Cancer Center - Chapped lips

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Chapped lips

Alternative Names

Lips - chapped and dry

Information

Here are some recommendations for preventing chapped lips:

Avoid excessive sun exposure.
Avoid going out in dry, cold weather without putting on lip balm or lipstick.
Try to keep the air in your home humid.
Use a sunscreen on your lips when outside in sunny weather.

Here are some recommendations for soothing chapped and sore lips:

Drink additional fluids in winter months.
Treat chapped lips with beeswax or petrolatum (for example, Vaseline or other lip balm).

See your health care provider if you have sores that will not heal on your lips.

References

Dinulos JGH. Atopic dermatitis. In: Dinulos JGH, ed. Habif's Clinical Dermatology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 5.

Dinulos JGH. Warts, herpes simplex, and other viral infections. In: Dinulos JGH, ed. Habif's Clinical Dermatology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 12.

James WD, Elston DM, Treat JR, Rosenbach MA, Neuhaus IM. Cutaneous signs and diagnosis. In: James WD, Elston DM, Treat JR, Rosenbach, MA, Neuhaus IM, eds. Andrews' Diseases of the Skin. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 2.

Review Date: 10/20/2022
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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