Dry Flaky Skin Around the Lips
The National Health Museum points out that when you neglect our lips, forgetting that they are made of skin, they can become dry and damaged just like the skin on the rest of your body. Lips are exposed to the elements, including the cold, the sun, wind and dry air. If you are suffering from breathing problems and are breathing out of your mouth instead of your nose, this can make your lips dry and flaky. Medications can make your skin, even that on your lips, dry. If you aren’t drinking enough fluids, you can become dehydrated and your lips will lose their moistness. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
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Causes
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When an individual isn’t eating the proper foods, this can result in vitamin deficiencies, which lead to dry skin, including the skin on your lips. Dry flaky lips may be the result of a vitamin B2 deficiency. Are you getting enough vitamin A, which promotes the regeneration of skin cells. Dead skin cells are dry skin cells. Make sure that you’re getting adequate amounts of vitamin D and vitamin E, as well as sodium and potassium into your diet and this will lessen the chances that you will experience dry skin on your lips or elsewhere. Dry skin can be painful skin, and it can he be unsightly. Exposure to harsh household chemicals can cause your skin to become dry and flaky.
Potential
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If you are using products that contain lanolin it may be that you have become desensitized to it and it is no longer working as an effective moisturizer. Try a lip salve or balm that is lanolin-free and see it this prevents dry, flaky lips.
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Features
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Licking your lips repeatedly will dry out the skin on your lips, making them flaky; however, if you never lick your lips, the dead cells on your lips can build up and aren’t washed away, which happens when you do lick your lips on occasion. This too will cause dry, flaky lip skin.
Prevention/Solution
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Consider using petroleum jelly, which has been around for years and is a good moisturizer for dry, flaky lips. Apply the petroleum to your lips and, if you choose, use a toothbrush that has been coated in petroleum to brush your lips, doing so in a circular manner. This will help get rid of dry, flaky skin.
Considerations
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Dry skin can be caused by medical conditions including thyroid problems, diabetes, hormonal imbalances, too much alcohol or caffeine consumption, the weather—including low humidity, high heat and extreme cold—as well as sunburn.
Tip
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When choosing a balm or cream for your lips, select one that contains sunscreen. Overexposure to the sun can result in dry, chapped lips.
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References
- Photo Credit lips image by DXfoto.com from Fotolia.com
