On a cold winter morning, Aunt Zhang, as usual, enjoyed a hot breakfast at home. However, when she smiled and said hello to her family, she suddenly felt a tingling pain in her lips. When she looked down, she saw that her lips were chapped and even bleeding in some places. This condition is not uncommon in winter, especially in dry weather, when the lips tend to lose moisture and become fragile and sensitive. Although Aunt Zhang tried to relieve the dryness by licking, it only seemed to make the situation worse and the dryness worse. This left her feeling confused and helpless, not knowing how to deal with the problem effectively.
Analysis of the causes of chapped and flaky lips: the science behind them
The skin of the lips is different from the skin of the rest of our body, it is thinner and less protective. This makes the lips more sensitive to changes in the external environment and vulnerable to damage. Exploring the causes of chapped and flaky lips can help us find the right way to prevent and treat them.
1. Environmental factors: Cold temperatures and dry air in winter are one of the main causes of chapped lips. The cold wind outside and the use of indoor heating can accelerate the evaporation of moisture from the lips, causing the lips to lose their original moisture and elasticity.
2. Lifestyle habits: Many people subconsciously lick their lips with their tongue when they are dry, hoping to temporarily relieve the dryness. However, this behavior can actually destroy the natural oil layer on the surface of the lips, making the lips more susceptible to dryness. Similarly, biting the lip can cause physical damage, further exacerbating chapping.
3. Nutritional deficiencies: Deficiencies in specific nutrients in the body, such as B vitamins, iron, and zinc, can also lead to dry and cracked lips. These nutrients are essential for maintaining healthy skin, and a lack of them can affect the lips and skin's ability to repair itself.
4. Chronic diseases: Certain chronic diseases, such as abnormal glucose metabolism or increased blood pressure in systemic arteries, may affect the body's water balance and microcirculation, which can indirectly lead to dry lips.
Knowing the causes of chapped lips allows us to take more targeted preventive and therapeutic measures. It is important that we avoid short-term behaviors that seem to relieve dryness (such as licking lips) and instead address the root causes of the problem, such as improving lifestyle habits, adjusting diet, and adopting appropriate care products.
Keep your lips moisturized: the antidote to dryness
The dry season is not only a challenge for the skin, but also the enemy of the health of the lips. The skin of the lips is thinner than the rest of the face, making it more likely to lose moisture and become dry and cracked. However, there are effective strategies to prevent and care for chapped lips, and here are a few key steps.
Gradual hydration, from the inside out
Adequate hydration is the foundation of healthy lips. It is recommended to drink 2.5 liters of water per day for men and 2 liters for women to maintain water balance in the body. Drinking water regularly, especially in a dry environment, can help your body retain moisture from within, reducing the chance of dry lips.
Choose a natural lip balm and avoid harmful ingredients
When choosing a lip balm, give preference to products that contain natural ingredients such as beeswax, vegetable oils and fats (e.g., olive oil, coconut oil). These ingredients provide long-lasting protection to the lips from additional irritation or allergies caused by chemical ingredients such as fragrances, preservatives.
Eat daily to nourish your lips
Increasing foods rich in B vitamins, iron, and zinc in the diet plays an important role in preventing dry lips. For example, leafy greens, nuts, whole grains, and meat are all good sources of B vitamins, which help maintain healthy skin, including lips.
First aid regimen for chapped lips
Already chapped lips require gentle yet effective care to promote recovery and prevent further damage.
Gently exfoliates to reveal soft lips
Using a homemade exfoliating balm mixed with sugar and honey to gently rub the lips to exfoliate dead skin and expose the soft skin underneath. This step can be done once a week to avoid over-exfoliation that can damage the skin on the lips.
Deeply nourishing, overnight repair
The night is the prime time for skin repair, and using a heavier lip moisturizer, such as pure petroleum jelly, can provide deep moisture to the lips while you sleep, promoting crack healing.
Change your habits and stay healthy
Avoiding the habit of licking and biting lips is essential to prevent and treat chapped lips. When aware of this behavior, stop and apply lip balm in time to reduce moisture loss and damage to your lips.
With the implementation of the above strategies, it is not only effective in preventing chapped lips, but also speeding up the recovery process of already chapped lips.