We Ask a Derm: Why Are My Lips Always Chapped?

Chapped lips are the bane of many people’s existence—myself included. For some, it’s seasonal. Summer turns to fall and then winter, and before you know it, you’re looking for the best winter moisturizer to slather over your face before it becomes red and scaly. And for others, it’s a year-round issue. But why do I need to perpetually reach for a lip balm? Below, I chat with a handful of dermatologists to answer that pesky question: Why are my lips always chapped? Here’s what they said, plus a handful of editor and expert-approved lip balm recs to shop.

• Dr. Ryan Turner is the founder of TRNR Skin and a board-certified, New York City-based dermatologist specializing in cosmetic dermatology, general dermatology, surgical dermatology and laser surgery. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Dr. Turner received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed his dermatology residency at the Harvard Medical School affiliated hospitals.
• Dr. Tiffany Libby is a double board-certified dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon at Brown Dermatology based in Providence, Rhode Island, where she also serves as the director of Mohs Micrographic and dermatologic surgery. Dr. Libby completed cosmetic dermatology and micrographic surgery/dermatologic oncology fellowships after obtaining her medical degree from Rutgers Medical School.
• Dr. Robyn Gmyrek is a board-certified dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology. Previously, she was a faculty member at Columbia University Medical Center as the division chief of cosmetic dermatology, where she founded the Cosmetic Skin and Laser Center. Dr. Gmyrek obtained her medical degree from Columbia University and completed her residency training as the chief resident in dermatology at Columbia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons.
• Dr. Orit Markowitz, a board-certified dermatologist and an associate professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. She is also a skin cancer specialist and the founder of OptiSkin Medical. Prior to opening her own practice. Dr. Markowitz was the director of pigmented lesions and skin cancer at Mount Sinai’s Department of Dermatology and Brooklyn Veterans Hospital of Downstate University Medical Center. She received her medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine.

“Though there are many causes for dryness and chapping, the most common reason is cold, dry weather,” says Dr. Gmyrek. Dr. Markowitz adds that our lips have sensitive, exposed mucous membranes that are susceptible to chapping.

“Lips lack sebaceous (oil) and sweat glands, which are essential for producing sebum and sweat to keep skin lubricated and to help maintain a moisture barrier,” Dr. Libby elaborates. “Without these, the lips are limited in their ability to self-hydrate and are more prone to dryness, especially when impacted by environmental factors like low-humidity.”

You may also find yourself doing a little more lip licking than normal in the wintertime—not unusual, Dr. Turner tells me, but definitely a culprit. It’s so common that he says derms call it “lip lickers’ dermatitis.” But what gives?

“Saliva can actually be quite irritating to the skin [when you’re constantly licking your lips, because it] contains digestive enzymes [that] can break down the protective [skin barrier layer] on the lips,” he says.

Less common causes for chapped lips include an allergic reaction to certain lip products or foods, a diet that consists of an excess of salty or spicy foods, a yeast infection, certain medications and sun damage (also known as “actinic chelitis”), which can be precancerous or thyroid disease, Dr. Gmyrek notes.

Persistent dryness can also signal a vitamin deficiency in Vitamins B and C, iron, zinc and/or folic acid. “If you are deficient in these nutrients, you are more likely to present with dry lips, so ensuring that you keep a healthy diet can help prevent dry lips in the future,” says Dr. Markowitz.

• Dryness
• Flaking
• Scales
• Sores
• Swelling
• Cracks
• Bleeding

“My SOS product is definitely petroleum jelly because that literally fills the cracks [in your lips when they’re bleeding],” Dr. Turner says. “That can give some of the most instant relief, and it also reduces friction.”

However, petroleum jelly and similar products (think ceramides, shea butter) are occlusives, meaning they seal in moisture—but not necessarily provide it. If you’re lacking moisture to begin with, Dr. Libby stresses that you need hydration via humectants before you can “lock” them in. Two easy ones to look for are hyaluronic acid and  glycerin—both are in tons of beauty products and will give you a hydration bump.

You may be considering a lip scrub, which is fine. Though, Dr. Markowitz says: “I would caution against too frequent scrubbing and always follow up any exfoliating with a nice layer of [a] sealant moisturizer.” If your lips are a total wreck, you’re better off avoiding it all together, though, as Dr. Libby notes that you’ll be irritating an already damaged skin barrier.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you’re prone to chapped lips, there are certain ingredients you should avoid. Dr. Gmyrek warns against using any lip products that contain lanolin, camphor, eucalyptus, citrus, menthol, mint, cinnamon or excessive fragrances or flavors, as they can cause further irritation.

As for timing of application, Dr. Markowitz recommends paying extra care to using your lip balm or ointment at night before sleeping and before heading outdoors for extended periods (i.e., exercising or winter sports). “Always use extra lip protection when you know you are going to be exposed to wind and cold,” she says.

However strong the temptation, “please do not pick at the dry skin on your lips,”  Dr. Markowitz says. As anyone who has ever picked at the dry flakes on their lips knows (so, that makes most of us, right?): You always run the risk of peeling more skin off than intended, which can injure your lips and cause them to look and feel even worse than they did before.

And last but not least, Dr. Markowitz also recommends keeping up with your water intake. “Staying well hydrated is important for dry lips and you can do this by drinking at least eight glasses of water per day,” she says.

Sunscreen is a must for your face…but do you need it on your lips? The answer from the dermatologists is a resounding yes—and you need it year-round. 

“It's a must to protect skin from the damaging effects of UV radiation. As a skin cancer surgeon, I treat numerous skin cancers on the lips and counsel patients that the lips are highly vulnerable to the sun, especially the lower lip, which is at risk for actinic damage and is a common site for squamous cell carcinoma,” Dr. Libby says.

When it comes to choosing a lip balm with SPF, aim for 30 SPF or higher and a mineral base.

“Many of these chemical-based [sunscreens] break down by design, but that increases the heat in the area when they break down,” Dr. Turner explains.  “These byproducts can be more irritating on the lip, because [it doesn’t have] the toughness and the thickness of the normal epidermis.”