Severely Chapped Lips
Severely Chapped Lips
By Lee A Schmidt
Chapped lips is a condition, which is often associated with winter. This may prove wrong in some cases, wherein cold weather is not the cause. There are a number of possible causes and winter is the most common among them. While some people experience mild chapped lips, some others have severely chapped lips. The lips become dry and scaly and fissures may also appear. In some cases, the fissures may bleed and cause severe pain. Apart from being unsightly, this condition may cause immense discomfort, pain and sometimes, infection too. So, it is good to have a basic idea about the symptoms and treatment.
Causes of Severely Chapped Lips
Unlike the skin in other parts, lips don’t secrete oil to keep the surface moist, which makes it more prone to dryness. Apart from that there are various other factors that lead to dry and cracked lips, a condition, which is commonly known as chapped lips. While it is common to have chapped lips in cold weather, as in winters, persistent and severely chapped lips need to be treated. While chapped lips remedy can be very effective in tackling this condition, severe cases may not find any relief. So, if the condition does not subside with any remedies, you have to consult a doctor. So, let us take a look at the causes of the problem. We all know that cold weather can cause chapped lips, but, extremely hot conditions and exposure to sun may also result in this condition. This can also occur due to wind exposure. Even habits, like, smoking, lip licking, lip biting, breathing through the mouth, etc., can also lead to the condition. This condition can also be caused by vitamin deficiency (especially, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin B2), skin disorders, dehydration, allergies, etc. Intake of certain drugs is one among the many reasons for this condition. Chapped lips may be experienced by people affected by diseases and disorders, like, diabetes, Kawasaki disease, Sjogren’s syndrome, macrocytosis, HIV/AIDS, etc.
Severely Chapped Lips Symptoms and Treatment
As the lips can become dry and flaky. Mild cases can be treated with home remedies, but severe and persistent ones need medical attention. Symptoms include fissures on the lips, bleeding from the cracks, extreme pain, swelling, redness and tenderness. Treatment is based on the exact cause of the condition. If there is any underlying medical condition, treatment will be aimed to treat that condition. In case of vitamin deficiency, a well-balanced diet and vitamin supplements may prove beneficial. However, medicated lips creams are recommended to avoid infection of cracked lips. Careful treatment along with home remedies can control the condition. Petroleum jelly is actually one of the best lip balms. Home remedies include aloe vera gel, olive oil or coconut oil, beeswax, shea or cocoa butter, ghee/butter/milk cream, honey or glycerin, Castor oil, etc. You may resort to lip exfoliation with warm water applied on the lips with a soft wash cloth. Once the lips become soft, gently rub the cloth over the lips to remove the dry and dead skin cells. This has to be followed with an application of petroleum jelly or lip balm.
If you are suffering from this condition, concentrate on lip care and resort to any of the home remedies. In most cases, home remedies are found to be very effective, unless, there is no underlying medical condition or other such causes. If all these measure fail or if the condition is accompanied by other severe symptoms, medical attention is inevitable.
Lee Schmidt is a well published author in diet, fitness, weight loss, health and beauty. Some of his other writing areas include topics such as wood high chairs [http://www.woodhighchairs.org], and little giraffe baby blankets [http://www.littlegiraffebabyblanket.com].
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_A_Schmidt
http://EzineArticles.com/?Severely-Chapped-Lips&id=3652850
