Pucker Up! How to Heal Chapped Lips

How to heal chapped lips ... while you sleep!

Chapped lips got you down? Cracking, peeling, inflamed, bleeding? Let alone tender and painful!

I know this misery firsthand. What to do?

The "ultimate solution" comes from Dr. Caroline Kublenzer, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania.

After an all day shopping trip to New York City, on a frigid, blustery day, I desperately needed lip aid. I was relieved to stumble across this remedy ...

Best treatment for chapped lips

• Mix 1 teaspoon salt in 2 cups warm water.
• Soak a clean cloth in the solution.
• Press on your lips for several minutes.
• Pat dry and immediately follow with a (natural) waxy lip balm. An alternative is Un-petroleum Jelly. Composed of pure plant oils and all natural waxes, it is free of petroleum products.

Lip balm defense

Lip balm offers the best protection for fragile lips.

Your lips have thin skin and lack protective oil glands. To ensure adequate moisture, apply a natural lip balm frequently throughout the day.

Reapply after eating and drinking. Cold, winter weather and hot, dry climates require repeated applications.

If you wear lipstick, apply lip balm first. Let this dry, then apply lipstick. Choose a creamy, rather than a matte, finish. Matte lipsticks have a drying effect.

What are the best lip balm ingredients?

Look for healing botanicals, natural oils, and moisturizers such as:

• Calendula and aloe vera
• Almond, coconut, jojoba, and vitamin e oils
• Shea butter and beeswax

Avoid: Petrolatum... also known as petroleum jelly. This petrol-chemical is in most conventional lip balms. Classified as a probable carcinogen, it is on the European Union's banned list.

If your skin is sensitive, avoid camphor. Although this is a natural product, extracted from the camphor tree, it can be irritating.

A lip balm with a broad-spectrum sunscreen will protect from sun damage. Lips have no melanin, the protective pigment that guards against ultraviolet rays.

Homemade Lip Balm ...

For a simple bedtime balm, try this one from The Australian College of Health Services. It may not taste the best, but it does work...

½ teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon castor oil
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Mix it up and rub it on just before bed. It will work its healing power overnight. Because of the lemon, make sure you refrigerate leftovers.

Additional treatment for chapped lips

Are you a lip smacker?

If so, stop! Licking your lips creates a vicious cycle. Saliva contains digestive enzymes that dry and irritate. This triggers more lip licking. If you find the taste of flavored balms irresistible, opt for unflavored varieties.

Exfoliate

A quick trick to keep your lips healthy and supple is to exfoliate them. Using a soft toothbrush and warm water, lightly brush your lips in a circular motion. Do this once or twice a week, right after brushing your teeth.

Hydrate

Moisturize your lips from the inside out. Drink 8 glasses of pure water or other fluids daily. The benefits of drinking water for skin, lips, and your health in general are numerous.

If your home is dry, consider a humidifier. Your bedroom is an ideal location for this as you lose body moisture while you sleep. Bonus: if you have a tendency toward dry skin, this will help your whole body.

How to heal chapped lips is a common problem and fortunately an easy one to solve. Soon your lips will be soft and kissable. Pucker up! Read the cause of chapped lips.