the sun.
sunburn or too much
exposure to the sun can make your lips dry out
, crack, peel, and ultimately bleed. the thin layer of skin on the outside of the lips makes your lips much more susceptible to sunburn and harmful uv rays.
food.
when we eat
salty snacks or foods that leave salt on the outside of our lips
, it draws the moisture out of the skin and causes cracking and flaking.
dehydration.
there are plenty of reasons to make sure we stay hydrated throughout the day and keeping out lips moist is one of them — in fact, dehydration is one of the top reasons for lips becoming chapped. again, our lips are quite literally hung out to dry by a lack of sebaceous (oil) glands, so we need to keep them hydrated ourselves.
medication.
high doses of vitamin a, lithium, chemotherapy drugs, and retinoids (retin-a, differin) have all been
known to cause chapped lips
.
licking lips.
it might be one of the worst things you can do to your lips — licking them. saliva contains enzymes used to break down proteins, fats and carbs. so,
when you lick your lips a lot
, the saliva goes to work on that thin, sensitive skin.
the cause of chapped lips is usually not serious, except…
constantly cracked or flaking lips can also be a sign of an underlying health condition, or indicate things such as a vitamin b deficiency, allergies or
lichen planus
— a common skin rash — can also cause chapped lips.