Can lip balm fix chapped lips? Dermatologists reveal the best ingredients for hydration and repair

Lips don¡¯t get a break, no matter the season. In winter, cold air and indoor heating suck out the moisture, leaving them dry and cracked. Summer isn¡¯t kind either, constant sun exposure, dehydration, and air conditioning make lips lose their natural softness. Even sweating can be a problem. When sweat evaporates, it takes away moisture, making lips appear dull and chapped. If you¡¯ve ever wondered why your lips feel dry even after drinking water, the changing weather and lack of proper care might be the reason.

But can lip balm really fix chapped lips, or is it just a temporary solution? The answer lies in choosing the right one. Many lip balms create a protective layer on the lips, preventing further moisture loss. But some only provide a temporary smooth feel without actually repairing the damage.

Indiatimes spoke to dermatologists from different parts of the country to understand the core cause and how the correct lip balm choice can solve the problem.

Does lip balm actually work?

¡°Yes, lip balms do help in treating chapped lips, but the content in the lip balm needs to be good enough. It should contain some lanolin oil, that is a very important part, so it has to be a little greasier and I would recommend a lip balm which does not have a fragrance or colour. If one¡¯s lips are chapped they are kind of open to the environment, so anything that one puts over it is just going to go inside the skin. And the moment it seeps inside the skin, we don't know what the colour or the fragrance will do to the internal part of the skin. It is most likely to irritate the skin¡± Dr Supriya Deshmukh, a dermatologist who runs her own clinic in Thane, told Indiatimes.

¡°Lips totally behave differently as compared to the skin. Sometimes the lip balms alone are not enough. One can also use lip oil to moisturize their lips nowadays. My recommendation would be the rose hip oil and vetiver oil as they have anti-inflammatory properties¡± added Dr Deshmukh.

Why do lips keep getting chapped even after applying lip balm?

In summer, lip balms can help externally, but hydration starts from within. Some lip balms contain alcohol or artificial fragrances, which dry out the lips over time.

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¡°Lips are also a type of skin, known as mucosa, the way skin gets dry, lips also get dry. And to prevent that water loss, which primarily happens, because of evaporation of water, lip balms basically make a film on the surface, so that there is no further evaporation of water from the surface. Lip balms also have hyaluronic acid or glycerin which attracts moisture to the lips and gives deep moisturization to them. And a few lip balms, which have aloe vera or ceramide, also have got healing and repairing properties. And many advanced lip balms, which we recommend as a dermatologist, also have SPF, so that ultraviolet rays do not harm the lips¡± said Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Director and Chief Dermatologist, MedLinks Group of Clinics from Delhi.

¡°People who have chapped lips or dry skin type, they should use a thick hydrating lip balm, which should have shea butter, beeswax, ceramide, and preferably an SPF¡± added Dr Chaturvedi.

Just like skin, lips need sun protection. Using an SPF lip balm prevents sun damage and further dryness.

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¡°Unlike other parts of the face, lips have less protective upper stratum corneum layer and skin is very thin. It also lacks sweat, sebaceous or oil glands which lubricates, moisturizes and protects the skin from any external damage. Hence lips are vulnerable to dryness, allergies, irritation, peeling, itching, cracking and even infection¡± said Dr Dolly Gupta, Dermatologist & Hair Transplant Surgeon from Kolkata.

According to Dr Gupta a person should select lip balms which contain these combinations:

Humectants: as they attract water, hydrate and repair the skin from within. Humectants include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, honey, propylene glycol and urea.

Occlusives: they create a physical barrier to seal in moisture and protect the lips from irritants.

UV or Sun protection: Titanium oxide or zinc oxid for sun protection is an added advantage and found in many day time lip balms.

Antioxidants: Ingredients like vitamin C, vitamin E, niacinamide and polyphenols prevent damage caused by environmental aggressors such as UV rays and pollution.