Cracked, dry lips can happen anytime of the year. In the winter, blustery winds and lack of humidity can parch the lips. In the summer, the sun can play a large role in making your kisser crinkle. You can combat these effects with some simple treatments and prevention.
Step 1
Stay hydrated. The best way to combat dry lips is to keep the skin healthy. One of the best ways to do this is by drinking around eight 8 oz glasses of water a day. If that sounds like a big job, try eating water rich foods such as fruits and vegetables to replace several glasses of water.
Step 2
Avoid eating a lot of salt or drinking caffeinated beverages. These can dehydrate you, keeping your lips from healing.
Step 3
Don’t lick your lips. According to University of Iowa Health Care, there is a protective layer of oils and skin cells that keep the water inside the skin from evaporating. Repeatedly licking your lips can wear down this protective barrier.
Step 4
Seal in moisture. If your lips are dry, the protective barrier is probably already damaged. Replace it with a thin layer of petroleum-based lip gloss or balm. Any type of oil, in fact, will seal your lips and protect them.
Step 5
Use lip balms with SPF to avoid sun damage no matter what time of the year it is. Sun damage can dry and burn your lips even more. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends choosing a balm that contains no less than an SPF rating 15 and applying the balm every two hours.
Warnings
- Don’t exfoliate your lips. This will only irritate them further and will remove the protective layer on your lips.
