The skin on your lips is completely dry and chapped? You probably haven't thought of these three unusual causes!
Remember that commercial from the '00s where a woman puts on a yellow sweater - and the lint gets stuck to her lips?
That's a bit of an exaggeration, of course. Nevertheless, chapped lips - just like dry hands - are a minor but all the more annoying evil in winter. But how is it that lips crack in winter, even though we constantly care for them with all kinds of products?
Temperature differences dry out lips
We often first think of the reasons that are obvious - such as dry heating air indoors and sub-zero temperatures outside. After all, the thin skin on the lips has no horny layer.
Since it contains neither sweat nor sebaceous glands, it also lacks the protective oil film and is very vulnerable in winter. In addition, the skin on the face is completely exposed to the cold. Thus, lips crack quickly in winter.
But there are a few other causes that we rarely have on our radar.
Dry lips: No one thinks of these 3 unusual causes
1. vitamin deficiency leads to dry lips
Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, plays an important role in all metabolic processes in cells. It is found, among other things, in dairy products, fish, but also in vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, or spinach.
When we have a deficiency of this vitamin in the body, cracks form at the corners of the mouth and the oral mucosa is easily inflamed.
The situation is similar with zinc. The trace element is involved in cell division - if it is lacking, the skin cells of the lips also cannot be replenished quickly enough and the lips become chapped.
2. perfumed lip balm harms the lips
Proper care of the lips is of course important in winter because as mentioned, the thin skin cracks very quickly due to temperature differences.
However, some lip care products can exacerbate the problem, because they contain too many fragrances, which additionally dry out the lips with sensitive skin.
Unfortunately, the only thing that helps here is to try them out. Some people are allergic to shea butter or beeswax, for example.
3. fungi can make lips chapped
Despite all home remedies, the lips are completely chapped and cracked over a long period of time, especially in the corners of the mouth? Then one should not shrink from it to go with the dermatologist on cause research.
Because it can be - attention, disgusting - that certain fungi on the lips gain the upper hand by wrong nutrition and dry the skin completely. However, a low-carbohydrate diet and an ointment from the dermatologist can quickly solve the problem.
Cold & lip care: This actually makes your lips chapped
You have chapped lips? Then it's probably because of that hygiene product you use every day.
your lips always chapped
On Reddit, a website where registered users can post and offer content, this question has been hotly debated. And the solution is much easier than you think. Because it's not the cold winter weather, the heating air, or the wrong lip care that's to blame for dry lips, but: your toothpaste.
This is why toothpaste makes lips chapped
Sodium dodecyl polysulfate, a substance that makes toothpaste foam really nicely, is said to cause dryness and chapping in lips. But natural ingredients like cinnamon or mint can also irritate the skin and cause lips to dry out.
Reddit users, therefore, recommend their fellow sufferers to rather switch to toothpaste for sensitive teeth. This should curb the dryness a little.
So, you don't have to blame your favorite toothpaste or winter for sore lips. Better check the toothpaste tube quickly!