How to Get Rid of Chapped Lips (& How to Prevent)

To get rid of chapped lips, it is important to use moisturizing chapstick and to drink plenty of water throughout the day. This will help to promote hydration and heal the skin on your lips.

You can also consider some measures to prevent worsening, like avoiding licking your lips and apply chapstick before applying lipstick or lip gloss. 

Chapped lips can occur for many reasons to several situations, mainly dehydration, frequent exposure to the sun, very cold weather, nutritional deficiencies or as a result of breathing through the mouth or as a result of some treatments. Learn more about what causes chapped lips and when to see a doctor.

Some ways to treat dry and chapped lips are:

1. Using moisturizing lip balm

Lip balm that is rich in mineral oil and vitamins help to repair, nourish and hydrate dry, cracked lips. These can be can be used every day, throughout the day. Moisturizing lipsticks may contain almond oil, coconut oil, shea butter or vitamin E in their composition, for example, however it is also important to use moisturizing lipsticks with sun protection factor (SPF), as it helps to protect against the action of sun rays, which could also make lips more chapped and dry.

It is also possible to make a homemade lip moisturizer at home with protective, repairing and nourishing properties for the lips, using bee honey and tea tree essence, which can be applied to the lips several times a day.

2. Use an ointment with vitamin E

Look for an ointment with vitamin E and an SPF of 30 to apply to your lips. These factors help to promote prolonged hydration and cell renewal on the lips, while also preventing worsening. 

Vitamin E ointments can be applied several times a day, whenever necessary. Be sure to reapply every 2 hours while exposed to the sun.

3. Drink water throughout the day

Drinking water throughout the day is important for not only hydrating the skin and lips, but it also plays a role in other bodily functions, like regulating body temperature, improve circulation and facilitating digestion.

You should aim to drink at least 2.5 liters of water per day. You can also achieve your recommended daily water intake through high-water content foods, such as watermelon, cucumber, pineapple and apple. However, if your lips are extremely chapped and painful, you should avoid citrus fruit that may further irritate dry skin. 

How to prevent chapped lips

There are certain measures you can take to prevent chapped lips, such as:

• Avoiding licking your lips or sucking on them, as the salts and pH in your saliva can worsen chapped lips or cause dryness.
• Avoid picking dry skin from the lips, as this can interfere with the natural tissue renewal process.
• Always apply a moisturizing lip balm before applying lipstick or gloss;
• Avoid using lipsticks that last 24 hours, as the compounds used to fix the color onto the lips can leave your lips dry.

However, if wounds or blisters appear and do not heal on their own, you should consult a dermatologist. These may be a sign of another condition, such as cold sores, which may require more targeted treatments.