How do you get rid of chapped lips?
Cheilitis treatment depends on the underlying cause of lip inflammation, but you can usually treat it at home. Cheilitis self-care involves:
- Staying hydrated.
- Using lip balm or ointment as needed throughout the day.
- Applying lip balm with sunscreen when outdoors.
- Avoiding licking, picking or biting at your lips.
- Keeping foreign objects away from your mouth (pens, jewelry, metal objects).
- Using a humidifier.
What type of lip balm is best for chapped lip treatment?
To treat your chapped lips, choose a lip balm with ingredients that are:
- Fragrance-free.
- Hypoallergenic.
- Ointments (petroleum jelly, glycerin).
- Oils (mineral oil or castor seed oil).
- Moisturizing (ceramide, dimethicone).
- Sun-protective (titanium oxide, zinc oxide).
Don’t use lip balm that includes the following ingredients, as they can irritate chapped lips:
- Fragrances and flavoring.
- Lanolin.
- Menthol.
- Eucalyptus.
- Camphor.
- Waxes.
If your lip balm causes a stinging, burning or tingling sensation, stop using that product.
How often should I apply lip balm or ointment to my chapped lips?
Lip balm seals cracks in your lips, and ointment keeps your lips hydrated for a longer duration based on the ingredients and thickness of the ointment. You can apply lip balms and lip ointments as needed throughout the day when you notice your lips are dry. Using lip ointment at night will keep your lips hydrated throughout the night. Always reapply lip balm or ointment after eating and drinking. While outdoors, apply lip balm or ointment with SPF 30 or higher about every two hours.
What do I do if my chapped lips are bleeding?
Bleeding occurs when the cracks (fissures) in your lips break and turn into cuts and sores (split lip). The skin on your lips is prone to cracking, and untreated chapped lips may bleed and cause pain and stinging. You can treat your bleeding lips at home with an ointment designed for lips, specifically. If the bleeding is frequent and at-home treatment doesn’t help, visit your healthcare provider. They can prescribe more advanced treatment.
How soon after treatment will I feel better?
Applying lip balm regularly should ease discomfort until your lips have time to heal. Severely chapped lips may take longer to heal, but the average time is two to three weeks to recover completely. If you treat chapped lips as soon as you notice a problem, your lips will heal much faster and you can avoid potential complications like infection.
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