Why do my lips get dry?

There are many reasons why your lips can lose hydration and their normal appearance. The most common is that these problems appear in times of cold and dryness of the environment, but this is not always the case. Next, we will see what are the possible causes of dry lips :

Dry and cold weather

The lips are one of the areas with the greatest exposure to inclement weather. When the environment is rather dry and when temperatures are low, there is a greater probability of suffering from dryness and cracking in the mouth, which can be solved by avoiding exposure by covering the area.

Smoking

Smoking dries out the lips and not only that, over time, it can contribute to the development of cancer in the mouth and other areas of the body. It is a toxic that must be avoided.

Anxiety

The habit of wetting the lips or nibbling on them often responds to a poorly controlled state of anxiety. This is a habit that can lead to dry lips due to the loss of their protective oily layer, leaving them exposed to the influence of the environment.

On the other hand, permanent states of anxiety and stress make your mouth dry, and this is due to adrenaline circulating excessively.

Boqueras

When dry mouth does not respond to common treatments, other causes should be investigated, including angular cheilitis or mouth . It may be due to fungi, with which its treatment will be very different, requiring a professional to accompany the healing process and rule out other possible diseases, since it is usually associated with low defenses, lack of B vitamins, anemia , diabetes, cirrhosis. It can also be seen in patients who have an altered bite.

irritating cosmetics

Sometimes the dryness of the lips is due to irritants present in some beauty products. There are people with skin that is more sensitive to these substances and they are the ones who can suffer from these types of problems. Sometimes it happens with lipsticks, facial creams, cleansers, toothpastes, oral mouthwashes, etc. Ideally, you should consult a dermatology specialist to find out which product is the most suitable for you.

Sun exposure

The sun is a great ally of the skin as long as the exposure is in hours of minimum incidence and for a short time, because in this way it favors the synthesis of vitamin D, which is very necessary for the proper functioning of the body. However, when the exposure is excessive, it can appear not only dryness but more serious problems such as actinic cheilitis.

Drugs

Some medications can cause dry lips as a secondary reaction, among them are:

• Isotretinoin: it is used for acne.
• Acitretino: antipsoriásico.
• Chemotherapy.

On the other hand, there are a series of medications that can cause allergies in some people and that this allergy manifests itself with lesions in the mouth, such as dry lips and burning. It is the case of:

• Barbiturates.
• Sulfonamidas.
• Paracetamol.
• Tetraciclinas.
• Phenacetin.
• Pirazolonas.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, there are many changes in the female body, among them, a greater tendency to dry lips and cracking may appear, in addition to that, fungal infections (such as candida) that can cause mouth sores may appear.

Tendency to have dry skin

Those whose skin is usually drier will also be prone to dry lips, which is very common in allergy sufferers or people with atopic dermatitis .

Autoimmune diseases

The Sjogren ‘s disease is an autoimmune disease in which the main symptoms are related to decreased production of secretions such as saliva or tears, which may also suffer lips.

Other diseases

The mouth shows us a lot about our body. So much so that dry lips can also be a sign that the kidneys or liver are not working well. It has been proven that certain diseases such as diabetes, kidney or liver failure can have, among other symptoms, dry lips.

One of the keys to improving the dryness of the lips is to keep them hydrated and that is something that is achieved both externally and internally. Our skin is the reflection of our entire body, therefore, a good diet rich in raw fruits and vegetables , seeds, nuts, honey, sprouted and fermented is the key. All this leaving aside everything that damages our body.

The consumption of water , without sugar, sweeteners or stimulants, is very important to help effectively hydrate the body, also collaborating with its internal cleaning.

Also take into account the following measures to hydrate the lips and avoid their dryness:

• Try to make the environments more humid: use humidifiers or simply place a pot with freshly boiled water to supply the steam, you can add chamomile or eucalyptus.
• Put aside irritating products, prefer natural or, failing that, hypoallergenic.
• As a remedy for dry lips, you can apply an infusion of chamomile or calendula on the dry area, it will help the healing and recovery of damaged lips.
• Do not wet your lips with saliva, it makes the problem worse.
• You can use a soft substance like coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil to hydrate them. If not, you can use petroleum jelly.
• Protect your lips from the sun: wear hats, scarves and some sunscreen. If the latter is based on natural products, much better, in fact, you can make it with coconut oil and essential oils.
• Do not smoke! Of course, this habit is hurting you.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Why do lips dry out , we recommend that you enter our Skin, hair and nails category .