Chapped and Swollen Lips

Our lips don't have any oil glands, this means one needs to take better care of the lips. Lips need regular moisturizing as there is no oil producing glands which will help moisturize the lips. Unlike, our skin which has oil glands and secrete the oils to coat the body and thereby moisturizing it. For lip care one need to exfoliate the dry and dead skin regularly and apply a moisturizer to protect the lips from drying. There are many conditions related to lips and dry lips is one of the most common ones. Cracks on lips and chapped lips are also pretty common during the colder season. However, chapped and swollen lips can point to a specific condition, which cannot be related to drying of lips but towards a condition which needs medical attention.

Swollen Lips Causes
There are many reasons why one must be getting lip swelling. One of the common reasons in allergies. So, you need to find out what is causing this allergy to you. See if the lip care products or cosmetics you are using are causing this allergic swelling. Avoid using lipstick or gloss for few months, to see if they are causing any swelling. Also, for moisturizing use natural product or replace the existing ones with safer ones.

If you are getting swelling and chapping of lips due to a food, then consult a doctor. The doctor will be able to give you some anti-allergic medication and help you find out the food causing allergy. Many people tend to be allergic to casein protein which is found in milk. Other foods which can cause allergies are nuts, seafood, eggs and food additives.

One more reason that can lead to swelling of lips is medication. If you are on medication, then it is possible that chemicals could be causing swelling of the lips as an allergic reaction. It can include facial swelling of cheeks and lips. In such a case, you will need to stop taking the medication or have to replace it with a safer medication. Sometimes, insect stings can also cause swollen lips. If this is the case then seek medical help immediately.

Swollen and Chapped Lips Care
If you have swelling of lips then consider applying ice to it, to bring down the swelling and cope better with the pain. You can also take some medication like an OTC or prescribed painkiller. If you have a specific condition which is causing the swelling, then seek medical help. For chapped and dry lips, apply something soothing to it, if you are experiencing burning sensation too. Aloe gel is a soothing liquid that will help. Apply it liberally around 3-4 times a day.

If you have extremely dry lips then use natural products to moisturize them. You can first try to exfoliate your lips to get rid of any dry skin. Make sure you exfoliate your lips only if there is no pain involved. Use an old toothbrush and wet your lips. Gently, keep brushing your lips to remove any dry dead cells. Then pat your lips dry and apply liberally a moisturizer to it. Some good options of natural lip moisturizers are purified butter (ghee), olive oil, and shea butter.

There are still many other causes related to swelling and chapping of lips. The list includes core sores, facial injury, stomach problems, and hand food and mouth disease, deficiencies, core sores and side effects of drugs like chemotherapy drugs. If the dry lips are not getting better within few days use of home care tips, then consult a dermatologist to find out the cause. According to the cause the treatment will be administered.