The winter season is upon us meaning snow days, long commutes to work as we sludge through the snow, hoodies, and the second to most common affliction other than the cold-chapped lips.
Chapped lips can happen year-round, but it appears to be more prevalent in the winter months due to the drop in humidity, the cold raging winds, and the fact that wet lips plus cold temperatures is not a good combination.
The Common Myths about Chapped Lips
Believe it or not, there are many myths about chapped lips that we must dispel now before they get even more out of hand. Myths about chapped lips, seriously? Seriously. Not only do adults harbor some of these myths, but kids also hang on to these chapped lip myths as well. Maybe you passed on the myth or they picked it up from friends, either way, a myth is a myth and we all know what myths mean-untrue.
Licking Chapped Lips is Healing–Nu-Uh!
So, on we go down the road of learning the TRUTH behind chapped lips. First up on the list, the unconscious belief that licking chapped lips will make them feel better. I will kind of give this one to you-but only briefly. Yes, licking your chapped lips will INITIALLY and very BRIEFLY provide you with some comfort from your chapped lips, but as soon as the moisture is evaporated, the pain is back. Furthermore, licking chapped lips is horrible in the healing process. You mouth is full of digestive enzymes and to spread them across your lips is only hindering the healing process. Try as hard as you can to NOT lick those chapped lips.
Lip Balm is the Bomb for Chapped Lips-Negative!
On to the next myth. Lip balm or lip gloss is good for my chapped lips. No, actually it really isn’t. What some lip balms and most all lip glosses do is keep your lips forever wet meaning they are more affected by the winter wind. Think of it as putting baby oil on your skin in the summer time and going and lying in the sun. You are going to get burnt-sure you might get a tan. But, you are not going to get a tan from wearing lip gloss in the winter-you are more likely going to get chapped lips. Following on with this lip gloss debunking-“I am addicted to lip balm, if I quit using lip gloss, my lips will dry out and get chapped.” Nope, not true. Your lips have no nerve receptors in them that are “addictable.” Also, may lipsticks, lip balms and lip gloss contain various ingredients that are actually very drying to the lips.
Chapped Lips are Contagious-Totally False
Chapped lips are actually not contagious, making out in the winter wind can lead to chapped lips, but kissing someone on the mouth that has chapped lips is not going to give you chapped lips. However, you might want to refrain from kissing someone directly on the mouth that has severely chapped lips. There are several reasons why you should not be locking lips with someone who has chapped lips:
1. The person with chapped lips will probably find it painful.
2. The person with chapped lips does not need YOUR mouths digestive enzymes on their already hurt lips
3. Severely chapped lips have been stripped of their protective emollient covering meaning they are more susceptible to your germs (the non-chapped lip person).
4. Chapped lips that have cracks in them are portals for bacteria; your germs could enter into that cracked lip and cause an infection. Also, blood could be involved and we all know how dangerous that could be to either one of you.
Brushing Chapped Lips with Toothbrush is Best Exfoliate-As IF!
Another myth is to get rid of chapped lips you should brush your lips with a toothbrush. Ouch. Do not do this. Not only will this be painful but it can also worsen the condition. It is understandable that you want to get the dried skin off your lips, but there are safer ways of doing this. If it is not time for some parts of the skin to come off, abrasively removing the skin could cause openings in the lips and lead to deeper injury to the lips and cause a greater risk of infection.
Instead of using this old remedy instead take a washcloth with some triple-antibiotic-ointment on it into the shower with you. Once you have washed all the areas of your body and the heat and humidity of the shower have somewhat softened your lips, take the wash cloth with the TAO and gently rub your lips with it. Not only will this be a mild defoliant to the lips but will also provide your lips with the TAO which is helpful.
Hopefully this information about chapped lips has shed some new light on your lips-in a good way. Remember, chapped lips are not always caused by harsh winter weather. Over licking your lips, wind burned lips are the same as chapped lips and sun burned lips are a cousin of chapped lips. Protect your lips from the environment with safe lip protectants. Look for one that has an SPF in it, even if you see no sun in sight. The UV rays are just as damaging as direct sunlight. Also, try to steer clear of many lip glosses, especially during the harsh winter months and during the summer time when you will be in direct sunlight. Protect your lips, they are very delicate and once they have become sunburnt, wind burnt or chapped they are very painful and it takes a while to get them back to being supple and healthy once again.
