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Remedies for Chapped Lips

Chapped lips are unsightly, painful and often difficult to ease. When your lips are chapped, it is wise to tackle the problem on the inside as well as on the inside to ensure a complete recovery and deter the dryness and cracking from coming back.

  1. Water

    • Drink several ounces of water every few hours. Keeping your body properly hydrated will help to combat dry, chapped lips.

      Keep humidifiers running in your home and office during the winter months to combat the dry air and your subsequent dry lips.

    Internal Deficiencies

    • The lack of iron, Vitamin B and fatty acids in your body can play a role in lip cracking and scaling. Vitamin A is also necessary for skin repair and is also recommended to defend yourself against chapped lips.

      Be sure to take a multivitamin/mineral supplement every day to protect against internal deficiencies that may be causing your chapped lips. You can also incorporate Vitamin B, Vitamin A, iron and fatty acid-rich food into your diet.

      Foods high in Vitamin A are green leafy vegetables, legumes, whole grains, carrots and tomatoes. Foods rich in Vitamin B are meat, bread, sweet corn, brown rice, yeast and berries.

      Iron can be found in such foods as clams, mussels, shrimp, sardines, turkey, beef, oysters, pork liver, baked potatoes, pumpkin seeds, canned beans, lentils and blackstrap molasses.

      Walnuts, flax seeds and salmon are excellent sources of Omega-3 fatty acids.

    Wet Cloths

    • Apply a cool wet cloth to chapped lips, and then apply a lip balm with at least a SPF 15 to protect your lips from further sun damage. Reapply balm every 1 to 2 hours.

    Allergies

    • Allergies to your toothpaste and mouthwash could be causing your chapped lips problem. Schedule an appointment with your general practitioner or allergist to determine if this is the case.

    Buff

    • Buff your lips with a soft toothbrush to remove the dead cells that will ultimately lead to more flaking and drying.

    Zinc Oxide

    • If you drool during the night, protect your lips from chapping with a zinc oxide ointment. Zinc oxide ointments are usually available at drugstores.

    Dairy

    • For a few days, apply milk cream or clarified butter to your lips before going to bed to see if this method clears up your chapped lips.

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