Lips feel dry in winter, even to the point of cracking and peeling of their skin. Even with lip balm, there is no noticeable improvement in my symptoms, what is it? It turns out that you may not have dry lips due to lack of moisture, but rather inflammation of the lips!

What is cheilitis?

Cheilitis is a type of acute or chronic lip inflammation. "Acute cheilitis is often characterized by red, crusty lips with a tingling sensation, while chronic inflammation, dry, cracked and peeling lips.

Why do I have cheilitis?

Possible causes of cheilitis include physical friction, allergies, ultraviolet light, infections, medications, and secondary systemic diseases.
 

Simple cheilitis is usually caused by dry and cold weather. Lips can show up as dry, cracked and peeling, and once the barrier function of the lips is compromised, they are more prone to dryness, which would be relieved by subconsciously pursing and licking them. It will trigger irritant contact dermatitis.

In addition, if the lips come into contact with an allergen and a delayed allergic reaction is triggered, this is called allergic contact dermatitis. Common allergens are found in lipstick, mouthwash, toothpaste and even food.

Angular cheilitis causes inflammation of the skin located at the sides or “angles” of the mouth. Basically, saliva collects at the angles of the mouth, eventually leading to dryness and cracking of the skin as the saliva dries up. Secondary infection with the fungus Candida albicans (yeast), or less commonly the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (staph), may develop at the cheilitis site.

4 things to keep in mind to avoid a vicious cycle of lip inflammation

If you develop a lip infection, you should avoid the following 4 things and seek medical help if the condition persists:

1.No tearing of the skin

When the lips are dry and peeling, many people use their hands to remove the dead skin, but this can irritate the lip tissue and cause more serious inflammation. It makes the lips duller and drier and makes peeling worse.

2. Avoid contact with irritating substances

Avoid foods that are too hot and spicy, or have too much spice. Some people even suffer from lip irritation due to fluoride or mint in the toothpaste. It is recommended to switch to fluoride-free toothpaste without added mint.

3. Pay attention to how and when to use lip balm

The purpose of using lip balm is to avoid irritation of the lips by saliva. Saliva is produced 24 hours a day, so lip care products should be replenished at all times. However, lip balm should not be applied as thickly as possible, but as thinly as possible and without leaving out the corners of the lips.

Don't forget to apply lip balm in the morning after brushing your teeth and washing your face and in the evening after taking a shower. It is also important to remember to replenish after proper cleansing in order to maintain moisturising lips.

4. Choose your lip balm carefully

Some people wear lip balm, which can cause inflammation and allergies. Be cautious with the effects of flavours, colours or preservatives that may have been added to it. When choosing a lip balm, try to avoid overly pigmented, heavily scented, allergenic lanolin or irritating mint ingredients. It is safer to choose pure mineral oils such as petroleum jelly.