Why lips crack: 10 unobvious reasons

Why do lips dry out?

Dry lips occur due to several factors, such as:

• dry or windy weather;
• frequent stress;
• habit of licking lips;
• taking medications that affect the functioning of the salivary glands and muscles around the mouth;
• increased body temperature during illness;
• intoxication processes;
• allergic reaction to cosmetics;
• diabetes;
• kidney diseases;
• bad habits.

Lips often become dry in people who are on diets or follow a vegetarian diet. In such cases, the condition of the lips worsens due to a deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins, which are found in foods of animal origin.

Diagnosis of cheilitis

There are no specific laboratory tests to detect cheilitis.
All diagnosis of the disease is carried out by visual examination. To determine the causes of inflammation, diagnostics of the gastrointestinal tract may be prescribed for the presence of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Additionally, allergy tests are performed to exclude food allergies. General laboratory tests allow you to check the condition of the body and determine the possible causes of cheilitis:

• low levels of vitamins due to hypovitaminosis can provoke exfoliative cheilitis;
• bacterial cultures of smears and biopsies are performed in patients with immune system disorders in the absence of results from the treatment;
• testing for markers of HIV infection, herpes, the presence of fungal or bacterial microflora, respectively, allows us to identify the viral, bacterial or fungal causative agent of cheilitis;
• a blood test for anemia, ESR are required to assess general health;
• examination of the function of the thyroid and pancreas for endocrine pathologies.

On a note! Cheilitis tends to be chronic with periodic relapses. Self-healing without medical supervision is almost impossible, so try to pay attention to such a “minor” problem and consult a specialist. Diagnosis of the disease is carried out by a general practitioner or attending dentist. In some cases, consultation with an allergist, infectious diseases specialist, dermatovenerologist or gastroenterologist may be required.

What should beautiful and healthy lips look like?

Beautiful and healthy lips are characterized by the following signs:

• evenness and smoothness of the skin;
• symmetry of the corners of the mouth;
• the presence of a pink or red tint to the lips;
• absence of peeling, cracks and purse-string wrinkles;
• convex volume of the labial border;
• absence of jams, pigmentation and pathological manifestations.

It is also important to pay attention to the presence of a hollow above the upper lip and a cupid's arch, which should be clearly defined.

How to treat a cracked lip in the middle: therapeutic agents

• If the lip is cracked in the middle as a result of a fungal disease, you should use appropriate antibacterial medications.
• This could be Tetracycline or methyluracil group, Levomekol, Vishnevsky balm.
• If there is no positive effect for a long time, you can try Purelan-100 , based on lanolin.
• Before using the drug, you should disinfect the damaged area and do not remove drying crusts on the lip.
• You can also use cream or Vaseline to soften and moisturize , lubricating the skin around the crack without touching it directly.

We soften

• This procedure must be repeated several times a day. Alternatively, you can replace Vaseline with pork fat.

Top 10 tips on how to care for your lips

To keep your lips smooth and hydrated, follow these tips:

1. Regularly exfoliate the skin of your lips with special scrubs or a damp, thick towel.
2. Moisturize and nourish your lips with herbal balms; in the summer, you should additionally use products with SPF filters.
3. Maintain a drinking regime of drinking 2 liters of clean water per day.
4. Include in your diet foods high in omega-3 fatty acids (nuts, vegetable oils, vegetables and herbs, fatty fish).
5. Stop smoking, as tobacco smoke dries out the thinnest skin of the lips and leads to the formation of purse-string wrinkles.
6. Wash off makeup not with soap, but with two-phase makeup removers. In addition, while washing your face, it is good to do simple exercises to strengthen the orbicularis oris muscle. It is necessary to tightly compress and unclench your lips, and also pronounce the letters A, O, U, Y.
7. Take complexes containing vitamins A, C, E and group B.
8. Apply only high-quality cosmetics to your lips that do not contain camphor, phenol, aniline dyes and heavy metal salts.
9. It is recommended to add lip masks to winter care, or replace them by applying a restorative cream at night.
10. It is important to remember that cosmetic procedures play a huge role in maintaining external beauty. Therefore, do not forget about professional salon care for thin and delicate lip skin.

Why do lips crack and what to do about it?

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The lips have many blood vessels and nerve endings, and the skin there is thin, there are no sebaceous glands or fatty lining. This is why lips are so sensitive. For some purposes, this is very good, but only until the delicate skin cracks and the lips turn into a desert landscape.

Let's figure out why this happens.

Why do lips crack?

Cold

When it's very cold outside, unprotected lips immediately feel it. The blood vessels in the lips shrink and stop nourishing the surface of the lips. And if you don’t protect yourself with anything (don’t close your mouth and don’t use special cosmetics), then frost also affects the moisture in the upper layers of the skin of the lips. Thin skin, having lost fluid, becomes dry and fragile.

Heat

Although heat does not constrict blood vessels (quite the contrary), it contributes to general dehydration of the body. A feeling of dryness appears on the tongue, in the throat and, of course, on the lips. Lack of moisture increases the fragility of delicate skin, hence the cracks.

Habit of licking lips

When saliva dries out, lips lose moisture and natural lubrication, causing them to become more chapped. If you have a habit of licking or biting your lips, notice when it occurs most strongly. As a rule, banal stress is to blame for this.

Allergy

Have you noticed that sometimes you eat some food and it makes your mouth burn? Perhaps this is how oral allergy syndrome manifests itself, which can also damage your lips.

Dangerous food

Some foods do not cause allergies, but even without this they spoil the appearance. For example, foods with a lot of vinegar (salads or canned food), some fruits with a high acid content (citrus fruits, kiwi), hot spices, salty snacks irritate and dry the skin, which immediately becomes covered with a network of cracks.

Bad cosmetics

Expired or simply low-quality cosmetics, of course, have never made anyone better.

But sometimes even products from trusted brands lead to chapped lips. Moreover, dryness appears even if you take hygienic lipstick, specially made to prevent such problems. So this lipstick just isn't right for you.

Take a closer look at how your lips feel after using lipstick. Do you need to apply the product three times a day, otherwise your skin will feel tight due to dryness? Buy another lipstick that works for you. You may have to search for a long time.

Aggressive peeling

If you constantly use harsh scrubs or even lip brushes while washing your face, you can damage thin skin and develop unsightly cracks. So be careful with the smoothness.

Infections

The most common infection that affects the lips is the herpes simplex virus, the so-called cold sore. Exacerbations pass without problems, unless a bacterial infection occurs.

In some cases, lips become cracked, especially in the corners, due to a fungal infection called candidiasis. This is a common thrush that has developed in the oral cavity. This often happens in children.

You should go to the doctor if the inflammation is pronounced, the lips are red and sore, dry lips do not go away on their own, or if there is a white coating around the cracks.

Once you treat the infection, the cracks will go away. A dermatologist will tell you how and what exactly to treat in such cases, because treatment depends on what kind of infection you have.

Where do the sticky spots in the corners of the mouth come from?

Cracks in the corners of the lips, the so-called jams, are the most disgusting, because they hurt a lot, do not allow you to open your mouth, and do not go away for a long time.

The main reasons for their appearance are the same as for normal dry lips, but there are additional factors.

1. Chronic diseases. For example, diabetes or any skin diseases.
2. Lack of vitamins A or B2, possibly iron deficiency. But this is a condition that occurs only with an unbalanced diet. Therefore, switch to healthy food and a nutritious diet so as not to suffer from skin problems. To find out if you have enough iron, take a routine blood test.
3. Humidity. If the corners of your lips are constantly wet from saliva, an incorrect bite may be to blame. Consult your dentist. It might be possible to fix this.

How to cure chapped lips at home

When your lips are already chapped and rough, you need to put in a little effort to make the unpleasant symptoms go away.

Firstly,

You should not bite your lips or tear off hard flakes of skin, even if you really want to. This way we only injure the skin more and prolong the peeling.

Secondly,

moisturize your lips with special balms or lipsticks. It’s better not to buy products in jars, so as not to touch them with your fingers and not to apply a pack of germs to your lips along with the balm.

Do not buy products in jars to prevent germs from getting into the jams.

Third,

try natural and as simple as possible products based on wax and Vaseline. The more impurities in the composition, the higher the likelihood that this balm will not suit you.

What else to apply to chapped lips?

If you are desperate to find that lip balm in stores that will help, use simple remedies.

Regular natural honey is a good moisturizer. It is better to apply it before bed so as not to give in to temptation and lick your sweet lips.

If you are allergic to honey, try cocoa, coconut, almond, sea buckthorn, rose hip, and calendula oils. They retain moisture, soften the skin and help cracks heal faster.

What to do to prevent chapped lips

Basic prevention is simple:

1. Drink as soon as you feel dry mouth.
2. Use indoor air humidifiers.
3. Protect your lips from the sun with a cream with a UV filter or the same lipstick.
4. Protect your lips from frost with lipstick or Vaseline.
5. In winter and autumn, cover your mouth with a scarf from snow, rain and wind.
6. Use only high-quality cosmetics.
7. Avoid consuming irritating foods.
8. Learn to stay calm and not get nervous.

Lip treatments in Moscow

Therefore, in situations where you need help in restoring or correcting your lips, it is better to contact Dr. Korchagina’s clinic.

We offer you only the best and most effective procedures:

• lip augmentation and correction with hyaluronic acid – a minimally invasive injection technology based on the introduction of fillers with hyaluronate; manipulation helps to correct the shape of the lips, as well as eliminate dryness, peeling and pallor of the lip border;
• Botox injections - botulinum toxin injections block muscle contractions, which allows you to keep the skin of the lips smooth without creases and wrinkles;
• lip contouring – subcutaneous injection of filler gels ensures enlargement, smoothing of the lip contour, elimination of purse-string wrinkles and folds in the corners of the mouth;
• permanent lip makeup – tattooing evens out color, makes lips voluminous and bright, eliminating congenital defects and minor imperfections.

The selection of the optimal method for lip restoration is carried out taking into account the individual characteristics and skin condition of the patient.

To make an appointment for a consultation and procedures at the Korchagina clinic, write to us on the website or call us by phone.

Prevention of cheilitis

The main prevention of cheilitis is maintaining a healthy lifestyle and timely treatment of any infectious and allergic diseases. Basic list of measures:

• Eat right - a balanced menu should contain an abundance of fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, fish, and high-quality dairy products.
• Reduce the use of cosmetics - try to choose hypoallergenic formulations and constantly monitor the skin's reaction.
• Dose your exposure to open wind or direct sunlight.
• Protect your lip skin from physical and chemical damage.
• Take vitamin and mineral complexes periodically in courses (after consultation with your doctor).
• Give up bad habits.
• Seek medical advice promptly if you have characteristic symptoms.

Remember: your health is the greatest value, and constant monitoring of its condition is very important to maintain the body’s performance, especially in old age.

Why this problem needs to be solved

A chapped lip as a cosmetic defect is only part of the problem. Sooner or later it begins to hurt, causes digestion difficulties, and interferes with normal oral hygiene. This is because any attempt to stretch the lips causes pain and further damages the already damaged tissue. As a rule, the crack begins to bleed even with slight movement of the lips, even after a long period of rest.

If the problem is not solved, after a few months the edges of the crack become covered with keratinized scales, then dark red seals form, and small papillomas appear at the bottom. With such a history, laser removal of papillomas is not practiced, since the problem may be of a much more global nature: the patient needs an urgent consultation with an oncologist.

Causes of a crack in the lower lip

There are many reasons for the development of this pathology:

• anatomical features of the lip;
• permanent mechanical damage;
• weather conditions (if people are interested in prices for mole removal all year round, then the problem of a crack in the lower lip is usually solved in the cold season);
• the neurotic nature of the person’s actions – regular licking of lips, biting them, etc.;
• avitaminosis;
• metabolic disorder;
• dry skin, etc.