Why do lips crack and peel, and what can you do about it? Expert advice

Why do lips dry out?

Dry lips occur due to several factors, such as:

• dry or windy weather;
• frequent stress;
• habit of licking lips;
• taking medications that affect the functioning of the salivary glands and muscles around the mouth;
• increased body temperature during illness;
• intoxication processes;
• allergic reaction to cosmetics;
• diabetes;
• kidney diseases;
• bad habits.

Lips often become dry in people who are on diets or follow a vegetarian diet. In such cases, the condition of the lips worsens due to a deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins, which are found in foods of animal origin.

Diagnosis of cheilitis

There are no specific laboratory tests to detect cheilitis. All diagnosis of the disease is carried out by visual examination. To determine the causes of inflammation, diagnostics of the gastrointestinal tract may be prescribed for the presence of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Additionally, allergy tests are performed to exclude food allergies.

General laboratory tests allow you to check the condition of the body and determine the possible causes of cheilitis:

• low levels of vitamins due to hypovitaminosis can provoke exfoliative cheilitis;
• bacterial cultures of smears and biopsies are performed in patients with immune system disorders in the absence of results from the treatment;
• testing for markers of HIV infection, herpes, the presence of fungal or bacterial microflora, respectively, allows us to identify the viral, bacterial or fungal causative agent of cheilitis;
• a blood test for anemia, ESR are required to assess general health;
• examination of the function of the thyroid and pancreas for endocrine pathologies.

On a note! Cheilitis tends to be chronic with periodic relapses. Self-healing without medical supervision is almost impossible, so try to pay attention to such a “minor” problem and consult a specialist. Diagnosis of the disease is carried out by a general practitioner or attending dentist. In some cases, consultation with an allergist, infectious diseases specialist, dermatovenerologist or gastroenterologist may be required.

What should beautiful and healthy lips look like?

Beautiful and healthy lips are characterized by the following signs:

• evenness and smoothness of the skin;
• symmetry of the corners of the mouth;
• the presence of a pink or red tint to the lips;
• absence of peeling, cracks and purse-string wrinkles;
• convex volume of the labial border;
• absence of jams, pigmentation and pathological manifestations.

It is also important to pay attention to the presence of a hollow above the upper lip and a cupid's arch, which should be clearly defined.

TOP 5 salon techniques

Women who are faced with dry lip skin sometimes do not know what to do with such a deficiency.

The most effective and fastest results are provided by cosmetic procedures. Here are the most popular ones:

Laser resurfacing

Used quite often. The essence of the method is to eliminate dead skin particles using a laser beam.

Sanding is not for everyone. If there are deep injuries, you will have to heal them first.

Non-injection hydration with hyaluronic acid

The surface of the lips is pre-cleaned. Then a concentrated composition of useful components and vitamins is applied.

Therapeutic substances penetrate deep into tissues using an electroporation apparatus.

The procedure provides complete hydration, improved color, and increased volume. The results obtained will last 2 – 4 months.

After this, you will need to repeat the manipulations. The impact of the unit is carried out under local anesthesia, so pain is not felt.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

1. women during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
2. people with malignant and benign tumors;
3. patients with diabetes mellitus;
4. patients with pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

Injection method

To replenish the lack of moisture, special fillers are used. They contain hyaluronic acid and lidocoine, which are necessary for painless injections. This procedure is called contour plastic surgery.

The result is not only hydration, but also enlargement of the lip area. This fact stops many.

But you need to understand that it is not necessary to greatly enlarge your lips, since an experienced doctor can introduce a small amount of fillers, so you will not notice much of a difference in size.

You can also perform lip biorevitalization. This is a procedure during which hyaluronic acid is injected into the skin layers.

In this case, the lips do not change in size, but enormous hydration occurs.

Vitamin complex

A mask enriched with vitamins is applied to the surface of the lips. The composition also includes other substances with beneficial properties:

• fixed oils;
• natural fruit acids;
• nutritional ingredients;
• beeswax.

A pronounced positive result will be visible after the first visit to the cosmetologist’s office.

Collagen mask

Suitable for quickly getting rid of flaking, giving softness and smoothness to the skin. The therapeutic effect of the mask lasts for 5 hours.

However, the procedure cannot be repeated too often. The ideal option would be sessions held twice a week.

Top 10 tips on how to care for your lips

To keep your lips smooth and hydrated, follow these tips:

1. Regularly exfoliate the skin of your lips with special scrubs or a damp, thick towel.
2. Moisturize and nourish your lips with herbal balms; in the summer, you should additionally use products with SPF filters.
3. Maintain a drinking regime of drinking 2 liters of clean water per day.
4. Include in your diet foods high in omega-3 fatty acids (nuts, vegetable oils, vegetables and herbs, fatty fish).
5. Stop smoking, as tobacco smoke dries out the thinnest skin of the lips and leads to the formation of purse-string wrinkles.
6. Wash off makeup not with soap, but with two-phase makeup removers. In addition, while washing your face, it is good to do simple exercises to strengthen the orbicularis oris muscle. It is necessary to tightly compress and unclench your lips, and also pronounce the letters A, O, U, Y.
7. Take complexes containing vitamins A, C, E and group B.
8. Apply only high-quality cosmetics to your lips that do not contain camphor, phenol, aniline dyes and heavy metal salts.
9. It is recommended to add lip masks to winter care, or replace them by applying a restorative cream at night.
10. It is important to remember that cosmetic procedures play a huge role in maintaining external beauty. Therefore, do not forget about professional salon care for thin and delicate lip skin.

Question answer

In any case, if dryness or inflammation progresses, you need to go to the doctor, as you may be developing the pathology of cheilitis. In this case, ulcers, bumps, plaques, and cracks will appear. If wounds appear in the corners, then a fungal disease may develop. If you have tried various methods to combat dryness, but have not noticed any effect, then you also need to visit a doctor, since dryness in this area often occurs with psoriasis, pathologies of the endocrine system, and low hemoglobin levels.

In such a situation, it is useful to use beeswax, coconut oil, aloe vera, olives, and shea butter.

Today you can find many balms on sale. It is recommended to try different options to choose the right product. For example, balms from Vichy, LA ROCHE-POSAY, BIOTHERM are very popular. But there are many other worthy companies producing lip care products that show good results. Pay attention to glosses and balms that contain vitamins A and E.

Lip treatments in Moscow

Therefore, in situations where you need help in restoring or correcting your lips, it is better to contact Dr. Korchagina’s clinic.

We offer you only the best and most effective procedures:

• lip augmentation and correction with hyaluronic acid – a minimally invasive injection technology based on the introduction of fillers with hyaluronate; manipulation helps to correct the shape of the lips, as well as eliminate dryness, peeling and pallor of the lip border;
• Botox injections - botulinum toxin injections block muscle contractions, which allows you to keep the skin of the lips smooth without creases and wrinkles;
• lip contouring – subcutaneous injection of filler gels ensures enlargement, smoothing of the lip contour, elimination of purse-string wrinkles and folds in the corners of the mouth;
• permanent lip makeup – tattooing evens out color, makes lips voluminous and bright, eliminating congenital defects and minor imperfections.

The selection of the optimal method for lip restoration is carried out taking into account the individual characteristics and skin condition of the patient.

To make an appointment for a consultation and procedures at the Korchagina clinic, write to us on the website or call us by phone.

Signs of deficiency

Both children and adults encounter unpleasant phenomena. Doctors call redness, soreness and peeling with one term - cheilitis.

Signs of this defect include:

• redness;
• burning sensation;
• cracks with edges turning into scales;
• tightness and swelling;
• discomfort;
• flaking crusts, bloody or white;
• tingling when drinking drinks and food;
• jams in corners;
• constant thirst.

It is important to figure out the cause of dry lip skin as quickly as possible. Perhaps the deficiency is caused by a common cold or improper daily care.

Proper care (4 stages)

To prevent your lips from drying out, you need to surround them with care and attention.

With proper regular care, you will never know what tightness, cracks, or jams are. Daily care includes 4 stages.

Cleansing

Twice a day, dirt, decorative cosmetics, and dust are removed from the skin.

The procedure is carried out using a cotton pad moistened with micellar water, lotion, nourishing cream or any other makeup remover with a plant base.

If none of the above is at hand, plain warm water will do.

Exfoliation

Peeling is necessary for deep cleansing of the epidermis. The procedure will be especially relevant in the presence of peeling.

Soft cosmetic preparations are suitable. Exfoliation is carried out once a week to remove dead skin cells.

Massage

Performed together with peeling, as well as daily, as an independent procedure. The ideal massage is carried out with a soft toothbrush for a few minutes.

It is carried out intensively, but carefully. The lips are first lubricated with cream or vegetable oil.

Hydration and nutrition

Both effects are achieved by daily use of hygienic lipstick or moisturizing gel. Almond, olive, and shea oils are good for this.

These substances provide hydration, nourish the skin, and accelerate wound healing.

Before going to bed, nourishing products are applied to the skin to saturate the tissues with vitamins and give it a velvety feel. Purchased products must have a special composition.

The most useful will be: fatty acids, peptides, herbal extracts, hyaluronic acid, vitamins B, A, E, plant oils.

Let's move on to choosing a shade of matte lipstick

Let's start with the classics - red. This lipstick color will make any look more expressive and sexy. It is perfect for both a romantic date and business negotiations, and why not. Matte red lipstick can be used by ladies even with not very plump lips. Just go a little beyond the contour of your lips when applying lipstick.

The matte texture also looks very chic in darker shades, be it brown, burgundy, marsala or wine. These shades look especially good and attractive on plump lips. Makeup artists do not recommend using such shades for young girls with thin lips.

For daytime makeup for every day, you need to choose nude shades, peach or terracotta, such shades will create the image of a tender, vulnerable and fragile girl. It is better not to use matte lipsticks in pink shades at all.

Types of the disease, their symptoms

There are a large number of types of disease, each of which has its own symptoms. Cheilitis happens:

1. catarrhal, resulting from injury. Its characteristic symptoms are redness, peeling, swelling and soreness of the lips.
2. eczematous, developing due to the occurrence of eczematous processes. The reason is an allergy to a certain type of food, cosmetics (lipstick, cream).
3. glandular, associated with an abnormality of the salivary glands. It happens that cheilitis on the lips accompanies periodontal disease, lupus, etc. The lower lip often suffers and begins to peel.
4. meteorological. It is caused, as the name suggests, by weather conditions (high air humidity, strong wind, decreased or increased temperature, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, etc.).
5. exfoliative, characterized by a chronic course. It is divided into two forms - dry (the blood supply to the lips is disrupted and, as a result, dry scales are formed, which can be easily removed, but after a few days they appear again) and exudative (the border swells and becomes inflamed, crusts appear).
6. angular, called jam. Due to streptococci, inflammation begins in the corners of the lips. Vitamin deficiency and frequent licking of lips can also provoke it.
7. atopic, accompanying atopic dermatitis. The red border of the lips flakes and itches, the lips crack.
8. hypovitaminosis, which occurs due to a lack of B vitamins. Dryness and a pronounced burning sensation affect not only the lip area, but also the entire mucous membrane of the mouth, including the tongue. In this case, the mucous membrane turns red, and vertical cracks form in the area of ​​the red border.

Regardless of the type of cheilitis, common symptoms will be:

• peeling of the lips, observed both only near the border and over the entire surface;
• swelling and swelling, burning and itching in the lips, the appearance of cracks and crusts on them.

Matte lipstick without feeling dry or tight

What to do if you want matte lips, but you are afraid of drying out your lips too much. But what if we tell you that you can make your lips matte without drying your lips? If you don’t believe me, then see for yourself!

Option 1

An excellent replacement for matte lipstick is lip gloss with Lip Fixation® Passion. This is a 2 in 1 gloss, on one side we have a tint and on the other side a fixative. To make your lips matte, you need to apply a tint, wait 30 seconds and repeat application; you are guaranteed long-lasting matte lips without a feeling of tightness, for at least 4 hours.

Option 2

Use your favorite cream lipstick, and powder your lips on top using a napkin; Jane Iredale Amazing Matte Loose Finish Powder is suitable for this task.

Option 3

First, moisturize your lips with Jane Iredale Lipdrink® Lip Balm Buff. And apply Jane Iredale Purepressed® Blush Beige-Pink / Barely Rose on the balm, do this with tapping movements with your fingertips. We remind you that any Jane Iredale cosmetics can be used on any part of the face, it is safe.

Option 4

You can use Jane Iredale Lip Pencil Rose. First, apply the pencil along the contour, blend it slightly and go over all the lips. The pencil guarantees you the most comfortable feeling on your lips with a matte finish.

Cheilitis in children

Depending on the age of the child, he may experience a certain type of cheilitis.

Newborns suffer from a catarrhal disease caused by the prolonged presence of a pacifier or bottle in the mouth. Plus, saliva accumulates on the nipples of the lips, irritating sensitive baby skin.

If the disease is ignored, hoping that it will go away on its own, cheilitis will develop into an exfoliative form, accompanied by the formation of scales, which the child will not be able to remove himself (parents are highly discouraged from interfering in this process, since attempts to tear off the crusts can cause cracks, which will only aggravate the situation ).

Constant sucking of the mother's breast is an equally common cause of the development of the disease: during feeding, cracks form on the nipples, into which bacteria penetrate, which causes cheilitis.