrients are important for maintaining healthy skin, and a deficiency can lead to a range of skin problems, including dry, cracked, and peeling lips.

What is angular cheilitis?

Angular cheilitis is inflammation and cracks in the corners of the mouth. It is often caused by a deficiency in riboflavin, folate, and iron, which are important nutrients for maintaining healthy skin.

How can a deficiency in riboflavin, folate, and iron lead to angular cheilitis?

Riboflavin, folate, and iron are all important for maintaining healthy skin, including the skin around the mouth. A deficiency in any of these nutrients can lead to dry, cracked, and inflamed skin, which can make the corners of the mouth more vulnerable to infection and irritation.

Can saliva cause angular cheilitis?

Yes, saliva can contribute to angular cheilitis by causing a buildup of microorganisms in the corners of the mouth. To prevent this, it's important to wash your mouth and lips properly after each meal.

Can angular cheilitis be contagious?

Yes, angular cheilitis can be contagious, especially if it is caused by a fungal or bacterial infection. It's important to avoid sharing utensils, towels, or other personal items with others if you have angular cheilitis to prevent the spread of infection

How can exfoliating help with dry and peeling lips?

Exfoliating your lips can help remove dead, dry skin flakes and reveal smoother, healthier skin underneath. This can make your lips look and feel softer and more hydrated.

How often should I exfoliate my lips?

It's generally recommended to exfoliate your lips once or twice a week. This is often enough to remove dead skin cells and promote healthy skin turnover without over-exfoliating or damaging your lips.

How can I exfoliate my lips?

You can exfoliate your lips by using a wet toothbrush and gently brushing your lips in circular motions. You can also use a lip scrub or exfoliating product specifically designed for the lips.

Can exfoliating make my chapped lips worse?

Yes, if your lips are already chapped or cracked, exfoliating can further damage the skin and make the problem worse. It's best to wait until your lips are healed before exfoliating.

Can exfoliating my lips be harmful?

Exfoliating your lips can be helpful for removing dead skin cells and promoting healthy skin turnover, but it's important to be gentle and not over-exfoliate. Over-exfoliating can damage the skin and make your lips more sensitive and prone to dryness and irritation.

How can I keep my lips moisturized?

Moisturizing your lips is important to prevent dryness and cracking. Applying a lip balm with non-irritating ingredients like shea butter and petrolatum can help keep your lips hydrated and soft.

How often should I apply lip balm?

It's recommended to apply lip balm multiple times throughout the day, especially after exfoliating your lips and before bed. This can help maintain moisture and prevent dryness.

What ingredients should I avoid in my lip balm?

You should avoid fragrances and flavors like beeswax, camphor, cinnamon, colophony, eucalyptus, geraniol, menthol, peppermint oil, and vanilla. Other ingredients to avoid include emollients like castor oil and lanolin, solvents such as propylene glycol, preservatives like propyl gallate, and dyes like red and yellow.

Can lip balm make my lips worse?

It's important to choose a lip balm with non-irritating ingredients to avoid worsening dryness or causing an allergic reaction. Avoiding ingredients like fragrances, flavors, and certain preservatives can help prevent this.

Can I use natural oils like coconut oil as a lip balm?

Yes, natural oils like coconut oil can be a good alternative to commercial lip balms. However, keep in mind that some oils may not provide long-lasting hydration and may need to be reapplied frequently.

Can dry air affect the moisture in my lips?

Yes, dry air can cause your lips to become dry and cracked. To combat this, you can use a humidifier to add moisture to the air in your home.

Is mouth breathing bad for my lips?

Yes, breathing through your mouth can cause your lips and mouth to become dry. It's important to breathe through your nose whenever possible, even when you sleep.

Can spicy food affect my lips?

Yes, spicy food can cause a burning sensation on your lips and make them swell. This is especially true for very hot or spicy foods, such as spicy noodles.

How can I protect my lips from the elements?

To protect your lips from the elements, you can use a lip balm with SPF to shield them from the sun's UV rays. You can also wear a scarf or mask to cover your face during cold and windy weather.

How often should I reapply lip balm?

You should reapply lip balm as needed throughout the day, especially after eating, drinking, or spending time outside in the sun or wind.

Why is it important to avoid licking your lips?

Licking your lips can make them even drier as saliva evaporates quickly and saps moisture from them. In addition, saliva contains digestive enzymes that can damage the delicate skin on the lips.

What is the difference between the outer layers of skin on the lips and the rest of the skin?

The skin on the lips contains only 3-5 outer layers, compared to 16 layers on the rest of the skin. This makes the lips more prone to cracking, bleeding, peeling, dryness, and vulnerability to irritants.

Can biting and picking at flaking skin on the lips worsen their condition?

Yes, biting and picking at flaking skin on the lips can further damage them and worsen the healing process. It is important to avoid this and instead apply a moisturizer to promote healing.

How does cold weather affect your lips?

Cold weather can quickly dry out your lips and may even trigger cold sores. To prevent this, it is recommended to wear a scarf that covers your mouth to prevent cold dry air from hitting your mouth.

How can hot weather affect your lips?

Lips have very small amounts of melanocytes, cells that produce melanin, compared to the rest of the skin and thus less protected than skin from the sun’s UV rays. To protect your lips from the sun's harmful UV rays, it is recommended to apply an SPF of 30+ lip balm or wear a hat that shades your face.

Can pollution and second-hand smoke damage your lips?

Yes, pollution and second-hand smoke can damage your lips over time, which can give them a faded look. To protect your lips from pollution and smoke, it is recommended to wear a scarf or mask that covers your mouth.

What is contact cheilitis?

Contact cheilitis is the dryness of the lips caused by an inflammatory response to allergens.

How can recreational activities such as playing wind instruments and snorkeling lead to irritant contact dermatitis?

Recreational activities such as playing wind instruments and snorkeling can cause mechanical irritation of the lips, which may lead to irritant contact dermatitis.

Dry Peeling Lips? How to Make Them Soft and Kissable

Evidence-based. Credit goes to all researchers

Drink 2-3 liters of water daily, eat iron and vitamin B12, exfoliate, moisturize, and protect lips to keep them soft, hydrated, and kissable.

1. Keep Your Lips Hydrated and Supple with Proper Hydration💦

Lips don’t contain oil glands to help keep them hydrated and moist (Piccinin & Zito, 2021). That is why drinking the recommended amount of 2-3 litres a day should be the first and easiest step to prevent dry lips (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Keynote

Drinking 2-3 litres daily is the easiest way to prevent dry lips.

2. Causes of Peeling Lips and Cracks in Corner of Mouth😋

Exfoliative cheilitis

Nutrient deficiencies in iron and vitamin B12 along with other habits like biting and picking your lips are thought to cause exfoliative cheilitis which is the continuous peeling of the lips, primarily the lower lip (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Angular cheilitis

A deficiency in riboflavin, folate and iron can lead to angular cheilitis, which is inflammation and cracks in the corners of the mouth (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Saliva can also cause angular cheilitis, so make sure you wash your mouth and lips properly after each meal to avoid the buildup of saliva and microorganisms in the corner of your mouth (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Nutrients for lips and their sources

Nutrients	Best Sources
Iron	Spinach, Pumpkin seeds, Quinoa, Brocolli, Cacao powder, Tuna
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	Egg yolks, Salmon, Tuna, Almonds, Chicken breast, Spinach, Cheese, Milk, Plain Yogurt
Vitamin B9 (Folate)	Spinach, Brocolli, Eggs, Beets, Almonds, Walnuts, Bananas
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)	Tuna, Salmon, Milk, Cheese, Plain yoghurt, Eggs yolks
Vitamin E	Almonds, Pumpkin Seeds, Mango, Kiwi, Blackberries, Black Currents, Raspberries, Spinach, Brocolli

Keynote

To avoid cracks in the corner of your mouth and peeling of your lips don’t bite or pick at your lips, get your daily dose of iron, cobalamin, riboflavin and folate and wash your mouth and lips after every meal.

3. Gently Exfoliate Once a Week🧼

Exfoliating your lips can help remove dead, dry skin flakes. Exfoliate once or twice a week by using a wet toothbrush and gently brush your lips. Don’t exfoliate if your lips are already chapped as this can worsen them.

Keynote

Use your toothbrush gently once or twice a week to exfoliate your lips to remove old dead dry skin.

Dont lick use a Natural Lip Balm💧

Moisturise your lips by applying a lip balm. Choose one with ingredients that are non-irritant like shea butter and petrolatum.

Moisturise after exfoliating your lips, once in the morning and once before bed and multiple times throughout the day as needed (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Ingredients to Avoid

Avoid fragrances and flavours like beeswax, camphor, cinnamon, colophony, eucalyptus, geraniol, menthol, peppermint oil and vanilla; emollients like castor oil, lanolin; solvents such as propylene glycol; preservatives like propyl gallate and dyes like red and yellow (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Ingredients to look for

The best lip balm would be a simple one which contains organic moisturising ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, petrolatum, aloe vera, jojoba oil and vitamin E.

Keynote

Moisturise after exfoliating, in the morning, throughout the day as needed and once before bed. Use a lip balm without any fragrances, flavours, emollients, solvents, preservatives and dyes. Look for ingredients that are non-irritant, like shea butter and petrolatum.

Protect Your Lips from the Elements to Maintain Their Softness👄

Use a humidifier

At home, if the air is dry you can use a humidifier to help increase the moisture in the air.

Don’t mouth breathe

Breathe through your nose at all times and not from your mouth, even when you sleep as this can lead to dry lips and a dry mouth.

Spicy food

Really hot/spicy food can cause a burning sensation on your lips and make them swell. A common culprit for this is spicy noodles.

Avoid licking and biting

Don’t lick your lips, saliva evaporates quickly and will make your lips even drier as it saps moisture from them, they also contain digestive enzymes which damage the delicate skin on the lips (Fonseca et al., 2020).

The skin lips on the skin only contain 3-5 outer layers compared to the 16 layers on the rest of the skin (Piccinin & Zito, 2021). This leads to a breakdown of the protective barrier and makes your lips more prone to cracking, bleeding, peeling, dryness and vulnerability to irritants (Fonseca et al., 2020). Apply a moisturiser instead.

Don’t bite and pick apart or peel flaking skin as this can further damage your lips and worsen the healing process (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Cold weather

Dry cold weather, can quickly dry out your lips and may even trigger cold sores. Wear a scarf that covers your mouth to prevent cold dry air from hitting your mouth. This can also protect your lips from pollution and second-hand smoke which over time can give your lips a faded look (Multani, 2013).

Hot weather

Lips have very small amounts of melanocytes, cells that produce melanin, compared to the rest of the skin and thus less protected than skin from the sun’s UV rays (Piccinin & Zito, 2021).

If you know you are about to spend a lot of time in the sun apply an SPF of 30+ lip balm or wear a hat that shades your face (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Contact

Your lips are sensitive and so you should be careful with what comes in contact with your lips. Contact cheilitis is dryness of lips caused by an inflammatory response to allergens (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Allergens

These allergens can be from detergents, preservatives; fragrances from tropical products, flavorants from food, propolis found in many lip balms, nickel and cobalt from jewellery and instrument mouthpieces, and methanol from oral hygiene products (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Recreational activities

Doing recreational activities such as playing wind instruments and snorkelling and diving can cause mechanical irritation of the lips and may lead to irritant contact dermatitis, so extra care should be taken (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Acne medication

Other substances that can cause injury and irritation to your lips include chemicals in acne medication such as topical retinoids, salicylic acid, and benzoyl peroxide (Fonseca et al., 2020).

Keynote

Every time you go outside carry a lip balm of SPF 30+ on you. Wear protective clothing like a scarf to limit pollution and dry cold/hot air getting to your lips. If the air in your home is dry use a humidifier. Avoid very spicy food. Let your lips heal naturally don’t pick or peel them. Don’t lick your lips use your lip balm instead. Breathe through your nose at all times even while you sleep. Take extra care when playing wind instruments and snorkelling/diving. When applying Face wash be careful to not touch your lips.

Action to take ✍️

Drink 2-3 litres daily.
Don’t bite or pick at your lips.
Get your daily dose of iron, cobalamin, riboflavin and folate.
Wash your mouth and lips after every meal.
Use your toothbrush gently once or twice a week to exfoliate your lips.
Moisturise after exfoliating, in the morning, throughout the day as needed and once before bed.
Use a lip balm without any fragrances, flavours, emollients, solvents, preservatives and dyes. Look for ingredients that are not irritants like shea butter and petrolatum.
Every time you go outside carry a lip balm of SPF 30+ on you.
Wear protective clothing like a scarf to limit pollution and dry cold/hot air getting to your lips.
If the air in your home is dry use a humidifier.
Avoid very spicy food.
Let your lips heal naturally don’t pick or peel them.
Don’t lick your lips use your lip balm instead.
Breathe through your nose at all times even while you sleep.
Take extra care when playing wind instruments and snorkelling/diving.
When applying Face wash be careful to not touch your lips.

References 🤓

Fonseca, A., Jacob, S. E., & Sindle, A. (2020). Art of prevention: Practical interventions in lip-licking dermatitis. International Journal of Women’s Dermatology, 6(5), 377–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijwd.2020.06.001

Multani S. (2013). Interrelationship of smoking, lip and gingival melanin pigmentation, and periodontal status. Addiction & health, 5(1-2), 57–65. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905564/

Piccinin MA, Zito PM. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Lips. [Updated 2021 Jun 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507900/

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Dry Peeling Lips? How to Make Them Soft and Kissable

1. Keep Your Lips Hydrated and Supple with Proper Hydration💦