Dry lips - causes and fast remedies

• Are there different causes for dry lips?
  • Thin keratinised layer
  • Lack of self-protection
  • Wetting the lips
  • Drinking too little water
  • Vitamin deficiency
  • Inflammation
• What helps to combat dry lips?
• Don’t forget sunscreen
• Home remedies for dry lips

There are various causes for dry lips

The causes for dry, chapped and rough lips are usually in the air. For example, warm air from central heating, cooling air-conditioning systems or simply extreme heat and cold can frequently lead to dry lips. This is because lips have scarcely any sebaceous glands to supply moisture. So our lips are especially vulnerable to external influences. Even the smallest changes can make lips become dry.

Thin keratinised layer

As the cells of the keratinised layer on the lips hardly die off and keratinise at all, the skin in this area is particularly sensitive. By comparison, the cells of other areas of skin on the body constantly keratinise. Together with the sebum, the dead keratinised cells form a protective layer that makes the skin particularly soft. Unfortunately, this is not the case with lips.

Lack of self-protection

Another reason why lips become dry is their lack of self-protection. As lips do not have any sweat glands to keep the lips moist, wind, cold and other environmental influences make lips dry and chapped particularly quickly.

Wetting the lips

If you regularly suffer from dry lips you probably know that: You try to wet your lips with your tongue, but this only makes the lips drier. The saliva evaporates again and dries out the lips even more. Even the small amount of oil present reduces further.

Drinking too little water

Too little hydration can also be a reason for extremely dry lips. If you drink too little, you dry up from the inside out. Therefore, try to drink enough water. At least two litres of water and/or tea should do it. Along with the lips, other organs in the body also need adequate hydration.

Vitamin deficiency

Along with a lack of fluids, a bad diet can also be the cause of lips that are always dry. With dry lips, a lack of Vitamin B12 and iron is likely. The regular consumption of fish and meat as well as Camembert and cottage cheese can make up for such a deficiency.

Inflammation

Inflammation can also cause chapped, burning and itchy lips. The damaged skin can very easily become infected with fungi or bacteria. As lip inflammation is very painful and difficult to get rid of, you should make an appointment with a dermatologist. They can identify the exact cause and initiate appropriate countermeasures.

What helps combat dry lips?

To combat dry lips or prevent them from occurring at all, regular lip care is indispensable. The lips should be regularly moisturised or treated with a lip balm. Oil-containing and moisturising products moisturise the lips and prevent them from drying out further. Tried-and-trusted ingredients include oils, fats and waxes, which are combined with other nourishing ingredients. Particularly helpful products are, for example, products with chamomile or dexpanthenol.

Don’t forget sunscreen

The lips are particularly vulnerable to sunburn. This is because the skin cells of the lips do not produce melanin and so lack the body’s own sunscreen. For this reason, when using lip care, the UV factor is particularly important. This is not just important on a summer holiday by the sea but also in the winter on a skiing holiday, for example. Because, as the snow reflects the sun’s rays, the effect of the sun is strengthened further. Therefore, regularly use lip care with a UV factor of at least 30 to avoid sunburn as well as dry and chapped lips.

Home remedies for dry lips

Along with commercially available lip care products, the kitchen also provides some valuable products that can be used effectively for dry lips. With the following foodstuffs, you can restore the velvety softness of your lips naturally:

• Olive oil: Applied to the lips in the evening before going to bed, olive oil works like a true lip balm.
• Honey: Apply a thin layer of honey to your lips, let it sink in for about ten minutes and, finally, wipe off the remainder with a tissue. This hack works wonders.
• Water: Drink at least two litres of water or tea every day. This will prevent your lips from drying out from the inside.